Demystifying DNA

Your Genetic Plate: The Science of DNA Informed Nutrition

• Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (P23 Health) • Season 1 • Episode 7

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Unlock the secrets of your body's unique genetic code as Trena Weeks, and I guide you through the world of nutrigenomics. Imagine tailoring your diet to your DNA, leading to a life free from the discomforts of heartburn, bloating, and indigestion. With Dr. Montgomery's deep knowledge of molecular genetics, we journey into how your genetic predispositions can shape your food choices and overall health. As we discuss the cutting-edge tests that reveal your body's specific responses to different foods, we'll help you distinguish between DNA-based food sensitivities and the ever-changing landscape of food intolerances, paving the way for a truly personalized wellness experience.

In a conversation that's both enlightening and transformative, we debunk the myths surrounding genetics and nutrition, offering you the tools to craft a diet that celebrates your individuality. Thanks to insights from Trena and the innovative services provided by P23 Health, you'll come away with a newfound appreciation for the intricate relationship between what you eat and your genetic makeup. Tune in for a riveting discussion that will not only satisfy your curiosity but also equip you with the knowledge to make proactive, informed choices about your health and dietary needs. Let's embark on this path to personalized wellness together!

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Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Welcome back to Demystifying DNA, the podcast that explores the world of genetics and its impact on our health and lifestyles. I'm your host, Dr. Tiffany Montgomery, researcher, epidemiology, and natural-born scientist. Joined today by my co-host, none other than Trena Weeks. You all have met her before on a couple of episodes already, but I'll recap for those of you who do not know. She happens to be the chief operating officer for P23 Labs and P23 Health. She is a mother, a sister, a cousin, a friend, a niece and a daughter. Trena has her tribe, her friends, her squad, and she balances it all with her work in molecular genetics to support the operations for our dynamic team. Welcome, Trena.

Trena Weeks:

Thank you, Dr T. Excited to be here this evening.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

I'm so glad that you had time to join us because in this episode, we're talking about one of your favorite topics your genetic plate the science of DNA-informed nutrition. We'll be discussing the field of nutrigenomics, which is a revolutionary science to studies how our genetic makeup can influence our nutritional needs and guide our dietary choices. We'll delve into the topic of genetic predispositions, customizing diets for optimal health, food sensitivity, food intolerance and much more. Join us as we explore this cutting-edge topic and gain insights into how you can personalize your nutrition based on your DNA. Now, Trena, we know you're familiar with DNA, right, but just curious do you want to learn more, or do you feel like you know a little bit already about DNA and nutrition?

Trena Weeks:

I definitely want to learn more. I feel like I know just a little bit only because when I eat things that don't make me feel good, I am automatically related to my DNA and that it's not working for my body, but I don't necessarily know that. I'm just drawing my own conclusions here.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

So you kind of go off of how you feel, how you're eating, how things make you feel, and from there you decide if you want to eat them or not.

Trena Weeks:

Absolutely.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

I think that's a pretty healthy way to eat and to learn and to know your body. That's just called instincts and survivals, so it's good to really be in touch with yourself, but think about what it would be like if you could eat these things or know how you're going to feel before you even eat. Some of the things that you eat saving yourself a lot of heartburn, headache, indigestion and nausea.

Trena Weeks:

That would really be nice and really help me to plan not only my meals but to plan my life.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

I think it's really important, though, as we're talking about now, knowing so much about our DNA and knowing that our DNA can help us navigate through nutrition, that we understand a lot of the terminology that's being used.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Some of the tests advertise information for food sensitivity, and I think that's what we're more used to going to the allergy doctor, having those allergy tests, finding out we can't eat peanuts or gluten free is better for us and that kind of thing. That's mostly coming from blood tests, and it goes through diagnosing fields for us of non-allergic food sensitivities. That can be challenging, and they may involve elimination diets, food diaries or other methods that identify the trigger. So you're really working on how you feel when you eat. How does it make you feel? What is your reaction, as food intolerance is a diagnosis that may involve specific tests or procedures to identify the cause, such as a lactose tolerance test for lactose intolerance. So being sensitive to something is not necessarily the same as an intolerance or allergen, and I think it's going to be really important for our consumers to be aware of the types of tests that they're ordering or that their doctor is prescribing or that they're experimenting with, so that you know the information that you're going to get and how to use that information. Does that make sense?

