Good health and well-being starts here

Good health and well-being are what everyone wants! We know that everyone wants a healthy body and mind without any illnesses. Ultimately our healthy journey begins with receiving adequate nutrition, exercise and minimizing stress.

In our childhood, our parents often tell us to have a balanced diet consisting of five main food groups: starch, protein, fats, water, vitamins, and minerals. But did you know? Many people still lack the five food groups in their everyday diet, especially vitamins and minerals, which have always been overlooked.

" Health is the greatest gift " Buddha said

Good health is the absence of disease. Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Did you know? Being in a nutritional balance state ensures we are healthy and avoid most illnesses at the early stage.

Vitamins and minerals and their importance to our health

Nutritional balance is defined as meeting your daily nutrient requirements to achieve optimum health. Understanding our nutritional balance is vital to our health and well-being, as we can make better lifestyle changes by providing our bodies with the right nutrients to help us to achieve our best possible health.

Blood test and nutrition status

Blood tests or micronutrient panel tests for vitamins and minerals are well-known methodologies among many clinics and hospitals, providing detailed information on individual micronutrient status. This test can help us determine vitamin and mineral levels in the body. A sample report of blood vitamins and minerals tests compared to the reference Thai population is shown in table 1.

Table 1. Serum vitamin, minerals, and antioxidant levels compared to the reference population.

DNA tests: an innovative way to discover our nutritional status.

DNA tests are an innovative approach to micronutrient panel tests. A DNA test is as simple as a gentle swab on our cheeks, which collects DNA directly from our saliva without requiring a needle. DNA tests have gained more popularity in the genetic field as it depicts the body's capabilities to absorb specific vitamins and minerals. Additionally, there is substantial evidence from DNA testing that enables the identification of specific genetic variants, pinpointing the differences in vitamin and mineral absorption capabilities in each individual.

Furthermore, a DNA test can provide insights into which nutrients we need to consume more, i.e. foods that are best for our body according to our unique DNA. The rationale behind DNA testing is that those with specific gene variants may encounter differences in the absorption of certain nutrients, i.e. vitamins from our foods, increasing the risk of certain vitamin deficiencies. In this case, personalized vitamin supplements are strongly recommended to achieve optimal health. Here, personalized vitamin supplements aim to fulfill the vitamin needs that we may lack according to our genetics.

Well-being and liver detoxification

To achieve optimal health, aside from maintaining nutritional balance, the ability of our bodies to remove toxins is crucial. In everyday life, we are exposed to numerous toxicants, including carcinogens, substances that cause cancer), and these factors increase the risk of free radical production in our bodies. Free radicals can be referred to as harmful molecules produced by our bodies that may cause damage to our cells, leading to numerous health problems such as aging cells, impaired vision, diabetes, and dementia.

Thanks to our body's defensive mechanism, free radicals are also removed by liver detoxification. The liver's two main enzymes are glutathione S-transferases (GST) and Superoxide dismutase (SOD). These enzymes detoxify free radicals and promote a defensive system in our body, as shown in figure 1. With modern cutting-edge technology of DNA tests, scientists can evaluate the functionality of GST and SOD genes, uncovering our capability to remove toxicants from our bodies and guiding us to a healthier lifestyle.

Table by Mansoor et al., 2022

Figure 1. Effects of oxidative stresses on plant parts and different defense mechanisms. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) cause severe damage to the cells by inhibiting proteins, DNA and other metabolic pathways.

The future of DNA and nutrition (nutrigenomics)

With the ongoing genetic research today, new genetic variants associated with our nutritional balance are being discovered every day. Interestingly, with genetic data, scientists can depict a complete map of individual nutritional status, considering the interactions with genetics, lifestyle factors and diseases to provide precision personalized health recommendations. Lastly, now with widely acceptable DNA testing and personalized recommendations from medical doctors, a multidimensional view of the road map to achieve our best health 

Health and well-being

A Nutrition DNA test is a personalized way for your healthiest lifestyle. It is the starting point to achieving the optimal nutritional goal and well-being. Uncovering your DNA and consulting with nutrigenomics doctors will unlock your optimal nutritional goal and best well-being.

References:

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