Take control of your health by understanding your Genetics!

Back when I was in Pharmacy school, almost 20 years ago, genetic testing was not readily available, nor did we know all the genes associated with various diseases. I will say it was certainly aspirational to better understand our genetic makeup and what diseases we are at a higher risk of developing.  This is what we call precision medicine and genomics, which are used to truly understand our predispositions and how to mitigate risk.

Now fast forward to 2021 and we now can assess our genetic makeup in the comfort of our home- pretty crazy thought, isn’t it?  If you’ve followed me long enough you know I’m all about testing to better understand my body from a genetics, exposures, and nutrition standpoint.  People ask me all the time if it’s scary to dig deeper as it could open up a can of worms?

My response is, of course not!

By understanding my genetic predispositions to a particular disease, I can better take control of my health.  We all have various genes that may predispose us to illness, BUT it’s important to remember that we need to turn those genes on for disease to develop.  That’s where lifestyle, diet, sleep, stress management, and toxin exposure all play a role.  Better understanding what potential diseases could develop in the future puts us in a position to be proactive and truly practice preventive medicine in our everyday lifestyle.

I was excited to better understand my genetic makeup and so I partnered with Picture Genetics to learn more about my risk for certain cancers and cardiovascular disease.

The Process

I was pleasantly surprised by how easy the process was. The Picture Wellness test came in and it was a simple saliva test that I did in the morning, sealed the result, and sent it via US mail.  I was notified my kit was received by the lab, and it took 4-6 weeks for my results to come in. The fact that I was able to do this at home and test for over 59 different genes is still so mind-boggling how far Science has come!

My Results

So, I was a little nervous, but also excited when I received the email that my results are in.  I opened up my electronic report and there it was: My hereditary risk for cancer, metabolic disease, and cardiovascular disease were all negative! Yay!

Now I recognize this test isn’t all-inclusive of all possible genetic material, but it was a pretty extensive list and looked at some of the most common cancers and cardiovascular diseases.  With all that being said, I do have the ability to follow up with a genetic consult (which is included with the test).  Even though the results are negative, a genetic counselor can address and answer any questions I may have.

Take control and be empowered

I recommend the Picture Wellness test and not only because it’s super easy and convenient, but also because of the breadth and depth of what is tested.  I speak on my blog every day about living a healthier life, recognizing how to reduce inflammation, reduce our exposures to toxins and modify our lifestyle.  On the surface I am providing you all with great knowledge, but there is a deeper meaning to all of that.  It’s not only to help you better control any existing chronic condition, but it’s also to prevent any future chronic disease from developing.

And yes, that includes cancer. 

There is a famous quote out there that states,

“genetics loads the gun, but lifestyle pulls the trigger”. 

This is exactly why it’s important to not only understand our genetics, but recognize we can do something about it.  I urge you to consider better understanding your predispositions, and feel empowered to take better control of our health and modify our lifestyle. 

Picture Genetics gave me a discount for all my readers, details below:

Get 30% off your own Picture Genetics test* with code DRAUTOIMMUNEGIRL
*Limitations may apply. Does not apply to COVID tests. Expires 12/31/2021.