Trena Weeks:

Yes, it does.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

So when you talk about the mechanism, they can be diverse, right? So for food sensitivity, the mechanisms may include immune mediated responses, like an allergy, or nonimmune mechanisms such as a pharmacological or metabolic reaction. We talked about that heartburn. We talked about that indigestion. Some of your tests are going to look at the immune mediated responses and some are going to look at your nonimmune mediated responses. So if you go to your allergist or your endocrinologist and you have testing done, the first thing you're going to do is you might do a skin test or they might tell you, hey, don't take Benadryl or Clarinin or anything for a couple of days or weeks. And then we're going to give you this test, right, and You'll take the test and know either test your skin or your blood and they'll look for if you're reacting to peanuts or fish or you name it. Whatever those other allergens are Almonds that people can be allergic to. And Then there are tests like the P23 Optimum, where you can take the test, and we're only going to talk about how your DNA is going to metabolize and break down those things. We're going to be looking at those non-immune Mechanisms and we're going to be talking about what type of reaction you're going to have on a pharmacological or metabolic level. Is it going to make you sleepy? Is it going to make you more energized? Is your body going to break down that vitamin D? Do you need more of it because your body is slow to break down that vitamin D? How does your body process coq-10? Do you need more than the recommended dose? On the back of the package or helping you identify what those serving sizes are for you, right? So just because a serving size for vitamin D is one for that brand, one pill is a serving size. Does that one pill have 500 milligrams, a thousand milligrams, 2,500 milligrams, 10,000 milligrams of vitamin C? What are they classified as one serving and then how many of those servings or milligrams is right for you? So if your body is telling you, based on your genetics, that you need 500 milligrams of vitamin C a day, then you would be in a situation where you would have to take five, 100 pills, or maybe you buy a 500 milligram vitamin C and take one of those.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

But it's important to understand the information that you're going to get, because in a non immune mechanism test such as the P23 Optimum, you're not going to have that information that's going to tell you you're allergic to fish. It may tell you fish is a great food for you to eat. Your body's going to digest it well and metabolize it well. But you would have to put a test like that, with the immunological based test that looks at your immune response, because if you're allergic to fish you can't have it. So some of these tests work together and you'll need both of them.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Others are, you know, perfect by themselves. If you 30, 40 years old and you kind of know what you're going to be, or that you're not allergic to anything you've been eating the rainbow your whole life it might not be that you need a test that's going to tell you Anything about what you're allergic to. What you want to know is how do I eat those things that I love? So we want to make sure people are informed with their purchases and that they understand, when they have these conversations with their doctor or their nutritionist, what type of information they need. Right, that makes a lot of sense, I think, not only for me, but for my children as well.

Trena Weeks:

I have two small children, so understanding the things that work well for them and then trying to incorporate it with all of us for a family Is what I really struggle with.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

So trying to balance everybody's nutritional needs and that kind of thing and it can be really complicated when you have Allergies involved.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

But when you get into multiple family members two, three, four family members you want to make sure that you have that help of meal planning guides, your DNA based guides as to what your family is really going to do well with.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

The good thing about a family Is that a lot of time they share a lot of the same genetics or genetic Predispositions or even genetic needs. So, as you're thinking about that diet style, if you have a situation where that Mediterranean diet is really effective for you, it's oftentimes effective for a lot of people in the family and so you can combine like two different diet styles or work with an nutritionist to come up with the best style that's going to work for everybody. A lot of the feedback that I have is that I have a lot of people who are in my family. A lot of the feedback that I get from members and our P23 Health membership program Is that they have that opportunity to not only be tested for themselves but have their family members tested that they want and also to use that information to come up with customized meal plans. That helps kind of with shopping, with meal prep, with meal planning and, you know, being a busy mom, what saves us the most calories.

Trena Weeks:

Meal planning, of course.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Absolutely.

