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Prevent Disease: Know Your Genetic Blueprint
Introducing GenovationsTM Predictive Genomic Testing
by Susan Raef
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• Do you have a family history of heart disease and wonder if you have inherited a genetic predisposition for it—and if so, how you can help “break the pattern”?
• Do you have a chronic condition such as high cholesterol that does not seem to respond to conventional treatments?
• Do you want to take a proactive approach and avoid potential health problems? |
You have no doubt read about the groundbreaking Human Genome Project, which has decoded nearly 40,000 genes in the human body. These new scientific discoveries have opened up a whole new spectrum of knowledge—and unlocked a valuable key to preventing and treating chronic disease.
‘A true breakthrough in personalized preventive medicine’
Now, through GenovationsTM Predictive Genomic Testing, it is possible to know your personal genetic blueprint. More than 99% of the human DNA sequence is the same in all humans. But the very small amount of DNA that differs from person to person holds the key to “a true breakthrough in personalized preventive medicine,” says Dr. Feely.
The Genome Structure
"Imagine the genome is a book.
• There are twenty-three chapters, called CHROMOSOMES.
• Each chapter contains several thousand stories, called GENES.
• Each story is made up of paragraphs, called EXONS, which are interrupted by advertisements called INTRONS.
• Each paragraph is made up of words, called CODONS.
• Each word is written in letters called BASES.
• There are 1 billion words in the book which makes it longer than… 800 Bibles."
–Matt Ridley. Genome: an Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters. New York: Perennial, 1999. Mendelian Inheritance |
A gene sequence that varies from the usual pattern, known as a polymorphism, can alter the shape and function of proteins—and change the way your body functions. It can also make you more prone to some diseases and more resistant to others.
The good news is that in almost all cases, a gene’s ability to promote disease depends greatly on its being switched “on” or “off” by environmental factors. This is especially true for the most common and disabling chronic diseases that develop with age, such as heart disease or osteoporosis. By knowing your personal genetic blueprint, you can take the right steps now to help stop chronic disease before it starts.
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