11 Case Studies
Let’s take a look at a few case studies to see how health goals, current state of health and genetic variations can be interpreted together. Practice with these case studies, your own reports and the reports of family and friends so you can feel confident when interpreting client reports.
Learning objectives:
- Learn how health goals, current state of health and genetic variations can be interpreted together.
11.1) Jolie the Working Mother
Jolie is a 49-year-old female working full time in a demanding career. She is also the mother to two pre-teen kids, ages 10 and 12. Jolie has struggled with her weight and energy levels for the last decade, averaging 10 to 15 lbs. overweight. Jolie has attempted to join her friends for a run or workout at lunchtime from work but struggles to keep herself motivated. She owns a treadmill at home but has only used it once in the last 5 years. Jolie has also had failed attempts with personal trainers finding that she is pushed too hard and has difficulty recovering from her sessions.
dietPower
- High variations in Vitamin B
- High variations in Iron Deficiency
fitPower
- High variations (over 60% red) in Endurance Activity
- Lower variations in Power/Sprint Activity
- High variations in Muscle Recovery
- High variations (75% red) in Ischemic Stroke Risk
Changes made:
Jolie shifted her focus from endurance sports such as running with friends or on the treadmill to shorter interval training sessions in a class environment which was more in line with her natural ability.
Since it takes Jolie longer for her muscles to recover after exercise, Jolie now schedules her interval workouts for every third day. Taking the two days in between to recover. During these two rest days she goes out for a walk or does 15 minutes or yoga or stretching at home.
Realizing her higher risk for ischemic stroke Jolie is now motivated to keep her weight healthy through daily exercise and has limited her intake of sodium and alcohol.
Jolie takes a methylated vitamin B12 supplement every day as well as vitamin C and A supplements to aid in iron absorption.
Jolie has changed her diet to include more meat, fish and poultry, dried beans, peas and lentils which are naturally higher in iron.
Results:
In 12 weeks, Jolie has lost 10 pounds and finds her new exercise routine both manageable and enjoyable. Not realizing she was suffering from an iron deficiency, Jolie has found renewed energy since beginning the supplements and increasing her dietary iron. She is now excited about her upcoming 50th birthday and feels that she on the right track to a healthy future.
“As a working mom with 2 teenagers I’ve always found excuses for not putting myself first. I’ve attempted different fad diets and exercise plans over the years, but nothing has worked. I was always exhausted. Then I had my DNA tested and had my 1-on-1 consultation. The information from my test just made so much sense. I changed the way I exercised and started supplementing with the vitamins that my body so desperately needed. What a difference. I turn 50 next month and have never felt better.”
~ Jolie – Customer
11.2) Greg’s Knee Surgery
Greg is a personable 60-year-old man who sustained a knee injury over 30 years ago playing football. Since then, he has had inflammation and pain around his right knee and needs a fair amount of pain medication to just get through his day. The pain has stopped him from being as active as he likes to the point that he now finds walking difficult. He feels lack of activity has been the main reason he is now over 250 pounds.
Greg is considering knee surgery. Prior to the surgery he wants to make sure he is as healthy as possible and hired a health coach to help him decide what to focus on.
dietPower
- Over 50% variations in Dietary Saturated Fat
- Lower variations in Carbohydrates and Dietary Unsaturated Fat
- Increased Protein Need
healthPower
- High risk for Inflammation
Changes made:
Greg was eating out for most meals and eating lots of highly processed foods. He loves burgers and fries and ate a fair amount of cheese. His DNA needed low saturated fats and low inflammatory foods, exactly the opposite of what he was eating.
His health coach discussed his genetic profile and suggested healthy monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, nuts, seeds and avocado. She also recommended that he cut back on saturated fats such as butter, milk, cheese and red meats and include more vegetable-based protein such as legumes, beans and tofu.
Because he generally eats on the run, a breakfast smoothie including ingredients that are anti-inflammatory, high in protein and in monounsaturated fats was recommended. A vitamin B12 supplement was suggested as well.
Results:
In the last 6 weeks Greg has begun his vitamin supplementation and has begun every day with his power shake. He is losing about a pound a week and most importantly has cut his pain medication in half! He is even able to get on his stationary bike for 30 minutes a day. Greg is thrilled that he is able to work on building leg strength instead of constantly trying to avoid pain.
