NUTRIGENOMICS

Nutrigenomics... sounds complicated!

It is.

But I break it down so you can understand what it means going forwards. 

Nutrigenomics is a term that describes the interaction of genes and nutrients, and how each impacts the other. To consider how the body functions, it is useful to think of a single biochemical pathway like one cog of an extensive and intricate clock. Blocking or hindering one cog from turning will complicate the entire mechanism. Since the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, researchers have been discovering how health outcomes are impacted by nutritional and environmental influences. As such, some individuals are predisposed to certain chronic diseases that require precise intervention for optimal outcomes. One example of a gene that can impact our health is the MTHFR gene. Though it might be helpful to know whether you have the MTHFR variation, the enzyme created by this gene does not work alone. For a much clearer picture, it is necessary to investigate multiple genes that affect the same biochemical pathways.