4 Unexpected Things I Learned About My Health From A Science-Backed Nutrition Plan

As a brand strategist at mindbodygreen, optimizing my wellness is a daily priority. And as a certified personal trainer, fitness and nutrition are arguably the two most significant pillars in this routine. I read ingredient labels like I'm looking for typos, count macros, and time every meal to maximize my energy and performance.

But most of what I know about nutrition is based on either anecdotal personal experiences (that time I tried and failed at keto) or simple internet research—neither of which are precisely optimal in determining the perfect diet for my body and lifestyle. So when I learned there was an opportunity to dig deeper with InsideTracker and their revolutionary approach to personalized nutrition, I begged my editor to let me try it out. 

The idea of a nutrition plan that's "based off of your biomarkers" may seem complicated or overly sophisticated, but InsideTracker's system is surprisingly user-friendly. Once I ordered my plan, they sent me a lab slip to get blood work done—I visited my local Quest Diagnostics, but you can also opt for a mobile on-site blood draw (where a phlebotomist visits you), or just DIY and upload recent test results that match InsideTracker's biomarker for import.

A few days later, my results were waiting for me in my inbox. Forty-three biomarkers—from nutrients like magnesium and vitamin D to cholesterol to hormones—painted a holistic picture of my overall health in a way that I've never had access to before. My results were neatly laid out to show where I was in relation to my personal "optimized zone"—a more precise range than merely "normal" zones, determined by my age, gender, ethnicity, and activity level. 

Your liver is arguably the most underappreciated organ in your body, often even referred to as the "gatekeeper to good health." And because many of us place a considerable emphasis on foods that optimize our brain and heart health (not that we shouldn't), we might be doing so at the expense of optimal liver function.

I am definitely someone who fits into this camp, a fact that became clear from my InsideTracker results. It turns out my liver enzyme group—fueled by my high levels of ALT, AST, and GGT—might be at risk. According to InsideTracker R.D. Ashley Reaver, "These enzymes naturally exist in the liver and seep into the bloodstream when there is damage."

For me, that's B12, which is just north of my personal "optimized zone." You know vitamin B12 helps your body make red blood cells, nerves, and DNA, but its prevalence in animal protein sources makes it one of the most common deficiencies for people who follow a vegan diet. Fortunately for my B12, I eat meat; unfortunately, I also drink a fair amount of pre-workout supplements, which Ashley considers the likely culprit of my high levels.

Among the fascinating results of my InsideTracker experience was learning my biological age, my "InnerAge." While the calendar says I'm 29, my biomarkers indicate that I'm aging faster than I should be—by more than five years, to be exact. This doesn't concern me in the short term, but definitely something to consider if I want to extend my "healthspan" as I (actually) get older. Healthspan is essentially the amount of time we spend free of life-threatening diseases, and it's often overshadowed by its more conventional cousin—life span—in the longevity conversation.

I've long considered myself one of the more well-informed eaters out there, but this experience might have been the wake-up call I needed to reassess and reprioritize. Here's to the moment I finally start eating, moving, and living the way my body needs me to.