The DNA report helped Greg make the sustainable lifestyle changes he needed to start losing weight and reduce his pain sufficiently to increase his activity and cut back his pain medication.
“I always considered myself an active person but after sustaining a knee injury years ago I became more and more inactive as the pain continued to get worse. I ended up with chronic swelling around my knee and was the heaviest I had ever been. The DNA test was my health coach’s idea. The information I gained about my body has helped me to adjust my eating and lifestyle habits significantly improving my inflammation and pain. I’m happy to say I have cut my pain meds way down and can now ride the stationary bike for 30 mins a day!”
~ Greg – Customer
11.3) Jessica’s Middle Age Weight Gain
Jessica is an active 45-year-old woman who has always struggled with her weight. For the last 20 years she has restricted herself from eating fats which she learned was an important health habit. She never put dressing on her salads, ate only lean, skinless meats and low-fat yogurt. She had some protein but mostly lots of fruit, vegetables, pasta, rice and breads. Jessica set aside time to exercise in the evening, but it became her last priority and most evenings she would end up watching TV instead and snacking on cookies and crackers.
dietPower
- 60% variation in Carbohydrates
- Lower variations in Stored Body Fat
- Low variations in Dietary Unsaturated Fat
fitPower
- High variations in Energy Availability
Changes made:
Jessica’s genetic results showed that she does not process carbohydrates well. However, her body tolerates and burns stored body fat. She has been starving her body of the fuel her body prefers. No wonder she could never feel satiated. Using the information from her reports her Genetic Testing for Diet, Fitness and Health coach switched her to eating 60% of her calories in fat and protein and dropped her carbohydrate intake to 20%. She rescheduled her exercise for first thing in the morning and had a healthie smoothie beforehand to provide the energy she needed to work out better. The change boosted her mood and energy for the whole day.
Results:
This was a significant change. It took a fair amount of education to get her to change her attitude to eating full fat plain yogurt, coconut oil and butter, and to cut out the bread, cookies and crackers, but within a short time she was finally losing some weight. Her mood and energy drastically improved, and she looks forward to starting off her day with a win.
“After adjusting my eating and exercise for my DNA I went down 4 dress sizes in just a few months! I feel like I can finally be the energetic, active woman I always knew I was.”
~ Jessica – Customer
11.4) Katie wants to improve her health for pregnancy
Katie, a 37-year-old woman who is hoping to get pregnant. Her sister had MTHFR genotyping done due her own history of recurrent pregnancy loss and was found to carry a common variation. Katie also suspected she had a gluten intolerance as she found she felt bloated when she ate bread and some cereals. Katie decided to do the DNA testing recommended by her personal trainer and arrived at her consultation with questions about her MTHFR gene and gluten genes and what that might mean for her.
dietPower
- 60% variation in Gluten
- 75% variation in Vitamin B9 (Folate)
healthPower
- Over 50% variation in Methylation – MTHFR
- Specific variation, Methylation – MTHFR rs1801133 AA Poor
Changes made:
In a case like this, it is important to remember you are not there to provide medical advice – but to provide insight into genetics that can assist with diet, fitness and general preventative health. Be sure that you clarify this with the client and encourage them to follow up with their medical practitioner.
Given her poor gluten genes, it was recommended that Katie cut out all gluten from her diet for at least a month to see if that changed how she felt. Because gluten intolerance can lead to gut inflammation, it can also have an impact the absorption of vitamins and nutrients.
It was recommended that Katie consider a pre-methylated B vitamin complex supplement with at least 4 mg vitamin B9 folic acid per day. Due to the combination of gut and vitamin issues, Katie was encouraged to visit her health care provider to get more information.
Results:
Katie visited her health care provider and prenatal screening options were reviewed. She informed her health care provider of her MTHFR rs1801133 AA status and felt confident that she had taken all possible steps to ensure a healthy pregnancy, including regular prenatal vitamin B9 (folic acid) supplementation.
“I felt confident knowing that I understood the risks and that I had taken all possible steps to ensure a healthy pregnancy.”
