{"id":1168,"date":"2021-04-16T02:35:10","date_gmt":"2021-04-16T02:35:10","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2023-09-05T23:09:25","modified_gmt":"2023-09-05T15:09:25","slug":"joanna-soh-how-to-find-the-perfect-diet-for-your-genes-using-circledna","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/joanna-soh-how-to-find-the-perfect-diet-for-your-genes-using-circledna\/","title":{"rendered":"Joanna Soh: How to Find the Perfect Diet for Your Genes"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Is there such thing as a perfect diet? According to Joanna Soh, it is possible to find that out!<\/p>\n<p>Do they actually work?<\/p>\n<p>Scientific studies have shown that 95% of us put the weight back on within 4 years. Even worse, <a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href="\&quot;https:\/\/www.doctoroz.com\/article\/exploring-perfect-diet-your-genes\&quot;" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">41% of dieters end up gaining even more weight than they lost<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>With thousands of diets available, it\u2019s increasingly difficult to know what to eat. Recent <a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href="\&quot;https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6471589\/\&quot;" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">research<\/a> now indicates a one-size-fits-all approach to dieting is ineffective. Dietary advice should differ from person to person.<\/p>\n<p>Increasingly, the focus for health and weight loss is turning to personalised nutrition.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"joanna-soh-how-to-find-the-perfect-diet\"><strong>Joanna Soh: How to find the Perfect Diet<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re sick and tired of dieting, don\u2019t despair. <a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href="\&quot;https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6471589\/\&quot;" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A recent article<\/a> by German scientists described genetic testing as an \u201cinnovative and promising\u201d approach to custom nutrition advice. With DNA testing now more accessible than ever, it\u2019s easy to learn about your genetic makeup \u2014 so you can stop guessing what to eat and start making informed choices about your diet.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"joanna-soh-finds-the-perfect-diet-for-her-genes-through-circledna\"><strong>Joanna Soh Finds the Perfect Diet for Her Genes through CircleDNA<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Top Asian health and fitness influencer Joanna Soh took her DNA test with CircleDNA in March 2020. She wanted to understand her body better so she could optimise her health. After 12 months of applying the advice in CircleDNA\u2019s reports, Joanna took to <a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href="\&quot;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ipYBqzAfmyY&amp;t=455s\&quot;" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">YouTube<\/a> to share her results with her 2.4 million subscribers.<\/p>\n<p>As a <a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href="\&quot;https:\/\/www.joannasoh.com\&quot;" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">certified personal trainer, Nutrition Coach and Women\u2019s Fitness Specialist<\/a>, Joanna Soh knows her stuff. She advocates against fad diets and promotes positive body image.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href="\&quot;https:\/\/circledna.com\/blog\/circledna-premium-was-all-i-needed-for-a-25kg-weight-loss-anna-the-nutritionist\/\&quot;" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Every body<\/a> is beautiful,\u201d Joanna says. \u201cBut to achieve the perfect body, you must first understand your body and work according to your body type.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMany people think that by following the latest diet and a trendy exercise regime, they can look like their favourite celebrity,\u201d she continues. \u201cThe truth is, the bodies we see on social media are more of a fantasy than reality.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This doesn\u2019t mean you should give up. Your body shape is, to some extent, genetically predefined. But, Joanna adds, \u201cThere is still lots you can do to improve the body you were given and feel amazing in it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For Joanna Soh, knowing her genetic profile helped her grow in self-acceptance. She explains: \u201cAfter understanding my genetics and how my body is made, I learned to embrace it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She stresses too that, while genetics play a huge part in our body shape, we don\u2019t have to blame our weight gain on our genes.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201c[Genetics] shouldn\u2019t serve as an excuse to live an unhealthy life.