Long back, after having a brainstorming session at our office, we took a snacking break and I opted for a banana and a fresh lime with minimal sugar, as nothing safer was readily available. Suddenly, a visiting wellness consultant opined alarmingly, “Sajeev, how can you tolerate such acidic stuff together? Won’t it cause bloating?”
He was of course mistaken about the banana, as it is alkaline, but that is not the point. For some strange reason, both banana and lime juice were taboo foods for this otherwise healthy and knowledgeable person, as it caused immediate bloating for him. So taking them together was unthinkable. And naturally, he assumed that this should be the case for all of us.
That time itself I guessed it should be something related to his genetic or metabolic makeup. Years later, when I studied and researched on nutrigenomics, things became amazingly clear to me. Nutrigenomics is nothing short of mind boggling, as it is the study of not only how our DNA or genes affect the food we eat, but how the foods we eat affect our genes in return!
Nutrigenomics, a relatively new science, has been effectively used to create personalized diets based on an individual's genetic test results. Several companies have pioneered DNA-based weight loss programs, which have gained wide acceptance. Even those who struggled to lose weight despite trying various diets and fitness regimens have found success with these DNA-based programs. However, nutrigenomics can be applied to much more than just weight loss.
For instance, nutrigenomics can be used in weight gain programs like muscle building, for special athletic needs like sprinting or endurance sports, for managing specific conditions or lifestyle diseases, for peak cognitive performance, and for a full range of Human Performance Optimization (HPO) objectives. I will explain these applications with suitable examples.
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Vitamin B9, often called Folate or Folic Acid, is a master vitamin involved with regulating numerous critical functions in the human body. Folate has been found to play critical roles in mental and emotional health, heart disease, digestion, cell growth and renewal, DNA synthesis, red blood cell production, neural tube development in babies during pregnancy, and prevention of age-related hearing loss and macular degeneration, to name just a few.
Some people are born with a variation in a gene called the MTHFR that affects how easily their bodies convert folate into its active form. This can raise homocysteine levels and increase their risk for heart disease as well as other conditions dependent on B9. Hence people with this genetic variation should take extra care in this regard by eating more folate-rich foods like leafy greens or by taking a suitable B9 supplement.
The case of B9 was just provided as an illustration; such genetic influences are the norm rather than the exception when it comes to the metabolism of most nutrients. Some such well-established genetic variants include those causing lactose intolerance, Vitamin D malabsorption, too high caffeine sensitivity etc. People with such variants need to cut down on milk products, or take Vitamin D supplements and go for lighter and fewer coffees, as the case may be.
A genetic test can fully enumerate such DNA based nutritional needs, so that powerful Human Performance Optimization (HPO) programs can be prescribed to each individual.
(By Sajeev Nair, Founder & Chairman, Vieroots Wellness Solutions)
