Written by Alexandra Sharova

Our culture is obsessed with the best. We want optimization, and we want it now, preferably with the click of a button. We not only want the best, but we ourselves desire to be the best—proven by the endless slew of fad diets, workouts, and treatments flooding Instagram feeds and taking over Sunday brunch convos. Yet, to truly improve ourselves we must begin from the inside, because everything else is just a bandaid (and we know those inevitably fall off). Which is why Jennifer, of The Alternative, takes the trending epigenetics movement to the next level—down to the core, or the soul level.

While epigenetics has recently come to the forefront of the health world, it remains a daunting field to most. To break it down: epigenetics is the study of biochemical modifications to DNA that occur in our lifetime due to both environmental factors and lifestyle choices (diet, exercise, stress levels, etc.). While these components do not alter our actual genetic code, they can modify the expression of genes, which can have a profound effect on overall health. Think things like gluten “intolerance” or other developed food allergies, and trouble sleeping—issues like this are often attributed to epigenetics. To put it simply, epigenetics is the science of change (to the epigenome). Now that we have the semantics out of the way, let’s dive into the actual process of an epigenetic testing session with Jennifer. Located in trendy Studio City, Jennifer’s office is a cozy mix of bohemian charm and peaceful serenity— the perfect atmosphere for letting your guard down to reconnect with your body and soul. For those not willing to take on Los Angeles traffic, Jennifer is able to make house calls to Santa Barbara, as well as offering phone sessions for certain services. While most epigenetictesting providers simply take a hair sample, leave clients with a chart (or a pamphlet) that they will likely not be able to understand, and send them on their way, The Alternative—as the name suggests—offers a different approach. A more personal, holistic, and individualized process that leaves clients with takeaways that can literally transform one’s life… Jennifer tells me of the imbalances and blocks that she saw from her reading. It turns out my birth control is not serving me, my immune system is weak, there’s a block in my spleen, and a few other things I was completely unaware of. Not only do we go over the timeline and origin of these issues, we’re able to talk through what was going on in my life at the time. For instance, the spleen is apparently tied to our inner “chi energy” (or balance), and on a spiritual level in Eastern practice it’s tied to the heart’s energy, to desire for the life we want. My spleen issue started at the age of five, with the belief that no one understands me. Dramatic? Maybe, but we can’t control our subconscious...only bring awareness to it. On the bright side we discuss why such beliefs originated, much like a therapy session. Next, we look over the test results, which confirm what the reading brought up, while also exposing chemical imbalances, an over-exposure to a computer monitor (not surprising), and a deficit in certain minerals and vitamins. While the chart reveals what my body is missing or is getting too much of, Jennifer dives deeper to explain what the different terminology actually means, where it stems from, and provides real day-to-day solutions. She gives me a list of foods to avoid and recommendations on what I need to incorporate into my diet, as well as a short vitamin “prescription” to integrate for at least 30 days. And thankfully I don’t need to memorize all that was covered because all my results, plus their explanations are given to me to review in more detail on my own. With newfound awareness of the root cause of blocks and imbalances, and a bespoke regimen in place, real transformation can begin.

To begin, Jennifer explains the process of what is going to take place in the session. She then takes a hair sample, uploads it and goes into an intuitive “wellness check,” which is a unique energy reading through which she is able to see where you’re experiencing blockage. The check tests the emotional, spiritual and physical world for blocks, which occur when energy is not able to flow freely, resulting in things like disconnects between the emotional and physical self, or in physical issues, like digestive problems or in a worse-case-scenario, auto-immune diseases, if left untreated. This reading is meant to expose what’s energetically holding you back in life.

Before jumping into the results from my hair-sample test, Just like there are no quick-and-easy fixes in life—no real ones at least—there’s no button for fixing your health and overall wellness. It takes time and commitment to see results. While everyone’s suggested plan-of-action will be different, and likely have varying timelines, it is recommended to implement the dietary, lifestyle, and environmental (if applicable) changes for 1-2 months before returning for a re-test. With newfound awareness of the root cause of blocks and imbalances, and a bespoke regimen in place, real transformation can begin. Because to truly self-optimize, we must begin from the inside—from our soul-level. *