Going Dairy Free

Image bottle of milk and glass with red circle and slash

I am in a weight loss program with Digbi Health. I found it looking through programs offered through my insurance. Unfortunately, they do not cover me because I have type 2 diabetes and they refer me to other programs. I called to find out why it is not covered and the sales rep explained that to me and gave me a discount that expired that evening. I thought about it and maybe impulsively signed up.

I am still doing keto. Digbi recommends a lot of veggies with meals and I am having trouble staying in ketosis but my glucose is okay. I want to find a way to work the Digbi program and Virta keto together. I tried asking both how I can blend them but I guess I was not clear because I have not got much of an answer from either program.

With Digbi they do a dna and gut biome analysis. I got the dna results. Some things I found out are that I am lactose intolerant and my blood pressure changes with sodium intake. I have been making yogurt with half and half and have had some digestive issues but I had not put the 2 together. I tried making yogurt with coconut milk and it became gelatin. Not sure if that was the recipe, the coconut milk brand or me. I am going to try a different recipe next time.

I don’t know if i have to avoid all dairy or if things like heavy cream and cheese are okay. I found a sub on Reddit. They were helpful, but they told me it is an individual thing. I got some lactaid tablets, too.

Some other things I found out were vitamin and mineral requirements, like I need more vitamin A and Copper. They don’t test levels, it is how you metabolize. I also have a lot of weight gain tendencies which just means I have to be diligent. Apparently, I have high heart capacity, poor flexibility. I found it interesting. I am going over the results with my coach this week.

The results are in

I had Raider’s DNA tested through @embarkvet .  He is:

32.5% Poodle (Small)

14.9% Cocker Spaniel

11.8% German Shepherd Dog

9.2% Chow Chow

6.0% Pekingese

25.6% Supermutt *

*What’s in that Supermutt? There may be small amounts of DNA from these distant ancestors:

• Boxer
• Golden Retriever
• Samoyed
• Shih Tzu

You can see more here: EMBK.ME/RAIDER2

(I was told he was shih tzu X poodle by his previous owner)

His estimated weight is 33 lbs though and he is full grown and about 20. I don’t know how accurate that result usually is.

 

I am very pleased with the results. He is also clear of 165 genetic conditions.

I discovered he has a trait for low ALT (a liver enzyme they use to test liver function). It is not harmful, but it is useful to know so they can interpret his test results properly.

DNA testing

I have been interested in the different DNA tests available, like ancestry or 23andMe. (I am not endorsing any products).

At one time, I worked at a company that did DNA work.  I even met Francis Collins, one of the leaders of the human genome project, who was a consultant.

I was interested, but I was not sure if I wanted to have my dna results out there. What if they were used against me? That is not paranoia. Right now, there are laws against that. But, I think it is a legitimate fear.

Then I heard of Promethease. One of a number of websites that will analyze the raw data and compare it to scientific studies, mainly health related. I decided to give it a shot.

I ordered a kit from Ancestry.  I was not very interested in the heritage data, but I wanted the raw data results. You can get raw data from other dna kits, too. I have dry mouth from my medications, so it was not easy collecting the small saliva sample. Then I had to wait. It takes about 6 weeks. I found a distant relative, but for the most part the results were not too exciting.

Next, I downloaded the raw data from Ancestry and following the instructions, uploaded it on Promethease. It did not take long and I had MANY results.  They tell you what you are a risk for developing. It knew my eye color, diabetes, obesity ( I have what is called the fat gene). I have a number of genes associated with schizophrenia and one for bipolar and depression. It told me I am a risk for macular degeneration and breast cancer. I am sensitive to NSAIDS and caffeine. There are results about how you metabolize different medications.

23andMe has a health panel which gives similar results, but the Promethease analysis was free in Dec and is not expensive. I think it is regularly $10.

There are so many results, it is hard for me to read it all.

 

I was pleased enough with the results, I am having my dog dna tested, now. You can’t do anything with the raw data, but they give breed and health info.  You can share the results with your vet, too. (I don’t think my dr would want to look at my results). I am in the process of waiting until March.