It’s amazing how far we have come when it comes to health and medicine. From the blood-letting and lobotomies of the past, to the key-hole surgery and genetic testing of today – the field certainly has advanced by leaps and bounds. But there is always room for improvement and the next health trend expected to go is the one-size-fits-all approach. Personalized health, with recommendations based on each individual’s genes and environment, is the direction in which the health and medicine field is heading. Below, 16 experts tell us how they think this advancement is coming about.

Personalized Health is emerging as a movement in health and medicine. A movement that can benefit the world by concentrating on the individual. This shift towards personalized health is possible because of increasing advancements in technology. You can read more about how one particular tech advancement – the internet – has the potential to transform healthcare here. The further that technology advances, the more the health and wellness field can take advantage of it, and therefore, the better off we all are.

It seems like we as a society are starting to wisen up when it comes to health. Thanks to science, we now know more about how the human body works and what it needs than ever before, and we are putting that knowledge into practice. Just look at the popularity of wearable fitness devices like Fitbit, growing fitness trends like CrossFit, and the increasing availability of healthy foods. We’re definitely getting healthier, right?

It may seem that way, but unfortunately obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other common health issues are still rampant. In some cases they’re even on the rise. If we seem to be embracing new health tech, exercise and diets, then why are we still so unhealthy?

Why our attempts at health are failing.

One big reason that we just can’t grasp that elusive thing we call ‘health’ is because we accept so many things as ‘healthy’ just because someone says it’s the answer to all our health concerns, or because it has worked for someone else – a celebrity perhaps or someone we know.

So it’s not that we’re not trying – we’re buying the fitness trackers, we’re signing up for CrossFit, we’re shopping at Whole Foods. We really are making an effort to improve our health. But what we think is healthy for us may be the very thing holding us back. It’s our so-called ‘healthy’ lifestyle that is often responsible for destroying our health.

Here are some common ‘healthy’ habits that could be doing you more harm than good.

1. You’re avoiding dairy altogether. Ancient medicine suggests that if you tend to store excess fat around your vital organs and midsection, you can benefit from low-fat dairy products, like kefir and yogurt, which are full of healthy probiotics. If you tend to be more pear shaped, on the other hand, you may suffer from sinus congestion and skin irritations when consuming dairy. This isn’t a rule of thumb and there are exceptions, but the idea is that dairy (and any food for that matter) may be good for one person and not another.

2. You’re eating too little or not often enough. First off, men burn more calories than women. There are many reasons for this, but the gist is that women should be consuming a minimum of 1,200 calories a day while men should be consuming a minimum of 1,800. On top of this, physically active people need to increase their daily caloric intake up to twice their basal metabolic rate (BMR) and younger adults with faster metabolisms will find that they can benefit from more calories and larger meals than seniors.

Some people have a body type that naturally stores away nutritional resources. If you’ve got this type of body and hence a slower digestive system, it’s important to avoid eating late at night because your body will just store away the unused energy into fat. If, on the other hand, you’ve got a body type that has difficulty keeping energy stores, it’s important to eat frequently, maybe up to 4-6 meals a day. Skipping meals could lead to fatigue, weakness, lethargy, poor concentration, muscular depletion, demineralization of the bones and other unpleasant side effects.

3. You’ve become vegan/vegetarian. If your body is the kind that naturally builds muscle easily but you tend to gain more weight in your mid section than in your legs, low-protein diets that tend to have higher amounts of grains and thyroid-stimulating foods like refined flour may not be ideal for you. Including animal protein in your diet will benefit the development of your muscles, increase your energy production and use, and will improve your mood and mental focus. On the other hand, if you’ve got a tendentially lean body shape and tend to gain weight in the lower half of your body, you may benefit from a much higher ratio of vegetables relative to animal protein and may even do well on a vegan or vegetarian regimen.

4. You do cleanse after cleanse. If you’ve got the type of body that uses energy a lot throughout and benefits from frequent meals, it’s only normal that your body wouldn’t benefit from cleanses. In fact, the lack of nutritional intake may trigger your body’s stress mechanism and have the opposite effect of what you want. Instead, knowing what organs may need cleansing and what dietary changes are optimal for your body type  may have more benefits. For instance, a sluggish liver will benefit from a reduction of animal fats, drinking lemon juice on an empty stomach in the morning, and increasing sulfur-rich vegetables like garlic and onions. No need for a juice cleanse or fasting detox in this case.

5. You’re eating what you ‘should’ be eating all of the time, and not eating the foods you enjoy. Sticking to a prolonged rigid diet can be detrimental for some people and there are many reasons why it can alter the body and the mind in a negative way. You may feel a sense of starvation that triggers stress-related hormones, or you may inadvertently slow down your metabolism by not eating enough or by skipping meals. Alternatively, you may feel drops in serotonin that can trigger carb cravings or may fall into a depressive state from a deprivation of feel-good foods. Finding ways in which you can enjoy healthy eating full of beneficial foods combined with fun recipes and plenty of variety can reduce food cravings and improve mood all while keeping your body healthy.

