Frequently Asked Questions

Over the years, we have received many questions about the process of becoming your own Nutritional Genius – so we organized the top 10 here to get a better understanding of this fantastic program. If you have any additional questions or want to learn more, call us and we will walk you through the process and help discover whether this program is right for you!

The top 10 questions, and their answers:

1. What foods are being tested?

Remember, there are two tests in Nutritional Genius, the Food Sensitivity Test and the GEMS™ DNA Test. For the Food Sensitivity testing, the following foods are analyzed:

    Almond
    American Cheese
    Apple
    Apricot
    Asparagus
    Avocado
    Baker’s Yeast
    Banana
    Barley
    Beef
    Beet
    Blueberry
    Brewer’s Yeast
    Broccoli
    Buckwheat
    Cabbage
    Cane Sugar
    Carrot
    Casein
    Cauliflower
    Celery
    Cheddar
    Chicken
    Chocolate
    Clam
    Cod
    Coffee
    Corn
    Cottage Cheese
    Cow’s Milk
    Crab
    Cranberry
    Cucumber
    Egg White
    Egg Yolk
    Garlic
    Gliadin
    Gluten
    Goat’s Milk
    Grape
    Grapefruit
    Green Bean
    Green Pepper
    Halibut
    Honey
    Kidney Bean
    Lactalbumin
    Lamb
    Lemon
    Lentil
    Lettuce
    Lima Bean
    Lobster
    Malt
    Mozzarella Cheese
    Mushroom
    Nectarine
    Oat
    Olive
    Onion
    Orange
    Oyster
    Papaya
    Pea
    Peach
    Peanut
    Pear
    Pecan
    Pineapple
    Plum
    Pork
    Potato, White
    Raspberry
    Red Snapper
    Rice
    Rye
    Salmon
    Sardine
    Sesame
    Shrimp
    Sole
    Soy
    Spinach
    Squash
    Strawberry
    Sunflower Seed
    Swiss Cheese
    Tomato
    Trout
    Tuna
    Turkey
    Walnut
    Watermelon
    Wheat
    Whitefish

For your GEMS DNA Test, we are not testing specific foods – rather we are testing your genetics that are related to enzymes involved in many facets of your body, including detoxification, metabolizing certain foods (some beneficial and some not), immune function, controlling inflammation, energy production, mood balancing and maintaining DNA.

2. Is Nutritional Genius a diet? And will I lose weight?

Yes it is, but we don’t like to call it that. The purpose of Nutritional Genius is to eat the foods that are best for your immune system and genetics – and maximize your chance to achieve great health! By knowing what foods to eat in abundance, moderation or avoid – you can create your own personalized “diet” by focusing on the best foods for you.

Nutritional Genius was not designed to be a weight loss program, however we would not be surprised if you do! As you become educated and eat the right foods for you, we often hear how our clients have more energy, become more active and achieve their healthy weight! You may find that just by making minor modifications to your current nutrition and maintaining an active lifestyle – you could really enjoy your results! xR does provide a medical weight loss program, however this should be discussed with your healthcare professional to learn if it is right for you.

3. Wouldn’t I already know if I had a food allergy?

When we think of “food allergy”, we tend to think of someone who eats a food, such as strawberries, and breaks out in a rash or has difficulty breathing. This type of “immediate hypersensitivity” reaction is what most people think of when they hear “food allergy”. It is only one type of food allergy and not even the most common type. Most food allergies are “delayed hypersensitivity” type in which symptoms appear anywhere from hours to days after eating the offending food. If the food is one you eat frequently, the repeated exposure can lead to a constant level of symptoms that begins to seem “normal”. You may not even realize that you feel much better than you do.

4. Can I be allergic to something I eat all the time?

It is very common for people to be allergic to foods they eat frequently. Often a person will find that foods they crave the most are the ones causing their symptoms. There are a number of reasons for this. When faced with a challenge, such as a food you are allergic to, your body produces higher levels of stress hormones. These stress hormones may give you a temporary boost in energy and effectiveness that can mask symptoms. This fuels cravings for the very foods that are causing your symptoms. The high levels of stress can lead to other problems.

5. If the results tell me to avoid the foods, does that mean I have to stop eating them forever?

The short answer is no – and this should be discussed with your healthcare professional. The reason why is because each person is HIGHLY unique and nutrition may be affecting their lives in various ways. For some patients, foods listed as “Avoid” may trigger painful migraines, joint pain and other medical conditions. For others, the “Avoid” foods may have minor impact – however over time, it could compound and result in medical conditions.

When an IgG food is avoided it may take 3 to 9 months for the antibody level against that food to decrease significantly. However, for the antibody level to return to the previous level, the food may have to be eaten frequently for weeks to months. For that reason, these foods are often less problematic when reintroduced. If consumed infrequently, or through a rotation diet, they seldom have to be avoided for life. You will learn more about a rotation diet when your results return.

6. Do my results change? For example, if I perform the same test in a year – will the results be the same?

Your Food Sensitivity results do change. In addition, if you do not regularly eat the food, it may appear as “Safe”, however if you ate the food and retested, it could appear as “Avoid”. This is why retesting every year or two may be a good option – especially if your diet changes or you really want to hone in on what foods are best for your body. There is no evidence that we have seen that shows that your genetics change.

7. What is the difference between IgG & IgE food allergy testing? Also, can I just do one test and not the other?

IgE tests for immediate type hypersensitivities, whereas IgG antibodies test for delayed type hypersensitivities. You always have the option to do either the Food Sensitivity or GEMS DNA Test; however we recommend that they be performed together.

8. What if my genetic test says one food to eat in Abundance, but my food sensitivity test says to Avoid?

When this happens, it is typically recommended to first eliminate the food, then reintroduce it and pay attention to how your body responds. You should speak with your healthcare professional about what symptoms could occur based on the specific food and what to watch out for.

9. How long does it take me to feel any results?

Results vary for each individual – as all of us are different. If you already eat healthy, are not experiencing any medical conditions and exercise, the Nutritional Genius results should help guide your nutritional decisions and we do not expect any drastic results. However, if you are experiencing fatigue and medical conditions, have unhealthy nutritional habits and are overweight – you may be pleasantly surprised.

10. If I follow my nutritional recommendations, do I need to take the nutraceuticals?

This is a personal decision and you have the ultimate authority on what to follow and what nutraceuticals to take. However, we do recommend that you speak with your healthcare professional and be fully informed as to why the nutraceuticals were recommended before making a decision either way.
 
For a consultation at our Dallas or Southlake office, please call 888-210-9693 and become your own NUTRITIONAL GENIUS™.