Hello!

I am excited to say that this is the first blog that I have posted and I hope it is the beginning of many informative segments to come. I would like to discuss about a very exciting program that we now offer at the office that targets nutritional supplements by Genetic Assessment tests that we can now administer with a simple cheek swab for tissue.

This new gene assessment is a revolutionary program to take out the guesswork of designing an individualized nutritional supplement regimen. Research has been able to discover many nutritional supplements that can help with certain long-term health issues but how do you know if you have the genetic predisposition other than relying on your family history? Now, finally there is a simple test to gain knowledge of your own DNA that was inherited allowing guidance with regard to exactly which supplements you need or don’t need!

An individual’s health is dependant upon many factors, primarily their genetic status and lifestyle habits. Our gene status is the starting point of health. Our genes are responsible for giving each person the inherited characteristics that distinguish one individual from another. What we subject our bodies to on a daily basis, including our diet, the choice of supplements, the environment we live in and our physical activity level in turn will then effect the expression of our genetic predisposition.

Wouldn’t it be very beneficial to know if you received the genes from our parents that enable us to fight off disease effectively and quickly? The Genetic-testing program now offered at Island Medical Practice provides key information allowing each person to customize and select the nutritional supplements that the body needs.

By swabbing the inside of an individual’s cheek, we can collect all the genetic material necessary to determine a selective Genetic profile revealing the natural small variations given to us by our parents that exist in our genes. These are called SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms.

Having a particular SNP can predict the body’s ability to deal with oxidative stress and environmental challenges. Other areas of health that are reviewed include heart and circulatory stress, immune health, bone health and detoxification.

This is such an exciting time in the medical field. More than any other time in medicine, we are able to predict a person’s genetic predisposition and help to vary genetic expression based on a person’s core DNA.

It is important to be aware that not all genetic-testing programs are the same. Case in point is the recent national promotion by a large retail pharmacy this past week for saliva sampling and was retracted within 24 hours because of scrutiny of the FDA. It is important to understand what information you are being provided and how the interpretation of this information may impact your health-care decisions. Having the guidance and interpretation of a health-care provider is key to understanding how this information applies to your long-term health-care goals.

Obviously, this is a very confidential process. Knowledge is power and can help to alter the expression of inherited variants in your genetic make-up leading to better long-term health and less of the wondering if you need to take a supplement or not.

I will look forward to discussing this exciting testing further at your appointment. We are offering this test to family members of patients as well. It is very interesting to see exactly what your genetic inheritance pattern is from parents and compare between siblings and their offspring.

I believe this DNA genetic profile will help to bridge better health and wellness. I hope this information has provided some valuable information!

Wishing you continued health and wellness,

Dr. Laura Lile