The ApoE Gene Diet

An Integrative Medicine Approach to Disease Prevention

We all have the Apo E gene (pronounced by saying each letter, A - P - O - E). This gene plays a key
role in our body's internal environment and is a determining factor in the development of chronic
disease, especially heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Keep in mind – Heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease are two inflammatory diseases. Our goal is to
create a "gene-supportive environment" (GSE), based your individual Apo E genotype and reduce
inflammation in the body specifically in the arteries, heart and brain.

The Apo E gene occurs as three variations, or alleles, in humans: Apo E 2, Apo E 3, and Apo E 4. Since
genes come in matching pairs, we each have two alleles of every gene, one from each parent. If you
received an Apo E 2 from one parent and an Apo E 3 from the other parent, your genotype would be
E 2/3. The six possible combinations of Apo E gene pairs are E 2/2, E 2/3, E 3/3, E 4/2, E 4/3, and E
4/4.

How Your Apo E Genotype Affects Your Health

As you can see from the table below, the most common genotype, Apo E 3/3, is found in
approximately 64 percent of the population. It is considered the “neutral” Apo E genotype.
Combinations that include either the Apo E 2 or Apo E 4 are considered “alternative” expressions of
the more common Apo E 3 pairing. People with Apo E 2 or 4 alleles will process foods differently
from the way in which an Apo E 3’s body will.

The APOE Gene Diet can help prevent Alzheimer's disease and Heart disease

The specific pair of Apo E genes you inherited from your parents greatly influences your
predisposition to certain illnesses, including heart disease, vascular dementia, Alzheimer's disease,
Parkinson's disease, and cancer. For example, persons with the Apo E 4/4 genotype could have up to
a 90 percent chance of developing a chronic illness such as Alzheimer's disease. Maintaining an
optimal diet and lifestyle for your particular Apo E genotype is known as maintaining a "gene-
supportive environment" (GSE), and doing so can dramatically reduce your risk of developing these
chronic illnesses. That's why the Apo E Gene Diet was created.
The Apo E Gene Diet
The foundation of the Apo E Gene Diet is a nutritional plan that focuses on eating the optimal
percentages of "The Big Three" - carbohydrates, fats and proteins - for your specific Apo E genotype.
One diet does not fit all because each Apo E genotype processes foods differently. There is a unique
optimal combination of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins which creates the ideal diet for each of the
six Apo E genotypes. Creating this optimal balance in your diet provides the foundation for your
good health.

The Apo E gene has been shown to be the number one factor affecting how your body uses The Big
Three macronutrients or food groups, and this influences the possibility and severity of developing
certain diseases. It is extremely important to eat the right balance of carbohydrates, fats and
proteins for your specific Apo E genotype.

The Apo E Gene Diet is not a diet in the typical sense of the word. With the Apo E Gene Diet, we use
the word "diet" to mean a series of specific recommendations for individual nutrition and other
environmental factors, such as exercise and stress levels, to name a few. The goal of the Apo E Gene
Diet is disease prevention and a healthy life; it is a personalized plan for your Apo E genotype which
will guide you in choosing the optimal:

• fat content with the correct types of fats

• carbohydrate content with the correct types of carbohydrates
• protein content with the correct types of proteins
• caloric content for your needs
• amount and kind of exercise appropriate for you
• balance of stress and relaxation in your life
• quality of mental and emotional environment
• type of energy and intentions you allow into your life (the spiritual component)

Most of the existing dietary recommendations are based on the assumption that one diet plan is
appropriate for everyone. Because of that assumption, those diets fail to accomplish long-term
weight loss or optimal disease prevention. We are not all the same. In reality, diet and exercise
recommendations must be individualized, beginning with a person's genetic foundational recipe.

