Bon appétit!
My
ZOE Experience
E a t fo r Yo u r B o d y w i t h ZO E By EMME MARTIN
I
ntroduced to you in VIE’s April 2022 issue, ZOE is a program that analyzes your gut bacteria, blood fat, and blood sugar responses to determine the right meal plan for you. Through its PREDICT studies, ZOE found that everyone reacts differently to the same foods—even identical twins. As a result, ZOE combines artificial intelligence with expertise from the world’s best scientists to help users discover how to eat for their individual bodies. Intrigued by the cutting-edge nature of the program, VIE’s assistant editor, Emme Martin, decided to give ZOE a try. Here’s what she learned. Emme Martin
The Testing Experience
Photo by Lauren Athalia
It began when I received the aesthetic packaging that met the prerequisites of an Instagram story post. The box included a continuous glucose monitor, a
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blood fat test, a gut health test, and the special muffins, which I was excited to try. I applied the continuous glucose monitor the next day. I would be wearing it on my arm for the next two weeks, and it would tell me what my blood sugar levels were at any time I scanned via an app on my phone. The prick was less intense than I expected, as I genuinely did not feel anything when my coworker Kelly applied it. From there, downloading the accompanying app was equally as straightforward. Over the next two weeks, I became used to scanning my monitor after every meal and analyzing how specific foods affected my blood sugar levels. It was insightful, as I realized a lethargic mood often correlated with consuming sugars or processed foods. Notably, consuming alcohol causes my blood sugar levels to drop very low— understandable but surprising. On the other hand, my
