Why Genetic Testing?

Everyone is looking for the path to health, wellness, and longevity tailored for them: What should I eat, what exercises should I do, and what lifestyle choices should I make that are right for me? Too often, though, healthcare uses a one-size-fits-all approach that doesn’t consider a person’s unique makeup. Your genes play a crucial role in determining these individual needs. Genetics and genetic testing can influence your health significantly. Dr. Ben Lynch, author of the book Dirty Genes, discusses how you can be born with ‘dirty genes’ or how environmental factors, such as diet, lifestyle, toxins, and more, can be the culprit to genes ‘acting dirty.’

However, understanding your genes and how genes uniquely impact systems can provide that customizes healthcare approaches—which is what I do here at Healthy Life Approach. How tailored? A genetic test, such as 3X4 Genetics, can reveal insights into cellular and system function, cardiovascular health, nutrient absorption and processing, and energy and activity levels. But learning about your genes aren’t just “fun to have” facts about a person’s body; they’re insights on which you can take action. 

Some recommendations could result from genetic testing based on a couple of sample patients. 

Patient A Genetics and Personalized Healthcare Approach

Based on Patient A’s history, lifestyle, and genetic testing, we might recommend the following: 

1. We found that their genes impact detoxification. So we could recommend foods like raw broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage to help detoxify. 
2. Suppose we know that Patient A works in a workplace exposed to toxins. In that case, we can recommend lifestyle changes that will help ease their toxic burden, knowing that their body already has difficulty detoxifying. 
3. We could also recommend supplements like sulforaphane to help detoxify and anti-oxidation. 
4. We will also recommend foods like onion, garlic, green tea, and grapefruit to continue reducing oxidative stress. 
5. If their genes impact methylation or the ability of their cells to repair themselves, we could recommend foods high in B vitamins. Such foods include leafy greens, legumes, nuts, and seeds. 
6. Prescribing a supplement like a B-complex vitamin and magnesium threonate can also help improve methylation. 
7. If their genes have trouble processing choline, we could recommend quality protein sources that provide choline. These include wild-caught fish, free-range poultry and eggs, and grass-fed meats. 
8. Suppose we find that their genes impact inflammation. In that case, we can recommend foods that reduce inflammation, such as chili peppers, berries, olives, dark chocolate, Brazil nuts, red cabbage, turmeric, rosemary, and holy basil. 
9. Another way to decrease inflammation is to increase exercise. Genetic testing tells us that exercises such as swimming and cycling will be perfect for this patient. 
10. We can also suggest Omega 3 and DHA supplements to help reduce inflammation. 

Patient B‘s Genetics and Personalized Healthcare Approach

For Patient B, their lifestyle, history, and genetic testing are different, so here’s what we would recommend: 

1. We found that this patient’s gene variants impact oxidative stress. We recommend foods that provide mineral co-factors, like zinc, copper, selenium, and manganese, to upregulate necessary anti-oxidant enzymes. These foods offer natural anti-oxidant effects, like chili peppers, olives, beetroot, pomegranate, and berries. 
2. We are also aware that oxidative stress impacts inflammation and cell detoxification functions. The patient also reported not eating fish regularly, so we recommended a good-quality omega-3 fish oil supplement. We also noted a high impact in her fatty acid nutrient pathway, confirming this recommendation’s importance. 
3. We found that our patient’s genes impact hormone metabolism. Therefore, we recommend a diet that supports hormone metabolism. This includes foods rich in B vitamins, magnesium, and fiber, such as leafy greens, legumes, pistachios, sesame, and pumpkin seeds. 
4. We also recommended that the patient avoid exposure to endocrine disruptors such as BPA, phthalates, and parabens. These are found in plastic containers and certain personal care products. 
5. We recommend calcium-D glucarate, which may prevent the gut’s reabsorption of potentially toxic metabolites. 
6. We noticed that our patient reported poor sleep. We gave guidelines to support better circadian rhythm to prevent further oxidative stress damage. This helps regulate hormones such as cortisol that impact the hormone pathway. 
7. Our patient’s report revealed a high impact of genes on exercise recovery. Therefore, we recommend gentle exercises, massage, and stretching to help support recovery. This still ensures enough activity to boost dopamine levels and help modulate inflammation. 
8. Additionally, we could recommend zinc, vitamin A, vitamin C, and hydrolyzed collagen to help with joint health. 
9. We recommended relaxation techniques to support our patient’s ability to manage stressful situations at work. The patient’s mood and behavior pathway revealed a higher sensitivity to stress. We added a supplement like L-theanine. It is naturally found in tea and mushrooms. This helps increase GABA, serotonin, and dopamine levels and balances neurochemicals. 
10. After further testing, we found that our patient has low levels of plasma Vitamin D. We decided to add a supplement because the genetic results indicate a genetic impact on vitamin D metabolism. 

Personalized Care and Action 

As you can see, making recommendations based on genetic testing is much more specific, personal, and deeper than simply treating surface-level symptoms. Because a genetic test can reveal how your genes impact your body — from how your joints work to how well your cells are at detoxification to what kind of exercise is right for your body — we can make much better recommendations for you. You’ll see much more success with them.  

Ready to start your personalized health journey? Thanks to 3X4 Genetics for this guest post. Check out a sample 3X4 Genetics report here. If you want to learn more about how your genes can drive personalization in your healthcare, please read Genetics and Genetic Testing is Much More Than Just Your Ancestry.

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Medical and Affiliate Disclaimer

I am not a licensed medical professional, and the information I’ve shared in this blog post is for general informational purposes only. The content of this blog post is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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