Fad diets go high-tech

It looks like fad diets have gone high-tech. There are a few laboratories out there advertising “DNA dieting.” And according to research by Stanford University scientists, subjects who ate a diet tailored to their genetic type lost more weight than those whose diets and genes were not in sync.

Now, before you rush out to get your DNA tested, there are a couple of things you should know. For one thing, this technology is still quite controversial. A lot of the data you get from these tests isn’t quite ready for prime time. And I’ve heard some medical professionals refer to this new advancement as “recreational genetics.”

For example, one of the companies that offers this sort of testing, Pathway Genomics, looks at 80 genetic markers in the saliva. Markers that can supposedly affect the way the body processes carbs, fats, and protein and how it will likely respond to exercise. Between the DNA test and an extensive questionnaire, guess what happens? Thirty percent get put on a low-fat diet, 30 percent get put on a low-carb diet, 20 percent on a Mediterranean diet, and  20 percent on a “balanced” diet.

I’m sure some people will lose weight after trying it. But it seems like pure guesswork to me.

That said, if it might help give some direction that is otherwise lacking in this nation’s battle of the bulge, then I’m all for it. Then again, if it’s going to be used as another excuse for people to eat poorly, not exercise, and/or have yet something else to blame for their weight problems, then I am against anyone even attempting the test.

Besides, I’m not so sure we need genetics to tell us how to lose weight. My patients are living proof of that.

Which is why I think you’re better off following a proven approach. One that will show you how to make healthy choices without denying yourself the things you crave. One that will teach you how easy–and fun–it can be to lose weight and get healthy. And one that will help you stay that way for good.

I’ve treated thousands of people using my New Hamptons Health Miracle. I’ve helped them make simple dietary tweaks that have led to astoundingly successful weight loss. Without a single peek at their DNA.