Genetic Testing: Why It’s Worth It

Home DNA tests have come a long way in recent years. Even the idea of an affordable home DNA test would have seemed absurd just ten or fifteen years ago. We now know that our DNA can help us to predict and treat illnesses before symptoms even develop. They can help us to discover the details of your genetic makeup in order to make healthier fitness and lifestyle choices and create a “precision longevity” plan specifically made to our DNA. These ideas are no longer confined to science fiction and fantasy novels. In fact, genetic testing is now a very real possibility that can be delivered right to your door.

What Even Is Genetic Testing?

There are a number of different types of genetic tests, including molecular, chromosomal, and biochemical tests. These technologies allow experts to study the genetic makeup, or DNA, of an individual to provide an accurate picture of their overall health from a molecular level. Genetic testing can be hugely beneficial for many reasons, including:

• Identifying genetic mutations that may lead to illness later in life
• More accurately diagnosing existing conditions and diseases
• Identifying gene carriers and genes that could be passed on to children
• Screening newborns for treatable diseases

In addition to teaching you a bit about your family history, genetic testing can provide you with a detailed picture of your genetic makeup and overall health and wellness. Using this information about your unique genome, you can custom-tailor your fitness, skin care, and other aspects of your health to meet your individual needs and goals. No longer must we take a “one size fits all” approach to health in wellness. The progress of genetic testing and our ability to test quickly and affordably means that this tool will allow doctors to prescribe care and prevention in a precision manner that is specific to you. It’s as personalized a wellness plan as you can get.

How to Get Tested without Breaking the Bank

Although it might sound like an expensive tool, the reality is that genetic testing is now a mainstream, easily accessible tool for the general population. 

• ORIG3N offers cutting-edge genetic testing that’s relatively affordable for the average person or family. ORIG3N, as they put it, allows you to “grab life by the genes” and find tailored nutrition, down to how your genes affect how well you process and absorb vitamins and minerals from food. From there, they even go on to recommend individualized daily vitamins for your health needs.

• Toolbox Genomics’ Epigenetics + DNA Test reveals valuable information about your genome and epigenome. You can sign up for quarterly, 6 month, or yearly subscriptions to help you stay on top of how your body is adapting and changing and exactly what you need in order to thrive. This home DNA test can share if you are genetically predisposed to certain health risks, how you are aging against the baseline of vision, inflammation, hearing, memory, and mobility, and how your actions are changing your body on a cellular level. Prices start at $200 but for all the information it provides to help empower you in your health, it is well worth it.

• Nebula Genomics claims to be ”the most accurate DNA test in the world.” Whereas many home DNA tests only examine .2% of your DNA, Nebula Genomics decodes 100% and gives you helpful, actionable insights about your health. You can even get a lifetime’s worth of access to get updated reports on how your body is changing and adapting with age!

This is by no means an exhaustive list of available home DNA tests. Whether you want to know if you have a carrier gene for a specific health condition, want to know how to optimize your fitness routine and diet, want to check in on your health as you age, or simply want to reconnect with your ancestral roots, you can do it affordably from your own living room. We are truly experiencing a slice of the future with medical innovation that utilizes genome testing and analysis to improve our general health, lifestyles, and treatments of illness.

In Summary

What an exciting time to be a part of modern medicine! Whether you’re planning to start a family, struggle with inaccurate diagnoses of an illness, or simply want to better your fitness level and lifestyle habits, the possibilities of genetic testing are vast. Moreover, this isn’t something that will be accessible to only a select few. Already, we’re seeing fast, convenient, high-quality home DNA kits becoming available at an increasingly affordable cost. If you’ve ever wanted to know more about the molecules that make you you, now is the time to take advantage of this amazing technology and FACE the future!