Nutrigenomic: eat foods according to your genes & bull; hello healthy

There are people who often eat a lot but do not get fat easily, there are also the opposite. Or there are people who often eat a food ingredient and then experience no side effects from eating that food, but there are also those who just eat a little immediately feel the side effects. Why did that happen?

Every human being is different, not only in nature and physical form, but also genes and even the metabolism that occurs. Therefore, each person has different sensitivity and digestive power. A new science is emerging, relating the diet or what we eat, and its relationship with the genes and DNA that regulate bodily functions. This knowledge is called nutrigenomics.

What is nutrigenomic?

Nutrigenomics is the study of the response of genes to the food you eat, which aims to determine early on what changes will occur after the food enters the body. Nutrigenomics have also been linked to the incidence of various food-borne diseases.

In 2001, scientists who did Human Genome Project states that human genes have been mapped, so that the interactions between genes and food and the environment can be known, as well as gene interactions associated with various chronic diseases. Nutrigenomics are considered as the nutritional needs of each individual based on their genes. There are 5 principles that underlie this science, namely

• Dietary substances have an effect on human genes, although the effect is direct or indirect.
• In certain conditions, diet or food substances eaten are risk factors for disease.
• The nutrients contained in food have a big influence on making the body healthy or sick, this depends on the genetic makeup of each individual.
• Several genes in the body, the number and structure of which are regulated and influenced by diet, can affect the severity of a chronic disease.
• Consumption of food based on the needs of each individual can actually be used to prevent, treat, and cure various chronic diseases.

Everyone has different genes, at least one gene has a difference of 0.1%. In nutrigenomics, food that enters the body is considered a signal that can affect the activity of genes in the body. In addition, food is also known to change the structure of genes so that it can cause various disorders in the body if the genes change.

The relationship between food and genes on fat metabolism

A study has proven that there is a relationship and interaction between nutrients and genes when metabolizing fat. The results of this study indicate that individuals who have certain genes (the APOA1 * A allele gene) have higher levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) than individuals who have other genes (the APOA1 * G allele gene) after consuming foods high in monounsaturated fat. like avocado, canola oil, olive oil, and some nuts.

Initially, the LDL level in people with the APOA1 * A allele gene was only 12%, then after consuming the food source, the LDL level increased to 22%. Increased levels of LDL in the body can cause various chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease and other heart diseases. Other studies have also shown that by eating foods that contain polyunsaturated fats, such as fish oil, soybeans, and oils. coconut, in individuals with certain genes can lower the level of good cholesterol (HDL) in the body, while in other individuals it increases HDL levels.

The relationship between food and genes in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Many studies have mentioned the relationship between food and genes in diabetics, such as research conducted in the Netherlands. In that study it was found that children born with a "starvation" condition characterized by low birth weight tended to have higher post prandrial blood sugar levels. Another study in India also shows the same thing, namely, babies with a body mass index that is below normal in the first two years of life will have a high risk of developing diabetes. Therefore, it can be concluded that the state of malnutrition in pregnancy and early in life has an adverse effect on carbohydrate and blood sugar metabolism, which will result in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Nutrigenomics is actually still a matter of controversy in the medical field, because it involves the genes of each individual. This can be a new breakthrough that can help and overcome various chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes mellitus. But on the other hand, nutrigenomics still has to be further investigated whether it can be applied properly, because each individual is different, so their needs are different. Even so, for now implementing a healthy lifestyle such as managing the time, type and portion of food, doing regular exercise, and getting enough rest is the best advice and can be done by everyone.