Diet & Lifestyle

Introduction to the Apo E Gene

The Apo E gene is the number one factor affecting how your body uses “The Big Three” food groups: carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

We all have the Apo E gene (pronounced by saying each letter, A – P – O – E). This gene plays a key role in our body’s internal environment and influences the development of chronic disease, especially heart and Alzheimer’s disease.

The Apo E Gene Diet is not a diet in the usual sense of the word. We use the word “diet” to mean a series of specific recommendations for individual nutrition and other environmental factors, such as exercise and stress levels, to name a few.

The foundation of the Apo E Gene Diet is a nutritional plan that focuses on eating the optimal percentages of The Big Three food groups for your specific Apo E genotype.

How Your Apo E Genotype Affects Your Health

It is extremely important to eat the right balance of carbohydrates, fats and proteins for your specific Apo E genotype because it influences the possibility of developing certain diseases, as well as their severity.

Apo E Gene Occurrences

Apo E 3/3, is found in approximately 64 percent of the population. It is considered the “neutral” Apo E genotype. Combinations that include either the Apo E 2 or Apo E 4 are considered “alternative” expressions of the more common Apo E 3 pairing. About 25% of the population have one or more of the E 4 genes and 12% have one or more of the E 2 genes. People with an Apo E 2 or 4 process foods differently from the Apo E 3s.

The specific pair of Apo E genes you inherited from your parents greatly influences your predisposition to certain illnesses, including heart disease, vascular dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and cancer. For example, persons with the Apo E 4/4 genotype could have up to a 90% chance of developing a chronic illness such as Alzheimer’s disease. Maintaining an optimal diet and lifestyle for your particular Apo E genotype is known as a “gene-supportive environment” (GSE). Doing so can dramatically reduce your risk of developing these chronic illnesses. That’s why the Apo E Gene Diet was created.

The goal of the Apo E Gene Diet is disease prevention and a healthier life.

One diet does not fit all because each Apo E genotype processes foods differently

There is a unique optimal combination of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in the ideal diet for each of the six Apo E genotypes. Creating this optimal balance in your diet provides the foundation for your good health.

Most of the existing dietary recommendations are based on the assumption that one diet is appropriate for everyone. These diets fail to accomplish long-term weight loss or optimal disease prevention because we are not all the same. In reality, diet and exercise recommendations must be individualized, beginning with a person’s genetic foundation.

The Apo E Gene Diet focuses on an individual’s genetic recipe, creating dietary and exercise recommendations for each of the six possible Apo E genotypes.

No other program does this. In addition, the Apo E Gene Diet takes into account the whole person (physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual) in creating a gene-supportive environment that promotes a healthy life, free of chronic illness.

How we create the optimal diet and lifestyle for your particular Apo E genotype?  There are three steps:

1. First, read The Perfect Gene Diet by Pamela McDonald.
2. After reading the book, you can make an informed decision as to whether you want to know your Apo E genotype. Finding your Apo E genotype is done through a simple cheek swab test or non-fasting blood test. 
3. Once you know your Apo E genotype, follow the diet and lifestyle plan outlined in the book for your particular Apo E genotype. Personal guidance is also offered by phone or in person from our staff.

What is a MIC Injection for weight loss?

Dr. Kanwal is pleased to offer MIC injections which are among the best adjunctive therapies offered by Orthomolecular Nutrition & Wellness.

MIC is an acronym which stands for

• L-Methionine
• Inositol
• Choline.

These are lipotropic agents that are believed to support liver function and promote the excretion of fat. L-Methionine is an amino acid. Inositol and choline are cofactors.

Together they aid in the mobilization and elimination of abnormal fat deposits.

L-Methionine is an essential amino acid, which means that it is not synthesized in humans. Therefore we must consume methionine or methionine-containing proteins. Foods that contain high levels of methionine include cheese, eggs, fish, meats, spinach, potatoes, Brazil nuts, sesame seeds, and some other plant seeds. However, by injecting L-Methionine into the muscle we can achieve high levels in the body’s tissues and this is believed to result in more effective mobilization and elimination of abnormal fat deposits.

Other reported benefits of L-methionine include:

• improvement of liver disease
• improvement of skin tone and elasticity, nails, and hair
• improvement of cardiovascular and muscular functions through its role in the production of creatine

It has been used to treat premature ejaculation, chronic depression, pancreatitis, Parkinson’s disease, and AIDS myelopathy.

Inositol, also known as myo-inositol, is best described as a carbocyclic polyol and forms the basis for many signaling and secondary messenger molecules. As such it is involved in many biological processes, including the breakdown of fats and reduction of serum cholesterol, serotonin activity modulation, gene expression, and insulin signal transduction. It is not considered a vitamin because the body is able to synthesize it.

It has been shown to be helpful for the treatment of depression, panic disorder, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and fatty liver. It also promotes healthy hair growth and it is important for optimal metabolism and brain function. Inositol deficiency may manifest as symptoms of constipation, high cholesterol, vision problems, and hair loss.

Although it is naturally found in certain foods such as nuts, beans (especially red beans and kidney beans), grains, cantaloupe melons, and oranges, it is more effective in breaking down fat when given as an intramuscular injection.

Choline is a natural amine that is involved in the synthesis of carnitine, cell membrane phospholipids, and the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. It is a major source for methyl groups via its metabolite trimethylglycine (betaine) that participates in the S-adenosylmethionine synthesis pathways. Food sources of choline include peanuts, soybeans, wheat, chicken, fish, beef, cauliflower, eggs, and lettuce