Trena Weeks:

And coupons.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Well, hey, you're not going to catch me griping about a coupon. I love coupons, but we definitely want to make sure we plan those things out and we're not having impromptu and last minute decisions when it comes to the food that we're eating. So I know you spend a lot of time in the community and working on our operations and expanding our business development and a lot of times you'll bring me questions that you heard or that came up in your conversation with other clients or that our viewers have emailed in. So do you have any such questions for us today?

Trena Weeks:

I do. I have a few. The first one is as far as your DNA eating for your DNA. It appears that sometimes over time, as you age or get older, certain things you could eat more of or you couldn't eat at all. It changes over time. But if you're able to eat for your DNA, is that suggesting that your DNA changes over time or what's happening with that?

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

So that's a great question. Your DNA is going to look at food sensitivities and non-immune system based foods that you should eat. Based on your DNA, that will not change, okay. What will change are food intolerances. Remember we talked about specifically intolerance, such as lactose intolerance, things like that, where it involves the identity or the cause of some of the things that may be causing you digestive or other problems. We are going to be specifically looking at how we digest certain substances and how we are able to process, and this changes over time.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Food intolerance doesn't involve the immune system. It's non-immune, but it's related to our inability to digest certain foods and substances. This can be lactose food additives. You may be perfectly fine with MSG and then, as you get older, you realize anything I eat with MSG makes me really sick. I get diarrhea, I get nausea. I just you'll notice these things. Food intolerance is something that you want to check, if not yearly, then definitely every two or three years, because it's no fun to sit there and have acid reflux or diarrhea or stomach discomfort and not understand why these things are happening.

Trena Weeks:

That makes a lot of sense. One of our viewers sent a question in regarding a previous study that CNN did on eating for your DNA, and what they wanted to understand is that is eating for your DNA the same thing as eating for your blood type and, if not, what is the difference?

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

That's a great question and you want to know what's crazy. I was out today and I got asked that exact same question. Almost Whatever article CNN released is all the buzz. I will just say that it is a big difference. It's a great question and I think it's something we need to really raise awareness about.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Eating for your DNA is a customized approach. It's very unique to you. Eating for your blood type is broader. There are only four blood groups. You have A, you have B, you have O and you have AB. That means of the nine billion people on the planet about let's just for kicks and giggles say 25% of us are going to be about each of those. It's not as much as an even breakdown. Ab is kind of rare.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Let's just pretend the way that I like to explain it is. It's just like going to your store. Let's say you like to shop at I don't know where people shop Macy's. That's a great place to shop. Macy's is not benefiting this podcast, but let's pretend they are. Maybe they're sponsors us.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Let's say you like to shop at Macy's and you go to Macy's and you know you're a size 10. You're going to go to Macy's and so you're looking at the 10s and you're trying them on and you'll notice some of the 10s run a little big, so you might need eight. Some of the 10s run a little tight, this designer, they always run small. I might have to get a 12. You might say, oh, my hips, my butt. Let me just try to go up a little bit in this one. You'll play with it, but you know for the most part you're about a 10. That would be the equivalent of blood type testing. It's more like department store. It kind of gets you in the right section or the right area. It doesn't guarantee the result or the outcome, just that you're about in the right place if you stay here.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

When you go a step further and you go into customized clothing let's say you have a friend who's a clothing designer and she makes skirts or you go to a really high end designer and they customize suits. They're going to take your exact measurement, they're going to take their tape measure, they're going to go around your waist, they're going to check your inseam. They are going to know everything about you that's particular to you and then they're going to make that clothing item that suit, that skirt, that pair of jeans directly to your body measurement. It's gonna fit you like a glove right and those things, even now in In the in modern times, cost significantly more. It's not mass produced.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

You would look at the blood type testing for your eating as a mass production type test. You would look at the DNA type test as a customized suit or a tailor-made outfit that's just for you. Does that make sense? So that one is going to be something that I think we're gonna have to really raise education and awareness about and that is an exciting topic to really understand the difference. But it helps to know your blood type and eat for your blood type. That's a great step to putting you in the right section of that department store. Do you have another question?

