by Mary-Elizabeth Meagher  

What does longevity mean to you? Is it nothing more than an increase in life expectancy? Or is it the meaningful experience of wellness, vitality, strength and resilience as you age?  

Licensed nurse practitioner Nancy Wood is on a mission to change how you think about longevity. She uses DNA testing to help you understand the intricacies of your own unique genetic blueprint, so you can make informed, proactive choices to maintain the healthiest quality of life possible as you grow older. After all, you know the phrase: Age is just a number. 

Wood is not in the business of merely extending your lifespan—she’s passionate about increasing your healthspan. In this month’s installment of The Community Spotlight, she’ll walk you through what this entails and why it’s beneficial—no matter how old you are.       

Natural Awakenings: Would you summarize your background in healthcare, as well as what first sparked your interest in DNA testing?   

Nancy Wood: My first degree was in public health nutrition, and this set the foundation for my interest in health promotion versus sickness care. To that end, I have been a paramedic, a nurse, and a family nurse practitioner.  

I have worked in emergency rooms, as well as in public health sectors, chronic disease management, endocrinology and brain health. Through all of those experiences, I continued returning to an appreciation for the value of prevention—even if that prevention means working to halt the progression of an existing medical issue.  

  As far as my interest in DNA testing, this facet of my healthcare journey started upon doing a 23andMe test, which revealed I have a gene that increases the risk of Alzheimer’s. This gene also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. My father passed away from a heart attack at age 61, and I know I inherited the gene from him.  

In response to these test results, I dove into some research and took some lifestyle measures. However, after training in the ReCODE 2.0 protocol developed by neurologist Dr. Dale Bredesen, I learned that it’s possible to delay, prevent and maybe even achieve partial regression of the dementia’s effects.  

As part of the training, I also completed a course for health providers on the use and interpretation of genetic testing. I realized this could be a valuable tool in preventive medicine. I realized that genetic testing can help us be more proactive about our own health. Lifestyle choices can actually turn the genes on and off.  

However, please note: This testing is for predisposition or risk—it’s not for absolute genetic traits, such as muscular dystrophy, or for responses to medication therapy.  

NA: How does DNA testing work specifically, and what information can a person’s genetics reveal about the state of their overall health?  

Wood: I use tests from three different companies. One is a medical deep dive, one is for nutrition intervention, and one is for those interested in fitness and nutrition.  

One area that I specifically find interesting and relevant to our locale is detoxification. We are all exposed to mold, glyphosate, BPA and other toxins. Some of us are intensely affected by these, while others are not. This sensitivity is due, in part, to our level of exposure—but the function of our bodies' natural detoxification system also has a critical role to play.  

I use the analogy of water as it drips into a sink. If all goes well, the water flushes down the drain without a problem. But if the water comes too fast, or the drain clogs, it can overflow the sink. Similarly, genetic testing can let us know how our drains work, and lifestyle coaching can help to reduce the water flow. 

Another interesting and relevant piece of information is our response to dietary saturated fat. Chances are, we have all seen the wide range of recommendations for fat intake: low fat, Paleo and Atkins, just to name a few. These work differently for each person, and genes can explain why there is likely no ideal, one-size-fits-all diet to suit everyone.  

NA: Once someone has their DNA test results, what lifestyle practices or interventions can they follow to ensure optimal health and quality of life?  

Wood: We discuss interventions in three areas: nutrition, lifestyle measures and supplements. Lifestyle measures can include sleep, exercise, stress reduction and toxin exposure. I have a machine (a scale) that measures body composition, and I use this tool to evaluate the effects of lifestyle changes over time. Appropriate muscle mass is a key predictor of aging well. 

This scale also measures visceral fat. This is the fat around our internal organs, and it can contribute to a range of medical issues: Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, stroke, high cholesterol and inflammation. Someone can have a normal BMI but high visceral fat, or vice versa. Even a naturally thin person can have high visceral fat and low muscle mass. This is why BMI is an imperfect measure of health status.  

NA: In your view, does a person’s outlook and experience in the aging process tend to shift when they are knowledgeable about their health?  

Wood: Yes, I do think so. Someone might be afraid to do the testing because they don’t want to learn distressing news. I completely understand this because I have one of the worst profiles I’ve seen, and it was disappointing to see that. However, I also realized that I'm in fantastic health because I actually follow most of my own advice.  

Age is just a number, so when we strengthen our physical and mental health, we minimize the importance of that number. I use the phrase, “Change the way you age,” because I think we can all certainly do that—and we can do it more effectively when we have a clear idea of which factors to target. 

Over the course of my life, I've used what I call the “90-year look back” to help me with major decisions such as choosing to attend nursing school in my 40s and nurse practitioner school in my 50s. I imagine how a decision will play out when I'm reflecting my life at age 90— whether I will regret the decision to either do or not do it.  

Similarly, we can also look ahead to the last decade of life and think about all that we want to do. Do we want to be able to get down on the floor with our grandchildren or great grandchildren (and importantly, be able to stand up again)? Do we want to be able to climb a flight of stairs without feeling out of breath?  

If these are issues now, the answer is not to stay off the floor or move to a home without stairs—it’s to work on improving our ability to do those activities. In other words, it’s important to ask ourselves: How will we look back on our lives at age 90 and view the choices we made about our own health and lifestyle habits? This is how we change the way we age.  

NA: What piece of advice or helpful information would you share with someone who might feel hesitant to try DNA testing for themselves?  

Wood: I know it might be scary to find out your genetic health risks, and if there were nothing to be done about it, then I would not advise testing. But the fact is, you do have the power to make changes now—ideally, before you start to manifest the signs and symptoms of disease.  

Most diseases start about 20 years before an actual diagnosis. For example, someone will usually lose as much as 80 percent of their own insulin production by the time they receive a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. Likewise, someone might start to build up arterial plaque well before they show visible signs of a heart issue. Therefore, doesn’t it just make sense to catch these risk factors early while there is still time do something about them?  

Nancy Wood, APRN, is a family nurse practitioner certified in ReCODE 2.0 and genetic testing. Her practice, HealthSpan DNA, is located at 1491 2nd Street, Unit C, Sarasota. For more information and to schedule your own genetic testing appointment, call 941-345-0430, email [email protected] or visit HealthSpanDNA.com.    

Mary-Elizabeth Schurrer is the Managing Editor of Natural Awakenings Sarasota–Manatee. She also works as a freelance writer, blogger and social media marketer. Her personal blog HealthBeAHippie.Wordpress.com features tips for embracing an active, nutritious, balanced and empowered lifestyle.