Nutrigenetics is the study of the interaction of genes and diet. The Diet Channel has published an article explaining what nutrigenetics is and how it will revolutionize the world of diabetes.

Researchers believe elevated blood sugar can be mapped back to a genetic reaction. Drugs are only overriding the cause of elevated blood sugar and forcing the sugar into the cells, causing damage over time. Nutrigenetics is addressing the cause of the elevated blood sugar and may suggest a better diet to control your diabetes. Genes control how you metabolize certain vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. These genes can vary from one individual to the next. See what happens to Buddy the Elf when he consumes way too much coffee? Yes, I know - that's Hollywood. Nevertheless - a comical example of what nutrigenetics explores.

Consumer-friendly tests are available for these gene and diet interactions. The tests are done with a cheek swab. You send your swab off to a specialized lab, which analyzes DNA from the cheek cells. You receive a report identifying your gene variations. A qualified health professional can explain the test results, and make specific diet and supplement recommendations to optimize your health. If this is a test you're interested in taking, Sciona's Mycellf Program will be happy to prepare your profile. Open up and say Ahhhh.

Yesterday I blogged a post about the Diabetic Kitchen in Oregon, a diabetic-friendly meal delivery service. Today, a similar story caught my eye. Well, this is not a home delivery service. It's a restaurant, although you can eat there or take food home with you if you like. This one's in Des Moines, Iowa, and it's relatively new: it opened back in December of last year. Owners Una Morgan and Natalie Kepford named their business Beyond the Grain, and their goal is to dish up delicious gluten- and dairy-free meals. However, their foods are also ideal for vegetarians and diabetics.

People with food allergies! Vegetarians! Diabetics! Can you imagine what it's like to walk into a restaurant and be able to order anything on the menu? Pizzas (see yummy example, pictured), pastries, sandwiches, anything you want? What a thrill! Lucky locals who can enjoy having this place in town. I hope we see more such restaurants popping up around the country in the future. In the meantime, Morgan and Kepford say curious mid-westerners are traveling to Des Moines to try it out, sometimes trekking in from out of state.