Many health and nutrition experts discuss the importance of macronutrients. However, what exactly are macronutrients? Its pretty simple actually. Macronutrients, or “macros” are any carbohydrates, proteins, and fats that make up your diet. In general, any nutrient consumed in large amount in the human diet is a macronutrient while “a chemical element or substance (such as calcium or vitamin C) that is essential in minute amounts to the growth and health of a living organism” is considered a micronutrient. Macronutrients are used for caloric intake, and provide energy for the human body. Macronutrients also impact the taste, texture, and overall appearance of food. This helps the human diet in general. When you are looking to have, for example, 60% fat in your daily diet, you are describing a proportion of macronutrient (in this case, fat) and how it compares to the other two major macronutrients, proteins and carbohydrates. The total always sums up to 100%.
Macronutrients are essential to power our metabolism. Metabolism refers to a series of chemical reactions that happens within a living organism, with a purpose of generating energy to grow and repair. As human beings, and living organisms, we have external control over what we consume that contributes to our metabolism. Metabolism depends on the interplay between our genetics, environment, age and hormonal status as well as the interactions between macro-and micronutrients. The area of food-genetic interaction, commonly referred to as nutrigenomics, is one of the most exciting scientific breakthroughs. Accessible to any individual through a self-ordered Ancestry+Health kit provided by 23 and me, nutrigenomic analysis can be carried out in our practice, and can remarkably change your health and wellness trajectory. This analysis uses review of SNPs-single nucleotide polymorphisms- that influence metabolism, waste disposal, and aging. .
We encourage all of our patients to take advantage of our preferred practice rate with 23 and me. Our trademarked Fit in Your GENES program leverages the nutrigenomic information to provide a personalized, tailored approach to nutrition, exercise, supplementation and environmental exposures. You no longer need to sift through an avalanche of nutritional advice, some helpful and some quiet contradictory, or even contraindicated in your case. Science affords us a remarkable opportunity to shape our future, and understand both the macro- and micronutrient impact on our bodies.For example, if you are an ApoE4 carrier, the high fat diet may not be your best choice. If you are VDR SNP carrier, your doses of vitamin D may have to be north of 5.000 U. Your genes are not your destiny. They are simply a blueprint that helps us take action.