Queensland’s Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat is pioneering a world-first DNA-based program that will revolutionise wellness retreats as we know them.
Led by renowned holistic medical doctor Dr Karen Coates, this first-of-its-kind concept takes guests’ DNA to analyse their genes and determine vulnerabilities.
Dr Coates says this is new because it’s only now that “we can analyse more genes, and therefore have more research on how to improve the efficiency of these wellness genes”.
“The reason we’re able to do this now is because we have more knowledge of epigenetics, the science of how genes are turned on and off to support wellness.
“We knew about genetic pathways in the 60s, but we didn’t know we could control the genes, but now we have found that the ‘volume’ on many unfavourable inherited genes can be turned down.”
She says this means, in some cases, you can now open cell ‘receptors’ that were otherwise closed through medical and natural options and address issues that were unable to be resolved.
“As an example, I had a patient and we did her DNA and she has low bone density and she’s very healthy, but we found inherited genes from parents that stopped vitamin D from getting into cells… so the answer wasn’t more Vitamin D, it was a product that opens receptor sites to open cells and so we could turn that around.”
And it worked.
Melding scientific DNA-testing with wellness
Dr Coates has been working with Gwinganna, alongside former General Manager Sharon Kolkka, since the wellness retreat opened almost two decades ago.
Now with this newfound information, they are pioneering this DNA concept in Australia – holding their first retreat in July at Gwinganna.
“Interestingly, no one else is doing this in a retreat situation, and the key is that we have to book guests far enough in advance to analyse their DNA samples, which we reveal on day one.”
As for what most people are concerned about when it comes to this analysis?
“The one thing people who I have tested in the past are most worried about is how well they metabolise coffee, and they are more scared of that than having to give up alcohol.”
But she says the biggest vulnerabilities are usually around stress.
“If you have great pathways, then a little bit of stress is not of consequence, but if you are under a lot of stress and have red flags in your genes, then you are very vulnerable to disease like cancer, heart disease and dementia.”
Navigating scepticism
Dr Coates says there has been some scepticism, but that’s usually based around ignorance about how the DNA is used.
“It’s important to know that we’re not looking at where genes come from, as in your ancestry, it’s only looking at health and wellbeing clusters. The only person who knows whose sample it is, is the person who puts it in and gives me the number so I can match it.”
She says once they have those results, that gives her a platform to research and explore what she can offer as biohacks to resolve the core issue.
“There are destinies in your DNA, but if you live a healthy life and have enough housekeepers, you’ll avoid major diseases, but if you start drinking too much alcohol and not looking after chemical exposure and stress, then you succumb to diseases far easier than someone else.
“The DNA tells us statistically what you are predisposed to through genes, then we can look at ways to address that.”
The future of wellness
“This new combination of medicine and wellness means we can change lives, and that’s something I will continue to invest my time in. It’s exciting and rewarding, and we’re continuing to discover the importance of this research.
“I will never stop researching in this area. I love it and get so excited by it. My wish is to keep building awareness of this so we can reach more and more of a mainstream audience.
“Ultimately, the goal is to get people this knowledge and the tools and solutions to help them live longer and healthier lives.”
The first DNA-focused wellness retreat, Genes for Health, runs for a week from Sunday 7 July. A second retreat will be held in November.
For more information, visit Gwinganna and Dr Karen Coates.
