Do you wanna know a secret? Your best diet is in your DNA!

Do you wanna know a secret? Maybe your best diet is already inside you, might already live in your genes, your roots, and the land around you. In fact, the secret is: your best diet is in your DNA!

We live in a world obsessed with the “next best diet.” Keto. Paleo. Vegan. Carnivore. Intermittent fasting … you name it. Eat this, not that. Don’t eat carbs. Go low (or just the opposite – go high) in fat. Wait – now eat only after 6pm!

It’s noisy. Confusing. Exhausting. But what if the truth is quieter? What if the best diet isn’t in the newest trend… but in the oldest memory? What if your body has always known what it needs, if only you stopped long enough to listen?

The clues are in your DNA

Your best diet is encoded in your genes

Let’s start with your genes. Your DNA doesn’t just determine your eye color or whether you love cilantro. It also quietly tells your body how to handle different nutrients. This field – called nutrigenomics – is still unfolding, but here’s what we know:

• Some people metabolize carbs efficiently. Others store them as fat.
• Some break down fats beautifully. Others struggle.
• Some can handle gluten and dairy without a blip. Others end up bloated or inflamed.
• Some process caffeine like water. Others sip a latte and are wide awake at 3 a.m.

You are not a generic template. You are a biological fingerprint. And maybe your best diet isn’t “low-fat” or “high-protein.” Maybe it’s “highly you.”

Your roots are a recipe book

Now, let’s go even deeper – into your culture. Think of your ancestors. What did they eat? Not because of a weight loss goal or a macro split but because of what the earth gave them, and how it made them feel.

• If you have Mediterranean roots, maybe your body thrives on olives, fish, lentils, and sun-kissed tomatoes.
• If you’re South Asian, your digestive fire might sing when you eat turmeric, ghee, dal, rice, and spice.
• If your family’s from West Africa, maybe your body recognizes yams, okra, beans, and slow-cooked stews like a song it remembers.
• If you have Northern European ancestry, your body may feel at peace with sourdough rye, fermented vegetables, root crops, and dairy.

We often feel disconnected from our food because we’ve been disconnected from our roots. We chase what’s trending instead of honoring what’s timeless.

But ancestral food isn’t just nutrition. It’s memory, rhythm, identity. It grounds us. It heals something deeper than hunger.

The land around you matters, too

Where you live shapes how your body feels and what it may need.

Our ancestors didn’t just eat according to genes and tradition – they ate in sync with the seasons, the climate, the land.

• In colder regions, people craved warmth: cooked grains, rich fats, broths, roasts.
• In hot, humid climates: hydration, fruits, leafy greens, fermented foods.
• In coastal zones: seafood, sea vegetables, fresh herbs.

Even your gut microbiome changes based on where you live! Isn’t that wild?

Maybe your best diet isn’t one you have to force. Maybe it’s what grows near you, what your grandmother made, what your body relaxes into with a sense of “yes… this feels right.”

The future of eating is ancient

There’s a quiet revolution happening in nutrition. More and more people are realizing that bio-individuality is the missing link. There’s no one perfect diet for everyone. But there may be a perfect rhythm, recipe, or approach for you – one rooted in your body, your story, and your surroundings.

The future of wellness isn’t in restriction. It’s in remembrance:

• Remembering what your body loves.
• Remembering what made your ancestors strong.
• Remembering how food is more than fuel – it’s connection, culture, and care.

A soul-food approach to eating might look like:

• Trusting your body’s wisdom over a food label
• Eating in tune with the seasons
• Respecting your cultural food traditions (and reclaiming them if they’ve been erased)
• Cooking slowly, lovingly, without rush
• Eating foods that feel like home
• Letting go of shame, guilt, and food moralizing
• Asking, “How does this food feel in my body after I eat it?” instead of “Is this food good or bad?”

This isn’t a diet. It’s a ritual. It’s a conversation with your body. It’s love, made edible.

What if you already know?

You may not need another book or podcast to tell you what to eat. Maybe you already know:

• That cup of tea your grandmother made when you were sick
• That soup that feels like a hug
• That food that brings energy without tension
• That way of eating that leaves you grounded, not guilty

What if the real nourishment is in remembering what you already know, deep down?

Food with a Soul

You are not a spreadsheet. You are not a macro. You are not a before-and-after photo. You are a story. A lineage. A walking piece of history and nature combined.

And the food that best fuels you… just might be encoded in your genes, whispered through your culture, and growing in the land beneath your feet.

So go ahead – eat like you belong to something ancient. Because you do.