17 April, 2017
AGS Health and Wellness Testing
AGS Health and Wellness Testing
Health & Wellness

Do You Know Your DNA?

17 April, 2017
AGS Health and Wellness Testing

Gene-ious!

 

I’ll confess I’m no gym bunny, but when I do find myself in a regular routine, I can’t deny enjoying my sessions. I go through stages of eating clean and ramping up the intensity of my ‘training’, to feel amazing on the inside, but often frustrated that I’m not seeing a huge difference in my body on the outside.

Over the years I have come to learn what works best for me in terms of nutrition and exercise. Carbs are a no-go if I’m looking to lose weight and I seemingly achieve results the quickest when favouring a cardio-based workout. What I’ve always wondered however, is why these results aren’t sustainable, and actually, have I got the formula right, or am I stuck in a perpetual habit that’s not actually providing my body with the nourishment it deserves? Turns out, the answer lay in my unique genes – who knew!

AGS Health and Wellness Testing

Technology is an incredible thing and AGS Hong Kong has cooked up a method that guides us towards a much more targeted health and wellness programme. Admittedly my brain fogged over the science of it all, but essentially we are all genetically unique, and depending on our individual composition, we can begin to understand that our success is linked to our DNA. By uncovering exactly what lies beneath, we can achieve the results we’ve been striving for!

So what does it involve? After a short consultation with an in-house dietician, they’ll grab your DNA from a quick and painless cheek swab before being submitted to the AGS lab for analysis. Once the results are ready you’ll be called back (within seven to ten days) to their office to run through your final report. I’m not sure what I was expecting to uncover, but the report was comprehensive and (albeit a little intimidating), it began to make sense as I was walked through all of the numbers and diagrams. It covers everything from whether you’re sensitive to carbs (err… apparently I’m not, which now has me thinking!), caffeine and alcohol, and which vitamins and supplements you should be taking rather than what you’ve been conditioned to take. It also clues you in on your genetic likeliness to be obese or underweight as well as an insight into your cravings. It came as no surprise that I crave salty and starchy foods!

AGS Health and Wellness Testing

I think the part that I found most fascinating were the exercise and training sections. My body is most receptive to strength training and my genes are in a pool of just 10% (there goes my cardio theory!) who are able to build muscle and strength in a very short space of time. Not to brag, but essentially I have “the potential to become a professional athlete” … yeah right!

Obviously we can’t change our genetic makeup, but I felt like I walked away from my consult better equipped with the tools to eliminate the guesswork, modify my regime and adhere to what my body actually needs! I think if you’re super serious about your exercise and nutrition goals, or even at a wits’ end when it comes to weight loss and even overall health, taking a much deeper look at the root of issue is going to give you that much needed boost of confidence and ‘aha’ moment that you’ve been waiting for. You might just be able to eat more carbs than you realise…

AGS Hong Kong, 16/F Chuang’s Tower, 30-32 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong, www.ags-health.com

Images credited to AGS Hong Kong

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