Yes, health issues like obesity and diabetes are still prevalent, but we are starting to sit up and take note. The fact that we are embracing new health technology, like Fitbit and ph360, jumping on board with fitness trends and making wiser food choices shows that we really do have the willingness to make a positive lasting change to our health. Where we are somewhat falling short is the application – assuming that all ‘healthy’ habits are good for everyone. The fact is that we are all completely unique and will need different things when it comes to health.

Knowing exactly what is best for us as individuals doesn’t have to be difficult. Once again technology comes to the rescue with ShaeTM – a personal health assistant that can provide you with exactly what you need when it comes to food, exercise, and environment. We are starting to embrace health. The next, and final step, is embracing personalized health.

Do you remember what the internet was like 15-20 years ago? The days of dial-up, when you would turn your modem on and go make a cup of tea while it connected to the internet, making that distinctive noise – the sound of the internet firing up. Oh, and the frustration when someone picked up the phone to make a call and interrupted your AOL chat!

Fast forward to today and we all carry around palm-sized computers capable of connecting to the internet wirelessly, almost anywhere. It is undeniable that we are becoming more and more connected to each other. With Bill Gates’ and Mark Zuckerberg’s pledge to make the internet accessible to everyone by 2020, as well as continuing technological advances, we are poised to reap the benefits of connectivity more than ever.

What the expansion of internet access means for you

The most obvious impact of universal internet access is on communication. Through the use of technology like Skype, Viber, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and more, we are already able to speak face-to-face with loved ones in real time. Universal access also makes business communication faster and more convenient. With further tech advances and wider internet availability, the quality and usability of such services will only improve.

Education is another sector which could be positively impacted by universal internet access. There are already several education programs offering ‘virtual classroom’ settings where students can connect to teachers and peers wirelessly. Imagine the possibilities this holds for remote communities in the developing world – children who previously would not have had the opportunity to attend school at all could have their lives completely changed by a laptop and an internet connection.

Universal internet access is already starting to have a huge effect on many other aspects of our personal and professional lives, but above all, it is set to have a profound impact on health.

Here are 3 ways universal internet access will transform world health:

1. It will enable everyone to access the most up-to-date health information. No more waiting for test results, information and health advice when you can be connected to your health professionals and institutions. Importantly you will have access to not just generic information about a symptom or health condition you might be experiencing, but information personalized to your biological, neurological and epigenetic profile. Increased access to the internet coupled with further advances to technology will also make it possible for health professionals to gain access to the information and education necessary to provide truly personalized health care.¹ The real power here is you and your health professional collaboratively having access to personalized health information tailored to you.² There are already companies, such as ph360, striving to provide this kind of information to every person. With nothing more than a device and an internet connection you can log onto ph360 and get completely personalized information for optimal health. With wider access to internet a service like ph360 can ultimately have far reaching impacts on health the world over.

2. It will create communities of people with common health concerns or interests to form support groups. It’s no secret that we, humans, are pack animals – we need each other to survive. Having healthy familial bonds, strong friendships and a supportive wider community are essential to our overall health and well-being.³ Being a part of a supportive group, especially when dealing with health issues, can go a long way to ease the stress and hardship associated with those health issues. Online support groups specifically can be a fantastic coping tool due to the instant availability and breadth of members involved.⁴ Internet access is already making it possible for us to connect to loved ones all over the world. Universal internet access will enable people suffering with health issues to connect to others who are dealing with the same difficulties and who understand.

3. It will empower you to take control of your own health. Most importantly, everyone will have, at their fingertips, access to up-to-date tools that can help them to implement personalized health recommendations. Regardless of what aspect of life we are discussing, having someone to motivate and guide you can have a huge impact on your chances of success.⁵ We already have some access to personalized information but tech advances and better internet access will make it easier than ever before to put those recommendations into practice. One virtual health assistant, Shae^TM, due out late this year, requires a reliable internet connection to be able to provide real time updates on recommendations for foods and lifestyle habits as well as practical advice for implementing those recommendations on a daily basis. Imagine a world where everyone has access to their own Shae, making health and prevention not only a possibility but a reality. In fact, many in the health field say it is possible and you can read more about that here.

Gates and Zuckerberg have the right idea in trying to increase internet access the world over. The implications of greater internet access coupled with technological advances are truly exciting. This is especially true for health. Embracing such advances and finding ways to use them effectively could have a serious and profound impact on world health.

