Originally published February 7 2006
Reporter puts DNA-based diet plans to the test
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
National Post reporter Michael Friscolanti tests the effectiveness of a mail-order "nutrigenomic" exam, which proposes a diet plan tailored to your DNA.
With a swab of saliva and a swipe of a credit card, countless health-conscious consumers are paying top dollar to discover what microscopic evils lurk in their genes.
Among the many mail-order DNA tests available online is a "nutrigenomic" exam, which promises -- for US$395 -- to uncover how a person responds to certain foods.
In the second instalment of a three-part series, National Post reporter Michael Friscolanti finds out whether his genes are the reason he's having trouble fitting into his jeans.
There, an anonymous technician examined my saliva, searching for genetic variations that might explain why one person can eat a cheeseburger before bed and still maintain a washboard stomach, and why another person (i.e. -- me) cannot.
"This report will help you to adopt the lifestyle habits and nutritional practices best suited to your individual needs.
After all, if your genes belong to an 'engine' that needs unleaded gas, it's not a good idea to fill your tank with truck diesel!"
Up until the day my results arrived in the mailbox, I treated this assignment the same way I treat my dinner: with a grain of salt.
What more can my DNA possibly tell me that I can't already see in the mirror?
But as I stared at the blue binder for the first time, I was suddenly afraid to start turning the pages.
I was adopted as a baby and have never bothered to find out whether death-by-overeating runs in the family.
The kit examines 19 separate genes, lumping them into various categories such as "Heart Health" genes, "Antioxidant" genes and "B Vitamin Use" genes.
It is a tad confusing, especially the detailed chart that appears near the beginning of the blue binder.
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