Here at The Wellness Academy, we believe that knowing your genes is the key to personalized health and wellness programming.

Why? Because you can learn a lot from your genes! Unfortunately, many people tend to think that genetic testing is just for determining your ancestry or checking to see if you're predisposed to a specific disease or not. And while those things are true, genetic testing allows you to gain insights into how your genes function and how they impact your overall health and wellness.

When you take a genetic test, it looks at a selection of genes  that work together to provide you with a blueprint for how your own body functions. Here are the major areas where genetic testing can give you insight into your body's functionality and where you can make better diet and lifestyle choices that will be more optimized for you.

Our genes have an impact on our bodies all the way from the cellular level, and can have an effect on the following processes:

Methylation: This is the process of repairing cells, making new DNA, and ensuring that your cells are working well overall. A genetic test can give you insight into how well this process is working.
Inflammation: The right amount of inflammation in the body is healthy, and helps speed up the healing process. Chronic disease appears when there's too much inflammation — and you can learn through genetic testing how well your genes keep inflammation at bay.
Oxidative Stress: Unchecked oxidative stress can lead to fatigue, memory loss, and other disease, and you can learn how well your genes handle this kind of stress.
Detoxification: A person's genes can inform how their body can dispose of toxins that build up. You can learn how well your cells work to detoxify your body, and if you need to change your environment to reduce toxins.

After competing a genetic test, we were able to give recommendations to a client based on what we found at their cellular level, which included a modification to their workout regiment to optimize performance, body composition, and recovery.

Genes also play an impactful role in keeping your systems functioning and communicating with one another. Genetic testing can give you insights into your mood and behavior changes, as well as how to improve your memory and brain health. It can also inform you of your histamine tolerance, as genes regulate histamine production. You can also gain insights into your hormonal balance and glucose and insulin regulation. You can also learn more about how your genes affect your joints and your bone health.

We were able to give recommendations to a client based on what we found at their systems level, which included the addition of a few targeted supplements to help remove excess histamines from his diet. This helped him reduce and eliminate symptoms such as seasonal allergies, itchy skin, and chronic headaches.

Our genes also contribute to a well-functioning cardiovascular system in the following ways:

Blood clotting: Certain genes affect how well your blood clots, so genetic testing can help you determine if you need to take steps to stave off a stroke, heart attack, or other clotting issues.
Cholesterol: Genetic testing can also give you insight into how your body stores and metabolizes cholesterol, which can help you make better food choices.
Vascular Health: Specific genes also contribute to the strength of your blood vessels, so genetic testing can give insights into how strong or weak your circulatory system is.
Blood Pressure: Certain genes also impact your heart's ability to contract and relax, which may impact your blood pressure.

We were able to give recommendations to a client based on what we found about their cardiovascular system, which included a modification to their diet to add in more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Genetic testing can also uncover what's affecting your energy levels and weight management, as specific genes can influence things like your appetite and how satiated or full you fill at the end of a meal. Genes can also influence something called adipogenesis, or the storage and release of fat cells, as well as whether fat triggers excess inflammation. They also influence how easy or difficult it would be for you to gain or lose weight. Genetic testing can also give you insight into how your body expends energy and burns calories as well.

We were able to give recommendations to a client based on what we found about their energy levels, which included adding one additional rest day to her workout plan. This allowed her body the recovery it needed which in turn, helped her to optimize her workouts and ultimately lose the weight she was struggling to lose.

You can also learn more about how your body responds to various types of activities by learning more about your genes. Since genes influence aerobic training and oxygen usage, a genetic test can provide insights into your fitness levels and your potential. It can also tell you whether your body is more conditioned for endurance exercises, like running or biking, or for more power exercises, like sprinting or weight lifting. Knowing how your genes impact bone and joint health can also help you mitigate any injuries you may experience while exercising as well.

We were able to give recommendations to a client based on what we found about their activity levels, which included recommendations on how many days she should be doing cardiovascular exercise (like running, cycling, and swimming) and how many days she should be doing strength training to optimize her body composition.

Finally, your genes can tell you a lot about what types of nutrients are best for your body, and how well your body absorbs and metabolizes them. Your genes can affect how your body processes caffeine, iron, fatty acids, choline, folate, gluten, vitamin D, salt, vitamin C, and vitamin B12, and knowing how they do can help you make better food choices.


