ByGLYNISHORNINGCutting-edgesciencehasgonecommercial–
youcannowhaveyourDNAanalysedtofindoutif
yourhealthisatrisk.Butisitreliable?SHOU LD YOU
GO FOR GENETIC
TESTING?
D
ancer, choreographer and
RockingnHeels workout
founder Nkateko “Tak-
kies” Dinwiddy, 28, has
270k online followers.
She also has a new baby, a big appetite
and a sweet tooth she’d been indulging.
So, when she was approached by a gene-
testing company in June with an offer
to analyse her cell DNA, and “establish
scientifically” what exercise and eating
routine was best suited to her, she leapt
at it – as millions of people worldwide
are now doing.
“The company had seen on my social
media that I was trying a 14-day plant-
based diet to reset my body,” Takkies says.
“They said gene-testing could tell me if
this was the best diet for my body and if
my workout routine was right for me – Ido combos of boxing, cardio and cross-fit,
and my dance classes,” Takkies shares.
The gene-testing process was simple.
She went to the company and in minutes,
a swab was taken from her cheek. This was
sent to a laboratory for DNA analysis and
two weeks later, the company’s registered
dietitian interpreted the results for her.
“She told me my plant-based diet was
right for my genes. She advised me to fill
my dinner plate with colourful veggies,
and have legumes and eggs for protein,
and cut back on sugar. It turns out I’m also
doing the right exercises for my genes.
She said I should just make more time
for stretching and resting – not so easy
with a year-old daughter! Takkies adds.
She’s delighted with her gene-testing
experience. “It feels great knowing I’m
doing what’s best for my DNA, and it has
given me new motivation. I’ve stopped
late-night snacking by going to bed earlier,
and started cooking veggies in advance
and putting them in the fridge. I’m going
to take my mom in for gene testing!”UNRAVELLING DNA
Deoxyribonucleaic acid is at the core
of all our cells, and chunks of it make
up our genes. It contains the code for
everything that makes us who we are,
from our eye colour to the speed with
which we metabolise food. Patterns in
a strand of DNA can indicate if we have
a greater risk of certain diseases or birth
defects – we inherit half our DNA from
each parent, and if two people who carry
a gene mutation for the same condition
have a baby, that baby is at greater risk
for it. Initially gene-testing focused on
helping potential parents find out if
they were carriers of mutations, when
one partner had a family history of a
genetically-linked condition such as
muscular dystrophy or motor neuron
disease. It also enabled those with strong
family histories of potentially deadly con-
ditions, such as breast or ovarian cancer,
to take preventive measures and decide
if they should consider a risk-reduction
mastectomy or hysterectomy – which
actress, Angelina Jolie, elected to have
in 2013 and 2015.
But today gene-testing has grown in
scope and become increasingly affordable
and accessible (it’s available from around
R3 000). American health economics
researcher, Professor Kathryn Phillips94 |^ OCTOBER^2019 | WWW.TRUELOVE.CO.ZA