Dr. Jeremy Koenig speaks with Dr. Yael Joffe, a pioneer in the field of Nutrigenomics, about her journey from architecture student to genetics expert. After witnessing her grandmother's battle with cancer and finding no satisfactory answers from doctors, Dr. Joffe embarked on a quest to understand the connection between genetics, nutrition, and health. She co-developed the world's first lifestyle genetics test in 2000 and founded 3X4 Genetics, which focuses on translational genetics - making genetic information practical and accessible for everyday health decisions.

Key Takeaways:

• Dr. Joffe's career path began as a personal quest after her grandmother's death from cancer, driving her to find answers about disease prevention and treatment.
• The early genetic testing industry (2000-2015) lost its way by focusing too much on data collection and single-gene testing without providing actionable, holistic insights.
• 3X4 Genetics was built on the "3-3-3" model: identifying the three most impacted health areas in your genetics, the three most important dietary changes, three lifestyle modifications, and three supplements.
• Both Dr. Joffe and Dr. Koenig began in creative fields (architecture, writing) before pivoting to genetics due to personal healthcare experiences with family members.
• Dr. Joffe emphasizes that genetics should not be viewed as "good" or "bad" genes but rather as evolutionary information that helps us adapt to our environments.
• The human genome should be understood in the context of evolutionary biology - our genes developed to help us thrive in specific environments, which explains why people from different ancestral backgrounds respond differently to foods and environments.
• Nutrigenomics looks at biochemistry and physiological pathways rather than disease prediction, focusing on root causes of health issues.
• Dr. Joffe discusses the recent bankruptcy of 23andMe, noting that despite its influence in normalizing genetic testing, the company ultimately prioritized data collection and pharmaceutical development over personal health insights.
• 3X4 Genetics maintains ethical guardrails by not selling supplements or customer data, focusing instead on education and personalized health guidance.

Connect with Dr. Yael

LINKS:

https://www.drjeremykoenig.com/
https://www.instagram.com/drjeremykoenig/
https://www.youtube.com/@drjeremykoenig

Here's the link for this week's episode: https://drjeremykoenig.substack.com/p/the-polygenic-tapestry