\u201d\u2013 Joanna Soh on finding the perfect diet<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-embed-card\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How to Choose the Right Diet for Your Body Type | Joanna Soh\" width=\"1140\" height=\"641\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ipYBqzAfmyY?start=30&amp;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"><\/iframe><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"the-4-dna-diet-types\"><strong>The 4 DNA Diet Types<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>CircleDNA suggests 4 types of healthy diet, depending on your DNA profile.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href=\"#low-fat\" rel=\"noopener\">Low fat<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href=\"#low-carb\" rel=\"noopener\">Low carb<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href=\"#healthy-balance\" rel=\"noopener\">Healthy balance<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href=\"#mediterranean\" rel=\"noopener\">Mediterranean<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Let\u2019s dig into each below.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"1-low-fat-diet\"><strong>1. Low Fat<\/strong> Diet<\/h2>\n<p>If your optimal diet is low fat, a high fat or keto diet won\u2019t work for you. But low fat doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t eat <em>any<\/em> fat. Dietary advice is to avoid <em>saturated <\/em>fats and choose unsaturated fats instead.<\/p>\n<p>Saturated fats are found in animal products such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Red meat<\/li>\n<li>Full-fat dairy products (cheese, cream, butter, and ghee)<\/li>\n<li>Eggs<\/li>\n<li>Poultry skin<\/li>\n<li>Tropical oils (coconut and palm oil).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Too much saturated fat can increase your levels of bad cholesterol (LDL). LDL takes cholesterol straight to your arteries. It raises blood pressure and contributes to heart disease.<\/p>\n<p>Unsaturated fats are heart-healthy. You\u2019ll find them in plant foods like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Avocados<\/li>\n<li>Olives<\/li>\n<li>Seeds<\/li>\n<li>Nuts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption\"><a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ipYBqzAfmyY&amp;t=30s&amp;ab_channel=JoannaSohOfficial\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/circledna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/content_images_assets.prenetics.com_blog.circledna.com_wp-content_uploads_2021_04_15162936_circlemagazine-circledna-joanna-soh-dna-type-low-fat-diet.png\"><\/a><figcaption><em>Incorporate some \u201cgood cholesterols\u201d from avocados and seeds into your meal plan.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>They\u2019re also found in fatty fish like salmon and mackerel. <a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/hdl-vs-ldl-cholesterol#hdl-vs-ldl\" rel=\"noopener\">Unsaturated fats reduce levels of LDL and increase good cholesterol (HDL)<\/a>. HDL helps rid your body of cholesterol via your liver.<\/p>\n<p>A low-fat diet generally includes more carbs and protein. Around 55% to 60% of your calories can be from carbs, 20% from protein and the remaining 20% from fats. A plant-based diet is ideal.<\/p>\n<p>Joanna has some simple diet recommendations to help you reduce saturated fat in your diet:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Trim any visible fat from meat.<\/li>\n<li>Remove skin from poultry before cooking.<\/li>\n<li>Eat more plant-based, protein-rich foods (beans, peas, lentils, tempeh and tofu).<\/li>\n<li>Avoid deep-fried foods.<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t eat fatty, processed meats like sausages, bacon or ribs.<\/li>\n<li>Limit red meat to 2 or 3 servings a week, and choose lean cuts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"2-low-carb-diet\"><strong>2. Low Carb<\/strong> Diet<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re highly sensitive to carbs, the Low-Carb diet is for you. Your body will also have a high resistance to insulin \u2013 the hormone that balances your blood sugar.<\/p>\n<p>High insulin resistance means your blood sugar is likely to spike when you eat carbs, especially refined carbs. And it can <a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href=\"https:\/\/www.diabetes.co.uk\/insulin-resistance.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">develop into diabetes<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>You might notice intense cravings for foods like biscuits, cereals, cake, bread and pasta. Besides that, you may also never really feel full, which can cause you to overeat. You probably feel a dip in energy about 1 hour after eating carbs, and you gain weight easily. You can even suffer carb withdrawals, and experience headaches, mood swings and anxiety.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re carb sensitive, you don\u2019t have to cut out carbs altogether. But you need to choose the good carbs and limit your portion size.