NUTRITION AUTHOR
Coach Kati Epps
HOW GENETICS AFFECT NUTRITION n This month, Coach Kati shares the importance of eating uniquely for your body.
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he human obsession with diets and nutrition can be tracked all the way back to the 1500s: how food affects the body, how to have a healthier physique and how to train for strength and beauty. The goal of having a healthy body has racked the minds of scholars, scientists, royalty and many for centuries. As it has never been clear what exact diet makes a person lean and healthy, many nutrition plans have been professed to be the best. The one thing that is a constant over time: There is not a single nutrition plan that works for absolutely everyone. Without trying each individual diet or nutrition plan written over the last 500 years, how does someone decide how to feed their body to meet their lifestyle and health goals?
JULY 2021
GENETICS! Each individual has their own set of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) that is unique to them. Even identical twins have variations after birth based on somatic mutations of the immune system. So, if we know we are all “one of a kind,” can we use our genotype to determine what and how to eat? The answer is yes! DNA can be broken down into individual areas known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that scientists can look at to determine how these key genes measure up to a known gene. Samples of saliva, blood or other tissue can be analyzed to find these SNPs, and then they are rated from below average/low, average/ normal or above average/enhanced. When looking at the results of a DNA test, the answers are not like
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a report card. No information is good or bad when it comes to how the body utilizes food — it is just information to move forward with feeding the body to meet the goals of the individual. There are two ways to determine what nutritionally is needed for each person: 1. Look at the macronutrient utilization: proteins, carbohydrates and fats. How does the body utilize food? Is more protein better? Is less fat optimal? Are carbohydrates a factor, and if so, what carbohydrates and how much should be consumed? 2. Look at the micronutrient’s absorption tendency: vitamins and minerals. Here, we look at how well the body breaks down food into vitamins and minerals
