DNA Analysis - the future of nutritional and fitness advice

We all know someone who eats junk food, smokes and drinks as much as they like and yet they seem to escape the expected decline in health or increase in weight that should go hand in hand with their lifestyles. Although most will see consequences after middle age, the point is their resistance seems much higher.

On the other hand, we all know someone who complains of a life-long struggle with dieting and weight gain. These are normally the ones who say "I only need to look at food to put on weight." They may be judged for their 'lack of willpower' but many will keep trying harder and harder despite the discrepancy between their efforts and the results they yield. There has to be a missing link here. And that's precisely what I want to focus on.

Besides weight management, other aspects of health also show high variability amongst different individuals. When you have a limited amount of resources and time, it is key to know what to prioritise.  Which aspects of 'healthy living' affect you most and can make a real difference for you personally?

Overall, we should all be avoiding junk foods and environmental pollutants but if you could find out exactly what aspects of modern life affect your future, you could probably concentrate your efforts with more accuracy. There is plenty of information about how to eat well but what you really need to know is how to pinpoint the individualities and weaknesses of your physiology that make you more susceptible to certain food types and the environment.

DNA Analysis - the ultimate tool in personalised nutrition

Depending on genetic makeup, the consequences of exposure to external factors can be completely different and that is the underlying reason why NO DIET works for everyone. There will always be someone who doesn't do well on a 'Mediterranean Diet' or who develops high levels of cholesterol on a 'Paleo Diet' or even who do not respond positively to supplements of fish oils.

How long have we searched for the 'ideal diet'? Or the best form of exercise to burn fat? The reason the debate goes on for so long is simple: no one diet or exercise regime suits everyone. The earlier you find out about your genes, the more you can do about your health and the better the return of your efforts. When resources are limited, you can then prioritise efforts according to your genetic strengths and weaknesses.

How does it work?

The extent to which Genetic Profiling can revolutionise both dietary advice and physical training programmes is unprecedented. It empowers you with crucial information about your own blueprint and makes it possible to achieve optimal results. It sheds light into the exact areas of frustration when it comes to diet and exercise. It then becomes much easier to truly understand your body and work with it.

For example, via DNA analysis it is possible to identify the types of muscle fibres that predominate in someone, making them naturally more adapted towards strength or endurance training. DNA analysis can highlight mutations or missing parts in your DNA which can explain why your body reacts in certain ways, or reveal that your body is incapable of dealing with certain toxins effectively without additional support in the form of diet modification or supplementation. It also means you may be able to choose which areas of diet need more of your attention and investment.

DNA analysis is not only about weaknesses but also strengths. You could find out for example that you have a good innate antioxidant capacity and therefore are better protected against oxidative stress and damage generated by lack of antioxidants in your diet. Everybody needs their portions of fruit and veg every day but some people may need them in much higher amounts whilst others will get away with less.

So DNA analysis serves to identify not only many aspects determining physical performance, fat handling and injury risk, but also the most relevant and effective dietary goals for each individual. Whilst some people are prone to problems related to the amount of saturated fats in their diets, others will have difficulties processing carbohydrates or eliminating toxic compounds from the environment. The only way to identify the best diet for maximum results with precision is to understand each individual’s metabolic makeup. DNA analysis bridges the gaps currently existing in both nutritional and fitness advice.

Finding out about your DNA - a scary thing?

It is important to make it clear that no deterministic genes are tested for in any of the genetic profiles available via Cell Nutrition. That means none of the results will cast your fate or predict diseases.  They will tell you about your susceptibilities but what will determine your future is a complex interaction between your genetic makeup and the environment. There are many more genes in the genome than the ones used in the profiles done for nutritional and fitness purposes. There isn't a linear interaction between these genes and 'predicting the future' through genetic analysis is not what genetic testing is used for in here.

The main use of Genetic Profiling, in this case, is to reveal how best to improve the environmental input and influence the expression of genes towards the most beneficial outcomes. Genes that predict someone's fate in terms of definite future diseases are not available in any of the nutrigenetic profiles used within this context. The chosen profiles include only genes that have been demonstrated to have a wide prevalence in the general population and for which lifestyle interventions have shown to modify gene expression. A rigorous selection process is utilised by the laboratories selecting genes for the available DNA profiles, with only the most scientifically relevant genes being considered for analysis.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author. All articles published on Nutritionist Resource are reviewed by our editorial team.

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