The Apo E Gene Diet focuses on an individual’s genetic recipe, creating dietary and exercise
recommendations for each of the six possible Apo E genotypes a person can have. No other program
does this. In addition, the Apo E Gene Diet takes into account the whole person (physical, emotional,
and spiritual) in creating a gene-supportive environment which promotes a healthy life, free of
chronic illnesses.

The Optimal Diet and Lifestyle For Your Apo E Genotype

So how do you create the optimal diet and lifestyle for your particular Apo E genotype? There are
three steps.
1. First, consider reading The Apo E Gene Diet: A Breakthrough in Changing Cholesterol, Weight,
Heart and Alzheimer's Using the Body's Own Genes by Pamela McDonald.

2. After reading the book, you can make an informed decision as to whether you want to know your
Apo E genotype. Finding out which Apo E genotype you have is done through a simple cheek swab
test or non-fasting blood test (more information on testing options).

3. Once you know your Apo E genotype, follow the diet and lifestyle plan outlined in the book for
your particular Apo E genotype.

Following these three steps will support you on the path to a healthy life, free of chronic disease.

My experience in supporting patients in implementing the changes

required by the Apo E Gene Diet has led me to develop a number of general
recommendations that apply to all, regardless of their particular genotype.

Recommendations for Implementing The Apo E Gene Diet

In order to make changes in a current lifestyle, the following general

recommendations will help you be successful in those changes.

• Use the principles of integrative medicine that:

• take into account the whole person—body, mind, emotions, spirit,
environment, and lifestyle
• emphasize a supportive, caring, therapeutic relationship
• make use of all appropriate therapies, both conventional and
alternative, and
• use culturally appropriate, natural, effective, minimally invasive
interventions whenever possible

Find a practitioner who is:

• trained in integrative medicine, since nutrition and exercise are
two very powerful tools of integrative medicine
• committed to a healthy lifestyle, self-exploration, and self-development

You will then be guided and supported in:

• stimulating your body’s innate healing with foods that match its
genetic instructions
• utilizing all three food categories (fats, proteins, carbohydrates) in
an optimal balance for your genotype (unless a medical condition
prevents this)
• focusing on foods that do not cause inflammation and are easily
assimilated, metabolized, and cleared by your body
• counting all calories (if weight is an issue)
• choosing natural, whole (that is, unprocessed) foods whenever possible
• utilizing routine blood chemistries and physical evaluations to
make adjustments as treatment progresses
• implementing the exercise program that is best for your individual
Apo E genotype

Apo E Gene Testing—Should I Do It?

Apo E gene testing offers the beginning of improved health and a happier life for many people. Once
you know your Apo E gene type, a clear personalized dietary, exercise, and general wellness program
provides you with the key to preventing heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, and many other chronic
illnesses.

However, we recommend that you be tested only if you are willing to follow the personalized diet
and lifestyle program that creates the most supportive environment for your Apo E gene type.

The decision to be tested is a very personal one. Some people want to be tested to learn the
appropriate diet and lifestyle for their particular Apo E genotype, thereby minimizing their risk of
developing chronic disease. Other people prefer not to know their genetic predisposition toward
certain chronic diseases—clearly, this test is not for them.

The best way to make a fully informed decision as to whether you should be tested is to read the
book, The APO E Gene Diet, by Pamela McDonald. Otherwise, there are several basic questions that
you can ask yourself when considering whether you want to be tested:

1. Why do I want to learn my Apo E gene type?

2. Once I get my results, am I willing to follow the recommended diet, exercise, and wellness
program best for my gene type?
3. Who is going to support me in undertaking any lifestyle change program?

If you do decide to be tested and embark on our APO E GENE DIET and HearthHealth Watchers™
program, we offer guidance and a unique collection of tools for a sustainable lifestyle that will bring
you a renewed sense of health and wellbeing. A holistic assessment and life-balancing program, the
Wellness Inventory, will help you gain personal insight into your state of physical, mental, emotional,
and spiritual wellness. Personalized telephone consulting rounds out the program.

www.apoegenediet.com