I find it quite disturbing to hear my patients and clients say that their health is not the best, but oh well I need to get on with the day, feed the horses, work the horses, clean the horses, clean the paddock, buy rugs for the horses, worm the horses, shoe the horses, have the horses massaged.
‘But what about me’ well it seems ‘me’ is clearly neglected. Your health is vital, because without excellent health who will look after your horses?
I believe it is time to take that step towards longevity, to feeling good not only within yourself but about yourself, to have increased energy levels, to prevent premature ageing.
I recently asked 10 female adult riders a number of questions about their health, not one of these ladies said they felt terrific, they all said they lacked energy, they were tired most of the time, they thought they ate a healthy diet, but when I quizzed them further, what they thought was a healthy diet was in fact a long way from a healthy diet. Most found it hard to fit everything into a day, all were aged between 40 and 55. Most said they did not have time to go to the gym or walk the dog, most felt that riding was enough exercise. If one is healthy, energy levels should be surging at this time of their lives.
So what can we do about it? Firstly it is important to believe that you can do something about it and that you can alter the course of your life, by simply making some changes.
Many foods are not suited to certain individuals and in fact have a negative effect on health, for example some individuals should not eat olive oil as this may have a negative effect on your good cholesterol and drive up LDL’s. Some individuals need more carbohydrates that others and some will find that carbohydrates are their enemy. A one size fits all approach to nutrition just will not cut it!
Skipping meals and then snacking during the day is also very common with busy people, this is very unhealthy for the body and the metabolism.
It is really great to see that there are now many articles written about other modalities such as Applied Posture Riding, but unless you are healthy and a healthy weight all those wonderful things that professionals teach may be wasted.
It is a scientific fact that nutrition along with specific lifestyle changes can support our strengths and balance our weaknesses; our genes hold the solution to determining our lifestyle and nutrient wellbeing. There is really no clear-cut solution to ensure that we stay healthy, but what we can do is take more control and this includes preventative measures which should be right up there at the top of our list.
Nutrition and Science
Genomic Science or Nutrigenomics has given practitioners like me, a very large box of tools to improve the health and well being of patients but also put preventative measures into place. A simple saliva test can unlock doors to people’s health and longevity. Genome science began formally in 1990 and studies have continued to discover the most amazing responses connected to the human genome and how nutrition can turn your gene expression on and off!
Did you know that the DNA between two individual people is about 99.9% the same, except for identical twins, only a small fraction of our DNA account for the key ways in which one human differs so much from the other?
Nutrigenomics is a combination of the sciences of genetics and nutrition that reveals personalized information regarding an individual’s status and provides the basis for selecting a dietary and nutritional program best suited to achieving the healthiest and longest life possible.
• Nutrigenomics uses SNP (Single nucleotide polymorphism) testing to identify areas of an individual’s genetic make-up that may be functioning less than optimally.
• Nutrigenomics will help guide individuals in choosing the optimal combination of nutrients and vitamins, matched to their unique genetic make-up.
A Single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP (pronounced snip) is a DNA sequence variation occurring when a single nucleotide - A, T, C, or G - in the genome (or other shared sequence) differs between members of a species (or between paired chromosomes in an individual). For example, two sequenced DNA fragments from different individuals, AAGCCTA to AAGCTTA, contain a difference in a single nucleotide. In this case we say that there are two alleles : C and T. Almost all common SNPs have
only two alleles.
Within a population, SNPs can be assigned a minor allele frequency - the ratio of chromosomes in the population carrying the less common variant to those with the more common variant. It is important to note that there are variations between human populations, so a SNP allele that is common in one geographical or ethnic group may be much rarer in another. Single nucleotide polymorphisms may fall within coding sequences of genes, non-coding regions of genes, or in the inter-genic regions between genes. SNPs within a coding sequence will not necessarily change the amino acid sequence of the protein that is produced, due to degeneracy of the genetic code.
A SNP in which both forms lead to the same polypeptide sequence is termed synonymous (sometimes called a silent mutation) - if a different polypeptide sequence is produced they are non-synonymous. SNPs that are not in protein coding regions may still have consequences for gene splicing, transcription factor binding, or the sequence of non-coding RNA.
By having this test it means that now you can use a more scientific approach to being proactive in doing your best to prevent health problems that might otherwise occur later in life. We all know that good nutritional care is important in preventing cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis, and in defending against other diseases, but nutrigenomics takes the ability to manage our health to a totally different level. This simple saliva test also provides you with a full Physiogenomic profile so you will know if you are anaerobic or aerobic and what exercise program is best for you as an individual.
For free information please email info@prosportsnutragenomix.com or simply phone us on 1300443676 for a free 10 minute consultation we can discuss how we can help improve your health, we would love to hear from you. You may be able to claim part of the testing and consultation through your private health fund.