Katie – Customer
11.5) Matt Practices Preventative Health
Matt is a 30-year-old man with a family history of cardiovascular disease. He is looking for a preventative health program to ensure he is eating and exercising to support his heart and health. Since finishing school, he has been working long hours at his desk job. He has noticed that his body is changing, and he is starting to gain weight. He is interested in taking steps to decrease his risk. Matt joins a gym using health credits he received at work and is paired up with a fitness professional.
Matt’s new trainer suggests genetic testing. The trainer explains that genetic testing may be able to pinpoint some areas to help with Matt’s weight loss plans. Knowledge is power. Matt uses his health credits to order genetic testing through his trainer.
dietPower
- High variations in LDL Cholesterol
- Increased Omega-3 Fatty Acid requirement
fitPower
- High variations in Cardiovascular Health
- High variations in Stroke Risk
healthPower
- High variation in Methylation – MTHFR
brainPower
- APOE4 Alzheimer’s Disease risk variant
Changes made:
Matt was a little taken back by all of the risks that his genetic testing uncovered. His fitness trainer talked him through his reports and reminded him that knowledge is power and a healthy life is prevention. He also suggested that in addition to these health activities, that Matt book an appointment with his medical practitioner.
Matt changed his diet to increase his intake of omega-3 rich food including sustainable, wild, salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, avocado, walnuts, flax, hemp and chia seeds, and high-quality spirulina, free of contaminants. He also started taking an omega-3 algae supplement. This increase in anti-inflammatory omega-3 should also benefit his cardiovascular health and Alzheimer’s disease risks.
Matt introduced a methylated vitamin B complex including vitamin B6, B12, and folic acid (B9) which may reduce homocysteine levels connected to MTHFR. Matt made a commitment to regular strength and aerobic training to decrease his total homocysteine and protect against cardiovascular risk. These combined steps decreased Matt’s homocysteine levels. They positively affected his cardiovascular and Alzheimer’s disease outcomes.
The trainer emphasized the importance of general cardiovascular disease prevention based on this patient’s family history. Matt’s trainer referred him to the American Heart Association’s patient publication on homocysteine and cardiovascular disease.
Results:
While Matt still has risk for cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease, his genetic testing was able to highlight some key diet and fitness areas that he could use to diminish his total risk. Matt is using knowledge of his DNA to practice preventative, proactive health.
Matt is committed to his new diet and exercise regime.
Matt is also undergoing regular, early screening through his health care provider. He is starting the conversation early and is optimistic that he can take steps to reduce his overall risk.
“It had been weighting on me that so many of the male members of my family had early heart problems. I wasn’t really sure what I was supposed to do about it. Genetic testing gave me the motivation and specific recommendations that I needed to make preventative life changes.”
Matt – Customer
11.6) Lisa’s Lifelong Eczema
Lisa has had eczema for 30-plus years. She’s seen doctors about her eczema in every city she’s lived in. She has done allergy tests, but nothing was conclusive. She felt like she kept dealing with eczema, eczema, eczema. Eczema was one of the main reasons why she tried genetic testing. A friend had tried it, and she had heard about the great results she’d had.
dietPower
- High variation in Lactose Intolerance
- Plus, several other areas that she could make minor adjustments.
Changes made:
Lisa found out she had variations in lactose and so she decided to try a lactose free diet. She’d grown up with dairy and had it every day in her diet.
Results:
Within 10 days, the eczema that had been bothering Lisa for years was gone. She learned her body was reacting to lactose through her skin. She still had occasional flare ups due to the sensitivities her body had developed over time, however, she now understood a key source of her issues.
“I absolutely recommend genetic testing to my friends and family. In fact, we’ve now tested my kids, my husband and my mother. The whole family wanted to do it because they saw the results it had for me.”