<\/p>\n<p>Cut out refined carbs, starchy foods and sugary foods, and replace them with complex carbs like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Quinoa<\/li>\n<li>Oats<\/li>\n<li>Buckwheat noodles<\/li>\n<li>Brown rice<\/li>\n<li>Sweet potatoes<\/li>\n<li>Pumpkin\/squash<\/li>\n<li>Beans<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption\"><a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ipYBqzAfmyY&amp;t=30s&amp;ab_channel=JoannaSohOfficial\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/circledna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/content_images_assets.prenetics.com_blog.circledna.com_wp-content_uploads_2021_04_15162949_circlemagazine-circledna-joanna-soh-dna-type-low-carb-diet.png\"><\/a><figcaption><em>Choose your carbs wise \u2013 try complex carbs like brown rice, quinoa and pumpkin.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Limit your carb intake to around 100 to 150 grams a day. Joanna suggests, \u201cHalf a cup of oats for breakfast, one small bowl of cooked brown rice for lunch and around 150 grams of sweet potatoes for dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When you\u2019re carb sensitive, carbohydrate-rich foods have an impact on your well-being that goes beyond calorie count and potential weight gain. So, if you struggle with food cravings, it\u2019s important to increase the amount of protein and non-starchy vegetables in your diet.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"3-healthy-balance-diet\"><strong>3. Healthy Balance<\/strong> Diet<\/h2>\n<p>If this is you, you\u2019re lucky.<\/p>\n<p>Your body tolerates fats and carbs well, and you can eat everything in moderation. For you, a healthy plate will be around 50% vegetables, 25% protein and 25% carbohydrate. You can fill your plate with a variety of colourful vegetables to get plenty of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre, and add fruit to your meals.<\/p>\n<p>Go for healthy, complex carbs and whole grains, and high-quality proteins like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Chicken<\/li>\n<li>Fish<\/li>\n<li>Meat<\/li>\n<li>Tempeh<\/li>\n<li>Tofu<\/li>\n<li>Beans\/legumes<\/li>\n<li>Yoghurt<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption\"><a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ipYBqzAfmyY&amp;t=30s&amp;ab_channel=JoannaSohOfficial\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/circledna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/content_images_assets.prenetics.com_blog.circledna.com_wp-content_uploads_2021_04_15163000_circlemagazine-circledna-joanna-soh-dna-type-healthy-balance-diet.png\"><\/a><figcaption><em>Chicken, tofu and beans are great choice for high-quality proteins.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>You need roughly 0.8 grams of protein per kilo of body weight. But if you\u2019re active, you need more like 1.2 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilo.<\/p>\n<p>Joanna explains how she calculates her protein intake:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m 50 kilos. And because I\u2019m active, I would consume about 1.5 grams of protein per kilo of my body weight. That means I should eat about 75 grams of protein a day. I would achieve that by consuming 2 eggs for breakfast, 1 portion of salmon for lunch, and one portion of white fish for dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>CircleDNA\u2019s nutrition report showed that Joanna needs higher doses of iodine, omega-3, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6. She follows a pescatarian diet, eating oily fish like tuna, salmon and mackerel at least 3 times a week. If you prefer a vegetarian or vegan diet, she says it\u2019s worth considering supplements.<\/p>\n<p>Joanna has seen great results. She says, \u201cI have enough strength and energy for my training. And I\u2019ve improved my body composition by reducing my body fat and increasing my total lean-muscle mass.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"4-mediterranean-diet\"><strong>4. Mediterranean<\/strong> Diet<\/h2>\n<p>If your sensitivity to carbs <em>and<\/em> fats is high, you should be eating a Mediterranean diet. This DNA-based diet is low in saturated fat, low in carbs and high in unsaturated fats.<\/p>\n<p>You will eat:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A wide variety of vegetables<\/li>\n<li>Whole grains<\/li>\n<li>Fish and seafood<\/li>\n<li>Olive oil<\/li>\n<li>Nuts, seeds and legumes<\/li>\n<li>Potatoes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/circledna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/content_images_assets.prenetics.com_blog.circledna.com_wp-content_uploads_2021_04_15163012_circlemagazine-circledna-joanna-soh-dna-type-mediterranian-diet.png\"><figcaption><em>Go for low yet heart-healthy fats, such as olive oil, nut, seeds and legumes.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Consume poultry, eggs, cheese and plain yoghurt in moderation and red meat rarely. Cut down on soft drinks, processed meats and refined grains. Use olive oil in your cooking instead of butter.