Also referred to as “Nutrigenomics”- a functional genetic analysis is NOT looking at complete genetic alteration, but rather evaluates the way that key enzymes behave in critical cell activities every millisecond of the day, and how your environment and nutrition can either impede or benefit that function. As the name implies, Nutrigenomics is simply the science of evaluating your “nutrition” and “genes.”

This is not genetic sequencing. We are not tagging and sequencing every one of your genes in full to look for genetic mutations that result in outright disease. Remember, less than 1% of disease is actually from a frank genetic mutation.

Most disease is a mix of lots of poorly functioning enzymes due to a single alteration in their gene sequence, that have been triggered by poor nutrition and stress that then become problematic in our bodies over time. Those are the enzymes we evaluate - and we target treatment to enhance the way those genes behave together to improve your health and longevity.

When I review your genes, I look at specific coding regions called SNP’s- “single nucleotide polymorphisms”.

Your genes are built from 4 nucleotide base pairs (Adenine (A), Thiamine (T), Guanine (G) and Cytosine (C)). These pair up in our DNA as A-T and C-G combinations. A gene is a long sequence of these combinations. Every 3 base pairs is tagged as a “codon” - or a region that will code for a protein. Proteins are then bound together as the gene sequences, to form a final product - like enzymes. A gene can have 1,000+ nucleotides. We are looking at 1 or 2 pairs of nucleotides within a gene that will alter the protein that forms.

That’s it!

These alterations, however, are well associated with disease risk factors (not outright disease- just a higher probability toward dysfunction).

SNPs exist to alter the function of a gene, but not to mutate the gene. It simply makes it work a little differently.

These SNP regions are very well studied, and known to impact function based on the base pair of the DNA that exists at that region. The more dysfunctional a SET of genes, the more likely you are to develop disease (a “poly” genetic risk).

As it has been said before, and bears repeating: Genetics loads the gun, but your environment pulls the trigger.

This is why it is so important to address you genes as a coach- because it is not just about replacing nutrients with vitamins or drugs, like a doctor will do. It is MORE influential to help you completely shift your mindset, your lifestyle, your diet, and your activities of daily living to fully embrace the nuances and brilliance that exists in your genes.

It is REALLY important to remember that your genes are not your destiny. Your genes remain static, from the day your born until the day you die- the code is the same. But something happens from the age you feel healthy and vibrant, and the time when you start to feel “not quite right” or frankly sick. This is the role of Epi-genetics; “above” the gene. What you eat, your stress level, your hormone health, your exercise, the medications you take, the supplements you try - even the stress and health of your mother AND grandmother - will all impact your gene expression over time. So although your genes remain static, how they turn on, or turn off, will vary.

Using a BioAge assessment, I can look at regions of DNA that are “hot” or not… those turned on and associated with disease and risk for advanced aging. This gives a score that demonstrates your rate of aging. This score is COMPLETELY modifiable through altering lifestyle, which makes it a great tool when determining how well our treatments are working to support your goals. I help you to understand how your choices are either helping, or harming, your health, and what nutrients and lifestyle changes may benefit you. Your Epi-genome is not static, so you will change and evolve as you do more, or less, of the what your body needs for health. For this reason, your food and supplement recommendations will change, too, which is why coaching and continued support. Your genes never change, so you only need to test your genes once, but by using blood work and BioAge assessments, we can watch and follow gene expression, and target more directly any areas of imbalance in the moment as you work toward optimizing health.

Remember:

• These variants to your genes exist for a reason - your ancestors evolved and reproduced because of these gene variants. They may not be in our best interest in today’s world, but they were once considered protective and advantageous to some.

• There are no truly “good” or truly “bad” SNPs. They simply are. They can become a problem because our lifestyle triggered them. We don’t need to change the gene. We need to change our lifestyle.

• Just because you have a SNP does not mean that the gene will actually function poorly. Some genes may never even turn on, meaning a SNP would never be a problem.

• You can have stress to genes that have perfect SNP regions and ideal function - but add enough stress and that gene will not function well.

• We must look at your functional labs and health history to assess how your genes are influencing you - and how best to target treatments to address the likely genes of greatest imbalance to you in this moment.

• By knowing how your genes work best, you can have more accountability for your actions - knowing what is good for your genes, and what is not.

Interested in a genomic analysis and wellness game plan?

If you are curious in learning about your genes, the impact they may have on your health, and strategies to stay healthy and vibrant all life long, a Nutrition and Wellness Genomic Evaluation may be ideal for you!

You will get a professional nutrigenomic test.

If you have raw data from consumer-direct companies like Ancestry or 23andMe, we can use that for analysis as well. This comes with a $100 discount to cost, but is less informative in general, as these companies don’t provide your full genome, just an abbreviated snap-shot).

I review your genes and health history and put together your “Gene-ious Workbook: A story of how you function”

We will then meet for a 2-2.5 hour visit to discuss your genes.

This is chiefly educational, but will pull into your current health history and concerns. We will account for any recent labs, and provide recommendations for further testing if needed. We will then end with a strategy session to help target nutrients, herbs, lifestyle, diet, environment and stress management tools to optimize your health in the now.

We will then have a 30 minute phone or Zoom check-in 2 weeks later to answer any quick questions you may have as you work through your work-book.

Follow-up visits can be scheduled, or you can choose to enroll in a 6-month coaching session at a discounted rate.