Trena Weeks:

I do so. If A individual has taken the test and they have received their results and they are struggling with Understanding the results and understanding, okay, what do I do from here? Do they have to pay for a consultation or assistance with Just understanding how to take this information and make it useful? Because what I found and this is just me personally is that I get gun-hole about these things. I'll take the test or I'll pay for this and I'll pay for that, and then I get it back and I'm like, okay, and what do I do now?

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

That's a great point. It's like almost like having an iPhone. Everybody wants to have an iPhone, it's so cool, but all you're gonna do is dial out or text somebody so you can have an Android. Like why do you need the iPhone? Right? Iphones are most effective if you know how to use them. You have a purpose of why you're gonna use them. You have particular apps that you're gonna use and you're really Maximizing the features of that iPhone.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Okay, it's the same thing when it comes to Making those decisions about who to test with or who to partner with, especially at a company like P23. We define that luxury health care by making it understandable and accessible for you, by telling you what to do with it, by giving you the knowledge and the power to make action and To decide right what to do with that information. We are with you every step of the way. It's not just the closing line for our podcast, it's something we're dedicated to. So at p23, when you become a member, when you start your journey, when you take your p23 optimum, you're a partner. We're a partner with you on that journey.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

There's no additional fee for understanding how to use that test or how to go over those meal plans. We are literally there. You have your health coach that's assigned to you, who will check in with you On a weekly or monthly basis, depending on your schedule and your membership plan or whatever you've picked out. Whatever you set up is just what's right for you. So we have that initial talk with you to help you decide what to do and then we follow up that with your check-ins and those Accountability things that really make us successful right To be a main partner with you. So there's no cost. You'll come in, you will have your initial testing done and then you'll be partnered with somebody. I mean, outside of your membership fee or the cost for the test, there will be no additional costs If you need help or if you need to know what to do with the test.

Trena Weeks:

I like hearing that it's a partnership, because, even with working for the organization, I think that's probably one of the first times I've heard that term in relation to it and that makes me feel like not only do I need to do it, but it helps me to explain it to others of why it's important, because a lot of times I think we take journeys about improving our health or career, finances, whatever, and we feel like we're on that journey alone.

Trena Weeks:

But when you hear that you have a partner or someone that's supporting you along the way, it's definitely more encouraging and more helpful to understand not only why it's important, but how to get started and continue on and not just start something and leave it to the wayside. But I have one last thing I wanted to say, and it's a question slash statement. I did learn a lot in our conversation today, so I thank you for inviting me on this evening, but if there are other questions that I have or maybe someone that is listening has, do we have an opportunity to maybe reach out, or can we email or what are some ways that we can continue the conversation regarding DNA testing as related to nutrition.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

So that's a great question and I will say, if it's a general question, it's not specific to your health needs. You're not given away any private health information. You can always reach out to us on social media or hit our DMs I think that's what the kids say hit the DMs. That's always something, and we'll reach out to you and contact you back. There is a membership option, a consultation option, a talk to us option on our website. Most of you go to www. P wwwp23healthcom. You'll be able to sign up for your personal consultation, which will protect your privacy as a patient, and you can disclose some things that you couldn't or should not online. So you have that private way to talk to us. We also have secure, encrypted, hip and protected emails that you can use. You can send us at support at P23health. com, and we would be more than happy to respond to you, to answer your questions or to set up some one-on-one time for you to talk to one of our health coaches. We would be honored to be a part of the journey as we wrap up this insightful episode of Demystifying DNA with myself, your host, dr Tiffany Montgomery, a curious lady and scientist extraordinaire. We will also like to thank our co-host for today's episode, Trena Weeks, our COO, friend, mother and learner of life extraordinaire, and we would like to express our gratitude for your engagement in this vital conversation.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Today, we aim to share light on how genetics can inform and transform our approach to nutrition, debunking common myths and empowering your knowledge for personalized dietary choices. In these times, we understand the unique needs of our bodies and it is more important than ever before this is our topic for today's cover. We are excited to inform you that p23health provides specialized at home tests, just like the P23 Optimum, that can offer detailed information on your genetic nutritional requirements. These kits are a great resource for individuals who want to align their diet and their unique genetic profile. Stay informed, stay proactive in your health journey and continue with us on this quest to demystify the dynamic relationship between genetics and nutrition. And remember we are with you every step of the way. Bye for now.

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