Food Choice is a gene test that tests your genetic predisposition to health issues associated with 5 common foods or drinks plus histamine and your likelihood of being susceptible to food allergies
The gene test identifies whether or not you should avoid or limit these foods to prevent a range of health conditions and help promote health and wellness.
The Genes tested have been grouped in the following categories.
- Coeliac Disease Risk
- Lactose Intolerance
- Alcohol Intolerance
- Caffeine Sensitivity
- Salt sensitivity
- Histamine Sensitivity
- Food Allergy Predisposition
Coeliac Disease Risk
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease caused by the reaction of your body to gluten.
Symptoms of coeliac disease can be diarrhoea, bloating, pain, fatigue, and weight loss. However, you can have celiac disease and not necessarily know you have it.
Celiac disease results in damage to the microvilli, which are involved in nutrient absorption, so people with coeliacs become extremely deficient in nutrients.
A positive genetic result doesn’t mean you have the disease but indicates a very high likelihood compared to the normal population. Reducing or cutting out gluten would be important, and if you are experiencing any gastric symptoms, then a Coeliac test would be essential.
It is worth noting that if you have a test specifically for Celiac disease, then it is important to keep including gluten in your diet till you have the test.
Otherwise, you may get a false negative result.
Lactose Intolerance
Lactose Intolerance can produce symptoms such as gut pain, swelling, flatulence, diarrhoea, and other more obscure symptoms.
Lactase is the enzyme that breaks down Lactose which is present in milk and other dairy products. If Lactase activity is low, then lactose intolerance results.
It has been estimated that 65% of the world’s population is lactose intolerant, with rates up to 100% in some Asian and African communities and down to 4 % in some European countries.
If a gene test comes back with High risk, then avoiding dairy products, especially those high in lactose, is advised. Sometimes the use of a digestive enzyme containing lactase can be helpful as well.
Alcohol Sensitivity
Knowing how well your body processes alcohol is important as you all know it can have a detrimental effect on your health and disease risk.
If you have a genetic weakness around alcohol, it means your body cant detoxify the toxins present in alcohol. You are also more likely to be affected by symptoms such as flushing after alcohol, hangovers, nausea, runny nose, and sleeplessness.
More importantly, it is the inability of your body to process the toxins that can have far-reaching effects on your health.
Caffeine Sensitivity
Caffeine is present in many beverages, including coffee which has become part of a daily routine for many.
Some of you can seemingly tolerate coffee and caffeine better than others, with symptoms of anxiety and an increase in blood pressure reasonably common in some of you. The genes tested in this panel.
Are those associated with the risk of hypertension and, sleep loss, and anxiety associated with caffeine
Salt Sensitivity
Salt sensitivity is generally defined as an increase in blood pressure of at least 10% due to an increased salt intake. Any increase in blood pressure is a risk factor for kidney diseases and also cardiovascular disease.
Food Choice’s genetic profile allows you to make better food choices around the most common foods and beverages you regularly consume.
Up until now, this test was only available if you had already had a Health and Wellbeing profile or in conjunction with it.
Now, this is being offered as a stand-alone test as well.
