Discover Your Genetic Potential | DNAFit

“Our groundbreaking DNA test will change the way you think about fitness and nutrition forever.” DNAFit

There is so much conflicting information about what to eat as well as when to eat it. Are carbs really that bad? Is sugar the devil incarnate? Does buying low fat actually just mean products with more added sugar? What is the latest superfood? Should we be following a Paleo diet? The list of do’s and don’t’s is endless and forever changing, the food denounced one minute trends the next, confusing or what? Should we look beyond what’s recommended to the masses and instead examine what’s best for our own genetic makeup, then follow a diet that’s specific to our own individual needs?

As we all know diets may work short-term but in order to manage weight and stay healthy we need something more sustainable. Everyone processes foods differently so what’s needed is a solution where you can you modify your own lifestyle, nutrition and exercise programme to suit your body. So how do we achieve that? The answer is with Nutrigenetics, personalised nutrition and fitness based on your genetic makeup which can be achieved by taking a simple DNA test.

A couple of weeks ago I took a swab of saliva from inside my cheek at home, sealed it in a test tube, filled in the consent form, sealed both in a pre-paid jiffy bag and sent it off to a lab in the UK to be tested courtesy of DNAfit.com (DNAFit ships worldwide, including to the UAE). The lab tests were conducted on my swab against forty-five gene variants scientifically linked to the body’s response to training and nutrition. Last week I received an e-mail to notify me that my bespoke DNA test report was available online in my DNAfit portal along with a handy infographic, detailed information for my ideal diet and fitness which outlined my body’s sensitivities and what I foods I need to increase and those that need to be decreased to achieve results.

Not only is this a fascinating and informative test but the whole procedure was straightforward, DNAFit’s products are well presented with foolproof instructions. My detailed online report is easily accessible and straightforward with explanations and recommendations for each part of the analysis, each section provides an action plan as well as DNAFit tips. Additionally there is also an overall nutrient summary and guidelines that I need to follow for my recommended daily intake of key vitamins, minerals and nutrients.

As a self-confessed bad vegetarian, I did wonder what this test would say about my diet and fitness level. First let me clarify ‘bad’ vegetarian, I have been eating a plant based diet for over twenty-five years but my sweet tooth and love of sodium are my downfall, combine that with my sporadic exercise and my advancing age, you can see why I was a little concerned what my body’s blueprint would identify.

Results are categorised into three different diet recommendations, my results suggest that my optimal diet type is Mediterranean. This is a low-carb, low-fat diet that’s rich in fresh plant foods, fresh fruit, beans, nuts, seeds, fish, whole grains and healthy fats. This diet is associated with reducing the risk of heart disease, depression and dementia.

My DNAFit Results

Diet – My DNA diet report concludes that I am not lactose intolerant but I do have a possible coeliac predisposition (gluten intolerance) and a sensitivity to caffeine and alcohol! I have a medium-low sensitivity to carbs therefore I need to restrict my refined carbs to 10% of my daily calories. My low sensitivity to saturated fat means that I have to consume a maximum of 10% of my daily calories through saturated fat. I do not produce the GSTM1 naturally so I need to eat more cruciferous vegetables to compensate.

I need to increase – Antioxidants, Vitamin D, Calcium, Cruciferous Vegetables and Omega 3

I need to decrease – Salt, Caffeine and Grilled Meat (shouldn’t be too tough as a vegetarian).

Fitness – I have a very high VO2max response (oxygen utilisation during exercise), my recovery speed is fast but my injury risk is high as I have an overall higher than average risk of a sports related soft tissue injury. I need to place a priority on endurance and power exercises in my training program.

Further interpretation of the report is available, at an additional cost, via an expert consultation with one of DNAFit’s master trainers or olympic athletes. I am scheduled to have my consultation with former Olympic sprinter and bobsleigher Craig Pickering next week.

DNAFit, started by South African entrepreneur Avrom (Avi) Lasarow in 2013, has gone from strength to strength in just three years. The company has received a certified Global Trademark in genetics and fitness and recently won the Market Gravity Innovation Award at 2015 Lloyds UK National Business Awards. DNAFit is helping countless people with genetic specific nutrition and fitness plans from Olympic athletes such as Greg Rutherford, active sportsmen and women to the average man on the street. It’s widely reported that following a diet based on genetics could help you lose a third more weight than a standard calorie counting plan, I bet that has got your attention because it certainly got mine.

I found the whole DNAFit process enlightening and interesting. Overall the procedure was very professional and I am thoroughly impressed with every aspect from receiving the test, the ease of collecting the DNA and returning it for testing, the concise and easy to understand reports and action plans. I urge anyone interested in health and fitness to ditch the diet and workout crazes and take a DNAFit test to find out how you can improve your lifestyle based on your own genetic analysis. As DNAFit states ‘You cannot change your genes but you can change your lifestyle.’ If you are interested in taking your own DNA test visit the DNAFit online store here for all the product information and costs, prices start from £99.

DNAFit

Website: www.dnafit.com

Telephone: +44 (0) 845 463 4653

E-mail: info@dnafit.com

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For interesting and information relating to nutrition, fitness, genetics, food intolerances and so much more check out the DNAFit blog here

I was invited by DNAFit to take this test. I took the Fitness Diet Pro test that costs £249. This test is the ultimate DNAFIt package, I received all of the DNA fitness and nutrition markers to give me the most in-depth picture of my exercise and diet genetics possible. I also received my personal genetic infographic and access to the DNAFit Olympian Benchmark System.