When it comes to living your life to the full and enjoying every minute, then your health is key. Staying fit and healthy will not only give you the energy to take glamorous breaks abroad or enjoy many different hobbies it will also help you live well for longer. For many people, this can mean following the usual advice of taking exercise and eating healthy foods.
But what if there was a new, more effective way to stay fit and looking good? New research has shown that the way our individual genes interact with the nutrients we take in can play a big part in how our bodies function. Known as Nutrigenomics, this branch of science has looked into how our individual genetic make-up reacts to the food we eat.
This has seen the general ‘one size fits all’ advice around diets and healthy eating being shunned in favor of a more tailored approach. Nutrigenomics pioneer Dr Amy Yasko has conducted research into this field which has underpinned her book Feel Good Nutrigenomicson the subject. As Dr Yasko and others in this area of science have shown, what we should eat to stay healthy is different for everyone, depending on our genetic make-up.
What does this mean for eating healthily going forward?
In the future, doctors and nutritionists may adopt a more tailored approach to setting out healthy eating plans for patients. By following a diet plan that is in alignment with your genetic make-up, you will be eating foods that are suited to you and will not put any undue stress on your body. That will make you feel better in your daily life with more energy and will help to keep you looking good.
As well as helping you work out what you should or should not be having, nutrigenomics can also identify any glaring absences in your diet. This can be especially good for keeping your skin and hair looking glamorous by showing where your diet may be lacking in key vitamins that your particular genetic make-up needs. With a more personal, scientific view of your body’s individual needs, you can begin to follow a unique diet plan that helps you look great and feel amazing.
When you think that most health professionals agree that the right diet is 80% of what keeps you fit and in good shape, then this becomes even more important. One area that this also impacts on is preventing or managing common physical conditions.
But what are the key ones that a tailored approach can help with?
Obesity
In the USA alone, rates of adult obesity are around 35%. That is not only a huge problem for personal health but also for the costs it presents to business and the strain it puts on the healthcare system. It is thought that a tailored approach to eating could really help the situation. By looking at your genetic make-up to see what could cause you to put on weight, you can then avoid any foods which may trigger this response. Looking into your diet on a more individual basis like this can also help you see if you are consuming too much of a particular food group, such as carbohydrates, which could cause weight gain.
Diabetes
Diabetes is another condition that is becoming more and more common around the globe. As with obesity, it not only impacts your lifestyle but also poses serious health problems if not treated properly. Although it can be passed on through family bloodlines, it is now thought that your own genetic make-up plays a big role in whether you are at risk of contracting this condition. As such, taking a nutrigenomic test can confirm this. By then following a lifestyle and diet plan that is tailored to help prevent diabetes according to your own genes, you can hopefully head it off or help your body to fight it.
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Heart disease
One of the biggest killers around right now is cardiovascular disease. This physical condition affects your heart and how it works. Eventually, it can lead to heart attacks or your vital arteries not being able to function properly. Although the link between diet and CVD has been proven in the past, general advice on dietary changes have not worked in cutting the number of people who suffer from it. Nutrigenomics can help battle CVD by looking at what particular nutrients your body needs, and which will help you personally to prevent heart problems.
A unique diet plan could be the answer
We all like to live full and active lives but this is only possible when we are in good health. While general advice in the past had been given around this, it now seems that we need to look at what our own bodies need and give it to them. What works for one person in combating common ailments may not work for another. It therefore makes sense to get a detailed overview of what your own body needs and structure a diet plan that meets the requirements.
