A DNA test? It may sound like a far-from-my-bed show to many people. Some will associate it with tracing hereditary diseases, or tracing the roots of that one great-grandmother. But that’s not the kind of DNA test I had. I had my DNA tested in the field of lifestyle. Lifestyle? Is that possible? Yes, you can! And I would like to give you a look at the results of my Omniyou DNA analysis.
First: who am I? My name is Annelies, and I am a 25-year-old Master’s student in Science Communication. I am currently doing an internship at Omnigen, the parent company of Omniyou. During my internship I was given the opportunity to have my DNA tested. To be precise, in the areas of nutrition, sports, skin, sleep and stress. I didn’t have to hesitate for long. I was happy to take this unique opportunity.
For those who didn’t know, there is a genetic basis in your body for these areas. Let’s take obesity as an example. Suppose there are certain pieces of DNA in your body that one of your friends does not have. And these pieces of DNA are strongly linked to the development of obesity. In this case, you would have a stronger genetic basis for being overweight than your friend, ie a greater risk of developing it.
With an emphasis on risk. The genetic basis I was talking about is also called genetic predisposition. You get this predisposition from birth, but it does not necessarily indicate that you will actually develop overweight. But if you have a greater aptitude, you will have to try harder than someone with a lower aptitude. Your behavior therefore has a strong influence. But knowing exactly what your body says about such qualities is very valuable to me. With this knowledge you can make more targeted choices that suit your body well. Or it can give you confirmation about choices you’ve already made.
In any case, these were good reasons for me to have such a DNA test done. After a few weeks of waiting my phone lit up: “The results of your genetic analysis are available”. Although I had never worried about the result before, I still sensed a feeling of nerves in myself. But that didn’t stop me from reaching for my laptop right away. In any case, I can already reveal one thing: the results were confirming and surprising for me. I will briefly explain the most striking results.
The very first thing I noticed was my low genetic predisposition to being overweight. Of course, such a low predisposition is not a panacea, because healthy eating and sufficient exercise remain essential. It does, however, partly explain why my weight remains so stable – or more stable than average – during periods when I’m really struggling with nutrition. That stable weight also applies to periods in which I do want to lose weight. I have always been looking for the right diet for myself. For example, according to my results, a diet on average in fat suits my body well. Something I had no idea myself. If I wanted to lose weight, I avoided fat. A good eye opener.
I must confess that I am not the most fanatical athlete living on this globe. That is why I was surprised to read that I have a predisposition for a high willingness to exercise. Now that predisposition is not the determining factor, but this information has made me think. My genes give me an advantage, now I just have to take that step myself. A step that feels less big now. I also found out that I break down caffeine slowly, in other words: I need little caffeine to feel its effects. So I have to reconsider my number of cups of coffee in the morning.
That I have an increased predisposition to acne came as a surprise to me. I’ve never really had that much trouble with it. At the same time it dawned on me that in my life I have been busy with my skin. I have often been advised on products that suit my skin type, and every day I stick to my skin routines. Although my genes put me at a disadvantage in this case, you can work on this yourself. And with this knowledge in mind, I will certainly continue to do so.
I am an evening person at heart. Literally. Because I possess bits of DNA that are often spotted in typical evening people. As far as I’m concerned, this was certainly to be expected, and it’s nice to get confirmation of this. Furthermore, it was striking that my genetic profile shows a predisposition to a lower sleep requirement than the average – or rather, the average person in my age group. Maybe I’ll just keep track of how many hours of sleep I get per night just to get the idea. Unfortunately, I have no predisposition for increased sleep quality. But hey, you can’t have everything.
Everyone experiences stress from time to time and I am certainly no different. Maybe even a little more than average, or at least more than is good for me. My DNA confirms this for me: I am a so-called “worrier”, also known as “thinker” or “worrier”. It is good for me to know that as a worrier I am slightly more sensitive to burnout. Now I have – fortunately – not experienced that, and with this confirming knowledge I will make sure that my choices will not lead to it.
Now there are so many more properties that I can mention, but for now I’ll leave it at that. What I want to say is that it is nice to have this knowledge about yourself, because I can use this knowledge again for good choices for myself and my body. Have you become curious about what your DNA says about your lifestyle? Then take a look at our product pages and find out more about the content of the reports!