References

1. Fernandez-Luque, L., Karlsen, R. and Vognild, L.K., 2009. Challenges and opportunities of using recommender systems for personalized health education. In MIE, pp. 903-907.
2. Glaser, J., Henley, D.E., Downing, G., Brinner, K.M. and Personalized Health Care Workgroup of the American Health Information Community, 2008. Advancing personalized health care through health information technology: an update from the American Health Information Community’s Personalized Health Care Workgroup. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 15(4), pp.391-396.
3. Uchino, B.N., Holt-Lunstad, J., Uno, D., Campo, R. and Reblin, M. 2007. The social neuroscience of relationships. Social neuroscience: Integrating biological and psychological explanations of social behavior: 474.
4. Eysenbach, G., Powell, J., Englesakis, M., Rizo, C. and Stern, A., 2004. Health related virtual communities and electronic support groups: systematic review of the effects of online peer to peer interactions. Bmj, 328(7449), p.1166.
5. Mallett, C.J., 2005. Self-determination theory: A case study of evidence-based coaching. Sport psychologist, 19(4), p.417.

How many diets have you tried only to find that you swing back and sometimes even beyond where you started? There are thousands of different diets out there, along with government and medical guidelines on what you should be eating, yet the result is that you get confused and disheartened. Further pressure and frustration is added by the media’s constant pressure for you to look like a supermodel and its message that if you are larger than a US size 8, you are overweight. Diet X worked for your friend and when she encourages you to give it a go, you do. Yet again it doesn’t work for you and you feel like a failure.

You are not alone. Over 85 percent of diets fail! Why? Well there are 3 important secrets to weight loss that everyone should know — and interestingly that no one ever really tells you.

1. Why a diet may have worked for your friend, but not you.

Your genetics

Every one of us is unique; even identical twins. You are born with a genetic blueprint that you inherited from your parents. This blueprint determines whether you will be tall or short, have thin bones or heavier bones and whether your digestion is naturally fast or slow. Identical twins have the same blueprint at birth, yet as the years go by one stays slim and the other becomes overweight, even though what they eat is similar. Why is this? It’s due to what we today know as epigenetics.

Your epigenetics

Only 5-10% of your gene expression is set at birth, and the rest of your genes contain switches that are turned on or off. Given that each cell within your body contains about 30,000 genes you have a huge number of switches that are constantly being switched on or off. What triggers the switch? It’s your epigenetics – your lifestyle and environment. This includes what you eat, how you exercise, who you socialize with, the work you do, toxins and chemicals you are exposed to, how you use your mind, your home environment and the local climate and weather. Any of these can have an effect on whether you lose, gain, or maintain weight.

Your microbiome

For every one gene we have 100 microbes. No two microbiomes are the same. Millions of these microbes live in our gut. They are essential to helping us digest food, yet for many people in the western world, the variety of these microbes is depleted compared to indigenous people who live off the land. A healthy microbiome creates a healthy you  –  it’s not only vital for digestion but your immune system as well. If your microbiome is compromised your health is too. Not only is it likely that you’re not getting as many nutrients from the food you eat as you can be, but the walls of your intestines can become damaged and result in inflammation, a root cause of nearly all diseases.

2. You are not just what you put in your mouth.

“You must count calories and increase your exercise” is the recipe for weight loss frequently shared with us by the medical profession and media. Yet if it was this simple there wouldn’t be an obesity epidemic!

Of course, if you want to lose weight you don’t want to eat an excessive amount of food, but more important than the amount of calories is what those calories are made of. Not all calories are equal.

Avocados for example are high in calories, yet their fat is very healthy for many people and the way the calories are digested means they are likely to aid weight loss. What is more important than calories is eating the right foods for your body and your type of digestion.

The same is true for exercise. Exercise can aid in weight loss, but it’s important to do the right type of exercise for you. Not everyone is designed to be a marathon runner or to lift heavy weights.

Beyond food and exercise, weight loss really involves your whole lifestyle and environment:

Your mind and limiting beliefs

Are you thinking “I’ll never lose weight,” consciously or subconsciously? The thoughts you think influence how you feel and the actions you take.

Your social interactions and relationships

Are you spending your time with people who lift you up and are supporting and loving, or people that leave you feeling drained or constantly on edge?

Work

Are you doing a job you love, that doesn’t feel like work? Or do you have to drag yourself to work each day, and are left feeling constantly stressed?

Home

Is your home a place to relax and have fun? Does it suit your needs? Or does it and the events that take place within it leave you feeling stressed and disconnected?

Climate

Some of us thrive in a hot, dry environment, whereas others do best when it is cool and moist, or anything in between. Do you live in a climate that energizes you?

3. You may not even need to lose weight.

The media bombards us with images of tall, slim models and actively encourages young girls and women to aspire to be the same. Yet we are not all tall and small boned! There is an ideal weight for you and it might not be what you think it should be.

The only perfect weight is the weight that is right for YOU, and it’s determined by your body’s unique biology and chemistry.

Losing weight or keeping it off isn’t always easy. Thankfully you’re now better prepared to navigate the many suggestions and recommendations that exist out there to help you lose weight.

And if you want personal evidence of just how different each of our journies to weight loss (or health, for that matter) is, then grab a friend and check out ph360 together to discover what YOU need, not just to lose weight, but to become healthier and happier than you’ve ever been before.