Genetic Testing can point you in the right general direction with how to eat and exercise based on your own set of genes!

Genetic Testing for Health is just getting off the Ground

Genetics can tell a lot about the best way to eat and exercise for optimal body composition

I have spent the last few months researching the genetic testing available that pertains to weight loss, aging and general health. What I learned was that we are just on the tip of the iceberg in this human research!  It is truly fascinating! At this point, the gene snps used in the tests show tendencies of a persons physiology. I was inspired after learning more about this research and skeptical at the same time.  I decided to give it a go in my practice and see what the clinical experience of it all had to tell me!

Clinically, when I began doing some of this testing on myself, my family and my patients I was a able to make sense of the different results had by different people.  It was kind of amazing me. I learned which patients had a higher utilization of protein (over fat and carbs), I learned some patients had a better utilization of carbs (over protein and fat). I learned that some patients have no fat burning effect from cardio and do great burning fat with resistance training and vice versa.  For myself, I learned that I do not utilize fat very well which explained why I felt like “crap” when I tried the ketogenic diet for a month this past year.

The Clues we Can Gain About our Physiology from our Genetics 

Your Genetics can give you clues about:

• What’s the right percentage of carbs, fat and protein for your diet?

• Should you exercise at high intensity, or can you get by with a moderate workout?

I see clinically how these test results may tell patients the personalized tendencies in their genetics that could be helpful in reaching their weight loss goals.  I have only done this with a handful of patients so far and can tell you that I am having great results with it.