20 Actionable Health Insights You can Learn From a Genetic Test

Everyone is looking for the path to health, wellness, and longevity that is 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 take into account a person's unique makeup.

However, understanding a person's genes and uncovering how genes uniquely impact a person's systems can provide that tailored healthcare approach — which is what we do here at Revitalizing Wellness. How tailored? A genetic test can reveal insights into cellular and systems function, cardiovascular health, nutrient absorption and processing, and energy and activity levels. But these aren't just "fun to have" facts about a person's body; they're insights on which you can take action.

Here are some personalized recommendations that could result from a genetic test, based on some sample patients.

Patient A

Based on Patient A's history, lifestyle, and genetic test, 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 with detoxification.

2. If we know that Patient A works in a workplace where they're exposed to toxins, we can recommend lifestyle changes that will help ease their toxic burden, knowing that their body already has a hard time with detoxification.

3. We could also recommend supplements like sulforaphane that can help with detoxification and anti-oxidation.

4. To continue to reduce oxidative stress, we will also recommend foods like onion, garlic, green tea, and grapefruit.

5. If their genes impact methylation, or the ability for their cells to repair themselves, then we could recommend foods high in B vitamins, like leafy greens, legumes, nuts, and seeds.

6. Prescribing a supplement like a B-complex vitamin and magnesium threonate can also help improve methylation as well.

7. If their genes have trouble processing choline, we could recommend quality protein that provides choline, like wild caught fish, free range poultry and eggs, and grass-fed meats.

8. If we find that their genes impact inflammation, we can recommend foods like chili peppers, berries, olives, dark chocolate, brazil nuts, red cabbage, turmeric, rosemary, and holy basil that can reduce inflammation.

9. Another way to decrease inflammation is to increase exercise, and the genetic test tells us that exercises like swimming and cycling will be perfect for this patient.

10. We can also prescribe Omega 3 and DHA supplements to help reduce inflammation as well.

Patient B

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

1. We found this patient’s gene variants impact oxidative stress so we would recommend foods that provide mineral co-factors, like zinc, copper, selenium, and manganese, to upregulate important anti-oxidant enzymes produced inside the cells and foods that provide natural anti-oxidant effects like chili peppers, olives, beetroot, pomegranate, and berries.

2. We are also aware that oxidative stress impacts inflammation and detoxification functions in the cells, therefore recommended a good quality omega 3 fish oil supplement as the patient also reported not eating fish regularly. We also noted a high impact in her fatty acid nutrient pathway that confirmed the importance of this recommendation.

3. We found that our patient’s genes impact hormone metabolism and recommend a diet that supports hormone metabolisms such as the intake of food rich in B-vitamins, magnesium, and fiber, - so leafy greens, legumes, pistachios, sesame, and pumpkin seeds.

4. We also recommended the patient avoid exposure to endocrine disruptors such as BPA, phthalates, and parabens in plastic containers and certain personal care products.

5. We recommend Calcium-D glucarate which prevents the reabsorption of potentially toxic metabolites from the gut.

6. We noticed that poor sleep was reported by our patient, and gave guidelines to support better circadian rhythm to prevent further oxidative stress damage from lack of sleep and to help regulate hormones such as cortisol that impact the hormone pathway.

7. Our patient’s report revealed high impact in genes that impact recovery from exercise. We, therefore, recommend gentle exercises, massage and stretching, to help support recovery while still ensuring 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 as well.

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 (naturally found in tea and mushrooms) to help increase levels of GABA, serotonin, and dopamine to help balance neuro-chemicals.

10. After doing some further testing we find that our patient has low levels of plasma Vitamin D and decided to add a supplement as the genetic results indicate genetic impact in vitamin D metabolism.

Personalized Care and Action

As you can see, making recommendations based on genetic testing is a lot more specific and personal, and at a much deeper level than simply treating surface-level symptoms. Because a genetic test can reveal how your genes actually 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're able to make much better recommendations for you, and you'll see much more success with them.

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