by Kim Jansen
Having been an active sportsperson, Bernie Williams developed a keen interest in nutrition, science and health. After two rather stressful decades of working as a corporate and marketing executive around Europe, she pursued her passion for wellness and health, becoming the co-founder and CEO of myDNAhealth, an ISO-accredited company. With their testing laboratory based in the world-leading Norwich science park and a development team par excellence based in Romania, myDNAhealth has become an award-winning company changing lives for the better.
myDNAhealth was launched into the market with a Business-to-Business approach. Williams and her team centered on working with forward-thinking Healthcare Practitioners like GPs and Nutritionists. “In so doing, we discovered what information would be most useful to them when consulting with the patients, and this has led us to expand into our consumer space now.”
Williams highlights that they have always been adamant about the scientific validity of their kits and results, which explains the rigorous team of scientists behind their product. myDNAhealth has demonstrated that a DNA report alone is not enough. “Lifestyle, nutrition and the environment all impact DNA. Through studying *Nutrigenomics and Epigenetics, our expert scientific team has built a series of unique DNA test algorithms using the latest technology and analytics tools.
Thousands of data points, including DNA and lifestyle, are applied to create personalised approaches to diet and lifestyle for each person tested, and all that’s required is a simple cheek swab. Our genes determine how our body handles nutrients and toxins and how it reacts to our diet and lifestyle. We can’t change our genes, but we can change how they react by modifying what we do and eat.”
The work and findings conducted by myDNAhealth have resulted in several accolades, which only confirm that they are contributing work that benefits every individual.
“We won best new product in 2019 (Nutrition Award) for our Optimal DNA product. It’s a wonderful feather in the cap to know that this group of highly critical nutritional and health professionals found the DNA report useful and have described our approach as a blueprint for health assessments,” says Williams. Further to this, they won the Excellence in Life Sciences Achievement Award in 2020 following their rigorous assessment by professors of Nutritional Genomics who are based at the Norwich Science Park and University of East Anglia.
Williams notes, “This further validated our move into the corporate space. COVID also allowed us to segway into the corporate space as we provided companies with COVID testing services and our wellness Optimal Health DNA tests for their staff.” The services and products provided by her team have become invaluable to corporate companies looking after the wellbeing of their staff.
“In a nutshell,” starts Williams, “We provide insight into the health risk of employees and their wellbeing. The process is simple because everything is online. Essentially, we provide organisations with an overview that acts as a wellbeing barometer. Companies already implementing stress-resilience or wellbeing programmes can make informed decisions concerning how they spend their budget to support their staff. For instance, do they provide free or subsidised vitamin D supplements, glucose blood tests and so on? Companies can identify focus areas to prevent future long-term health issues. There’s a tangible financial objective. Everything is better and more balanced when you’re feeding your body the proper nutrients and creating the appropriate lifestyle and environment for yourself.
Furthermore, myDNAhealth has developed a range of nutritional supplements that include managing stress and sleep – much needed in a busy and stressful world. Simultaneously, they also provide detox products and vitamin D finger prick blood tests to offer the right level of supplementation for each individual. They follow a highly tailored and empowering approach.
“In a work-from-home environment, we ship directly to homes, and we’ve had a 95% engagement rate. People have become more attuned to their health as a result of COVID. Our report and portal are detailed but easy to understand and work through for individuals, healthcare practitioners and corporates alike.
“We’re in the process of collaborating with digital health platforms to provide a white label enterprise solution. Health platforms that want to incorporate our DNA product and lifestyle questionnaires will enrich their offerings to the consumer market. We’ll also be launching another women’s nutritional supplement that combats all the symptoms of menopause, making that vital period of life far more manageable physically, mentally and emotionally.”
With this in mind, the future is undoubtedly inspiring for myDNAhealth and its consumers.
*Nutrigenomics studies how your genetic variants influence your ability to metabolise nutrients found in the foods and drinks you consume.
Epigenetics is what happens when genes are in action and responding to environmental and lifestyle triggers, including sleep, stress, diet and toxins. In these processes, genes are modified slightly and act differently. In short, epigenetics is where nature meets nurture. Your genes are controlled by and respond to your daily choices,” www.mydnahealth.co.uk.
