Genetics, the Future of Medicine, Today!

Genetic testing allows one to unzip their genes and get a sneak peek at our biological destiny. Our DNA is made up of 3 billion base pairs, with myriad possible sequences of the four chemicals (represented as A, T, G, and C) that form the “instruction book” for a human being. Sometimes a mistake gets introduced into the DNA sequence. These mutations or “misspellings” can affect our own genetic expression; when a large number of people share the same mutation, they’re known as single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs, pronounced “snips”. DNA testing uses the SNPs to calculate people’s genetic risk of developing complex diseases. This genetic code can also be used to tell which medications will work best for us, which will cause adverse events and which will not work at all. We can also tell what nutrients and botanicals are best for us, and gives us personalized information as to what combination of treatments are most appropriate for increasing our individualized wellness. Genetics, the future of medicine, can be utilized today to individualize right down to our DNA.