~ Lisa – Customer
11.7) Sarah’s Yo-Yo Dieting
Sarah is a 31-year old female who has struggled with yo-yo dieting and the effects of cyclical weight gain and weight loss at a young age. She has a small to medium build and has tried every diet under the sun to lose weight and stay fit – from fat-fueled keto diets to protein-packed paleo diets to plant-based vegan diets. Finding a diet that supports healthy weight maintenance has been difficult for Sarah. In her mid 20’s, Sarah experienced a period of unexplained weight gain, which was related to hormonal imbalances. She was frustrated with not knowing what diet works best for her and sought guidance from a fitness trainer who specializes in genetic testing in diet, fitness and health on how to eat and live to maintain a healthy weight while supporting her hormones proactively.
dietPower
- High variation in Protein
- Low variations in Carbohydrates
- Moderate variations in Insulin
- Low variations in Fats
- High variations in Food Tolerances
- High variations in Vitamin B12
fitPower
- Low genetic variations in Endurance
- High genetic variations in Power Sprint
healthPower
- High variations in Biosynthesis of Androgens and Estrogens
- High variations in the Elimination of Estrogen Metabolites
Changes made:
Sarah became more diligent in eating a consistent amount of protein with raw nuts and seeds throughout the day, keeping her full and satiated. She introduced more healthy carbohydrates into her diet with whole grains, legumes, and resistant starches. Making sure to choose lower glycemic options, helping to keep her hormones balanced and her mood healthy. She has always known that her body was more sensitive to dairy, caffeine, gluten, and alcohol compared to others. Her genetic results confirmed her suspicions and have convinced her to avoid those foods for good – resulting in improved digestion, sleep, reduced gas, bloating and water retention.
She increased the frequency of slower, low-impact activities like yoga and stretching and reduced the frequency of weight-lifting sessions per week. As a result, her body composition has improved dramatically within three months.
Knowing that she is prone to hormonal related diseases and imbalanced hormones, she now works with a naturopath to monitor her sex hormones once a year, especially as she hopes to start a family soon.
Results:
Sarah has never felt better about her physical and mental wellness without the stress caused by her yo-yo dieting habits. With the confidence of knowing exactly how she should be eating and exercising for her body, she can now focus on making individualized yet straightforward guidelines to maintain a healthy weight and balanced hormones.
11.8) Erica’s Weight Issues while managing Type 2 Diabetes
Erica is a 53-year-old female who is overweight and has type 2 diabetes. She has struggled to lose and keep weight off all her life. Erica has had many failed attempts with traditional calorie-based diet programs, gym memberships and national weight-loss chains. She achieved temporary weight loss only to gain even more weight back eventually. Erica has knee problems that affect her ability to exercise and is always tired. She feels worried and discouraged at the increasing weight and health challenges she is facing. Erica reached out to a fitness and nutrition coach who recommended genetic testing.
dietPower
- High variations in Carbohydrates
- Low variations in Fats
- High variations in Lactose
- High variations in Vitamin B6 and B12
fitPower
- High variations in Endurance
- Low variations in Power Sprint
Changes made:
Erica was raised in an era where she was taught fats were bad and had focused on eating low-fat foods much of her life to manage her weight. Erica realized she had avoided foods that her body was genetically well designed for.
She incorporated healthy fats in her diet, such as nuts, fish, seeds, olive oil, avocados and omega 3s. She ate carbohydrates with a lower glycemic load, such as beans, lentils, nuts, vegetables, fruits and whole grains from the pasta and breads she adored. She ate smaller, more consistent meals throughout the day to supply her body with consistent energy that her body could efficiently use and burn off. She cut out all dairy – which was difficult – having been raised in a farming community and immediately started to feel less bloated. She was surprised to realize that the pain she had experienced in her knees for years started disappearing within two weeks as the unseen inflammation started to reduce. She started taking a complex B vitamin (methylated) and found her energy improve.
With her knees improving, she started walking and added strengthening activities – a good fit for her fitness genes – to better metabolize carbohydrates and manage her diabetes.
Results:
Within a few weeks of eating the right foods and starting an exercise program based on her DNA profile, Erica’s weight began to fall off. She lost an initial weight loss of 40 pounds plus four dress sizes in 3 months.
11.9) Summary
As a genetic testing for diet, fitness and health practitioner you can interpret health goals, current state of health and genetic variations together to deliver exceptional outcomes, reduce guessing and trial and error and tailor your programs for individual use. Whatever your client’s health goals, they will learn something from their DNA. It may also help them to change their life.