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"wellness-for-your-body-type\"><strong>Wellness for Your Body Type<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Joanna Soh says finding your DNA is key to figuring out the perfect diet type is a positive step towards wellness.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s important to recognize that your body type is not a life sentence. Your body type will shift based on your lifestyle activity and diet modifications. By understanding your genetics, you will be able to make the right diet choices, rather than blindly following a diet trend.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href=\"https:\/\/circledna.com\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=joanna-soh-perfect-body&amp;utm_campaign=is-your-dna-keeping-you-from-getting-your-perfect-body\" rel=\"noopener\">CircleDNA<\/a> currently provides the world\u2019s most comprehensive home DNA test. Send us your cheek swab sample, and we\u2019ll send you results that are 99.9% accurate. You\u2019ll receive 500+ reports to help with everything from diet to sleep. And since your DNA will never change, you only need one DNA test for a lifetime of insights.<\/p>\n<p>What are you going to eat today?<\/p>\n<p><em><a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href=\"https:\/\/circledna.com\/?utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=joanna-soh-perfect-diet&amp;utm_campaign=joanna-soh-how-to-find-the-perfect-diet-for-your-genes-using-circledna&amp;utm_content=\" rel=\"noopener\">Discover your personalised recommendations with CircleDNA<\/a>. Follow Joanna\u2019s suit and use her <a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href=\"https:\/\/circledna.com\/?utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=joanna-soh-perfect-diet&amp;utm_campaign=joanna-soh-how-to-find-the-perfect-diet-for-your-genes-using-circledna&amp;utm_content=\" rel=\"noopener\">promo code \u201cJOANNA33\u201d<\/a><\/em> <em>for a 33% discount today!<\/em><\/p>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card\"><a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href=\"https:\/\/circledna.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/circledna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/content_images_assets.prenetics.com_blog.circledna.com_wp-content_uploads_2021_04_15184947_circlemagazine-circledna-unlock-your-genetic-story-banner-cta-1.png\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<hr>\n<h3 id=\"references\">References<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Exploring the Perfect Diet for Your Genes (Dr. Mehmet C. OZ, MD) <a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href=\"https:\/\/www.drozshow.com\/article\/exploring-perfect-diet-your-genes\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.drozshow.com\/article\/exploring-perfect-diet-your-genes<\/a><\/li>\n<li>A Scientific Perspective of Personalised Gene-Based Dietary Recommendations for Weight Management (Theresa Drabsch &amp; Christina Holzapfel) <a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6471589\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6471589\/<\/a><\/li>\n<li>What\u2019s the Difference Between HDL and LDL Cholesterol? (Annette McDermott) <a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/hdl-vs-ldl-cholesterol\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/hdl-vs-ldl-cholesterol<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Insulin Resistance (Diabetes.co.uk) <a target=\"_new0.04123181760425849\" href=\"https:\/\/www.diabetes.co.uk\/insulin-resistance.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.diabetes.co.uk\/insulin-resistance.html<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is there such thing as a perfect diet? According to Joanna Soh, it is possible to find that out! Do they actually work? Scientific studies have shown&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":2799,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1797,4319,473,4801,4365,264,8582,4409,6244,4609,8720,54,6248,49,4325,4741,4351],"class_list":["post-1168","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized-en","tag-biopsychosocial-approach-to-health-en","tag-diet","tag-dna-test-comparison","tag-find","tag-for","tag-genes","tag-high-protein-lunch","tag-how","tag-joanna","tag-perfect","tag-personal-trainer","tag-skincare-en","tag-soh","tag-teeth-grinding-en","tag-the","tag-us-uncategorized","tag-your"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1168","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1168"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1168\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6420,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1168\/revisions\/6420"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2799"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1168"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1168"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1168"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}