We were able to give recommendations to a client based on what we found about their nutrient absorption, which include recommendations on specific supplementation. In her case, she was using a multivitamin full of nutrients her body wasn't absorbing well. After seeing her test results, we were able to recommend an alternative multivitamin which was more appropriate for her body.

 

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

As you can see, genetic testing can tell you a lot more about you than just your ancestry! Genetic testing is the way to discover how your individual body works, and which lifestyle and diet choices you can adopt to help optimize your health, wellness, and longevity.


Ready to start your personalized health journey?  Book a FREE discovery call with Erin to learn how genetic testing can help you optimize your health plan.

Traveling abroad is an exciting adventure, but it can be challenging to maintain a healthy diet while exploring new destinations. Some of us can overthink this and create stress, others dive into junk food and have regrets. Here are some tips we use to eat healthy and feel our best while fueling our travels. We hope they are helpful for your adventures too.

First and most important, it takes some pre-planning for success. Starting with the flights, as we all know airplane food is gross, but also rarely offered anymore or only snacks carrying high prices and no nutrition. For flights overseas, it is important to check the customs of the country you are entering, for example, Iceland does not allow any meat or dairy (beef sticks, smoked salmon, and cheeses were out). Pack nuts, dried meats, hardboiled eggs, celery, carrots, apples, a few protein bars (low sugar and minimal ingredients preferred), shaker cups and protein powder, etc. to keep you going throughout the flight. Also, don’t forget your water vessel to fill up, hydration is crucial, especially when you’re in flight.

Now for the actual trip, once you’ve arrived things can be very foreign depending on where the adventure has taken you. Again tip number one, PLAN AHEAD.

Research Local Cuisine: Before you leave, look up the local cuisine of your destination. Identify traditional foods as well as what is seasonally available. You can find healthy dishes with local ingredients that you can incorporate into your diet. You can always make a list of restaurants that are rated highly and serve local fare. Europe is especially better about this than we are here in America… Read reviews and you will find where the delicious food lives.

Pack Snacks: Bring along those healthy snacks you packed for the flights to help you in a pinch. Also, a stop at the local markets can help you restock fresh veggies to have with you or purchase items that were not able to come through customs. These are great for long travel days and can help you avoid convenience food options.

Stay Hydrated: Boring, we know but critical. Carry a reusable water bottle. Drinking plenty of water keeps you hydrated and helps you avoid cravings and sugar beverages.

While traveling food costs may add up quickly, especially when you are trying to eat local and fresh. One tip that we incorporate is to buy food at the local market for breakfast and lunch, then eat dinner out at a 4/5 star place. This stretches the food budget, allows us to spend more time exploring, and enjoy a lovely meal at the end of the day. You can also opt for Bed and Breakfast lodging to get breakfasts included with traditional local fare (you meet great people from all over the world this way - bonus!). In many countries, there are also accommodations that include kitchen facilities. This allows you to prepare your own meals and control the ingredients you use.

When you do head to the restaurants, there are a few things that can make your choices on the healthier side. First, do not be afraid to ask for what you’d like, “Could I get more vegetables?” If you are feeling adventurous, we recommend you try out local foods that are new to you. While in Iceland, Erin tried fish that were local (Arctic Charr), spiced dried lamb slices, traditional Icelandic fish soup, black charcoal sourdough pizza, Skyer (their yogurt), and enjoyed several Icelandic lamb dishes (different than the lamb here). She also saw many options that were local such as whale or reindeer burgers, fermented shark, and horse tenderloin. The veggies in Iceland were slim and those grown locally were done so in geothermal greenhouses and provided broccolini, carrots, cabbage, and some lettuce varieties. 

Remember to be flexible. While it’s important to eat healthily, allow yourself to enjoy local treats in moderation. Experience local cuisine while enjoying the company you are with (sometimes the company and laughter are the healthy part of the meal).

Eating healthy while traveling doesn’t have to be difficult. By planning ahead, making smart choices at restaurants, shopping at local markets, and staying mindful of your portions, you can maintain a balanced diet and feel great during your travels. Enjoy the culinary adventure that comes with exploring new places, and remember that balance is key to a healthy travel experience. Safe travels and happy eating!