10 Reasons To Test Your Genes And Personalize Your Nutrition.
In the age of personalized nutrition, there’s no need for us all to still be following the same one-size-fits-all nutrition and lifestyle recommendations.
With a good genetic test through a registered and accredited health practitioner, you can discover what your body’s unique needs are, and meet these needs regularly to transform your health. Reaching your goals – whatever they are– has never been as easy and as effortless as it is now, thanks to personalized genetic testing.
Here are 10 reasons to test your genes today:
1. Find out how to (finally) lose weight effectively and permanently.
Appetite, hunger, satiety, eating behavior, meal timing, exercise response, circadian rhythms, how we handle inflammation, and many other processes that affect body weight are all influenced by our genes. Practitioners who work with genetic data to drive recommendations are well aware that weight loss is about far more than simply trying to eat fewer (or burn more) calories.
2. Learn about your body’s natural detox power and how to boost it.
The toxic compounds of modern life are all around us in the air, water, food, and personal- and home-care products we’re exposed to on a regular basis. How fast and effectively we process and eliminate toxins is genetically determined AND modifiable with diet and lifestyle changes. In other words, knowing how your liver enzymes work can help you to optimize them for better detox. (It’s not magic, it’s simply nutrigenomics).
3. Find out if your body is making enough Vitamin D – the hormone that impacts immunity, body weight, mood and longevity.
There’s a major spotlight on the sunshine vitamin these days. Turns out our body converts D3 into calcitriol (active vitamin D) that controls the expression of over 1000 genes. And a shockingly high percentage of us don’t have enough active vitamin D because we aren’t transporting, storing and using it efficiently, due to variations in our genes. A genetic test gives you actionable insights and helps you to optimize your Vitamin D levels for a longer, healthier and happier life.
4. If you test your genes, you can discover how much coffee is healthy for your body.
For individuals with a certain variant of the CYP1A2 gene that leads to slower caffeine processing, caffeine has the potential to build up in the bloodstream and, as a result, may do more harm than good. Find out how “slow” or “fast” a metabolizer you are of caffeine by running a genetic test. Once you know, you can determine how many coffees a day is perfect for you and you can use caffeine strategically at specific times as a powerful performance enhancer.
5. Discover what type of exercise you should be prioritizing.
In a world of endless workout options, what’s the right type of exercise and training program for your body? Your genes have some valuable answers about what type of exercise you’ll respond best to in terms of fitness, performance, body composition, and recovery.
6. What’s your exercise injury risk? How can you manage and avoid injuries better?
Knowing your genetically-determined susceptibility to injury can help to manage and mitigate the risk by adjusting exercise and recovery routines accordingly.
7. Inflammation – do you have it under control?
Some of us are more prone to inflammation than others. Rampant unchecked inflammation and chronic disease are closely linked. There are several genes associated with inflammation and knowing more about yours can help you to balance inflammation in your body, reverse unwanted symptoms, prevent illness and delay aging!
8. Learn more about your body’s response to dietary fat and cardiovascular risk.
Different amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and fat affect individuals differently, thanks to gene variations that make each of us unique. Certain genes and gene variants influence metabolism, including our response to various types of fat (saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat) and knowing more about our responses can help us to tailor our diet to get the outcomes we want.
9. How to boost your energy levels.
Our genes affect circulating levels of B vitamins (especially folate and B12) in the body. We need folate and our B vitamins to be optimal, not only for the production of energy but also to prevent conditions like birth defects, dementia and cardiovascular disease. B vitamin metabolism is controlled by several genes and pathways, all illuminated by a genetic test and discussed with your practitioner at your feedback consultation.
10. How to make health a daily choice.
Genetic testing through an accredited health practitioner can provide valuable insight into how simple changes to your diet and lifestyle can upregulate your genes (switch them on or off) and put you in a great position to lead a longer, happier and healthier life.
Article by: Klara Mudge (3x4 Genetics).