Discovering your weakest links: how genetic testing is changing the face of healthcare

DNA: our blueprint for life

‘Our genetics load the gun, but it’s the environment we live in that pulls the trigger’

This is a statement used widely in the healthcare industry today: a way of defining the boundaries of what we can and cannot control regarding our health, according to the limits of our biology and the world around us.

But what if we could see just how exactly our guns were loaded? What if, in this game of Russian roulette we call Life, we got to see exactly which bullets were there to protect us, and which were the ones that we really needed to keep an eye on?

It’s 2025, and thanks to the unyielding determination of scientists before us, we now have that ability. Long gone are the days when we just had to ‘wait and see’ what our health outcomes would be. Not only can we now identify key genes that are well recognised to predetermine some chronic diseases (such as breast cancer and Alzheimer’s), but we can now also really read the fine print of our genetics and understand exactly what precise lifestyle measures we can take to give ourselves the best chance of a long and healthy life.

Welcome to the world of Nutritional Therapy. We don’t just talk about healthy eating, increasing your 5 a day to 10 a day, watching your intake of fat/salt/sugar/gluten/dairy… (insert the latest bad boy on the health trend block). We are here to preserve and increase your healthspan, also known as the number of years you live without chronic disease or illness.

We treat the individual, not the label.

No two people on this earth live out the same experience, so why would we treat any two individuals with the same advice? Thanks to the huge advances in technology, we can test each and every person to understand exactly what is going on in their body to give them the symptoms they are experiencing: genetics is one of the cornerstones that we use.

So how can testing your genetics help to improve your health?

Ever wondered why that classmate of yours could outrun the entire school, or why that friend can eat for hours without gaining a single ounce, while you just need to look at food and gain 2kg? Maybe someone in your family develops high blood pressure or suffers an early heart attack and you are asking yourself if that is going to happen to you. All of these factors are predetermined in our genetic makeup: there is a gene that tells us what kind of exercise we are most suited to, a gene for metabolising fats, and plenty of genes that determine our overall risk for heart failure. There is even a gene that predicts your level of motivation in life, what kind of career you are most suited to, which foods you can tolerate, and most topically these days..how and why you might be neurodivergent.

For women, there are genes and genetic influences that are even more poignant. The level of PMS or the more severe form PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) is predetermined by our genetics, as is our level of fertility. Assisted reproductive technologies (IVF or ICSI) have the potential to tailor their treatment plans according to a woman’s genetic makeup, improving the chances of success for infertile couples.

Conditions that we currently see as ‘incurable’ by medication alone, such as autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or Hashimoto’s thyroid disease can be understood and addressed at the root cause, depending on that individual’s genetic predisposition.

Genetics is of course just one part of the puzzle, but it can sometimes be the key that unlocks the path to your health. It gives us a roadmap to work from, showing us our weakest links and how we can adapt our lifestyles to strengthen our minds and bodies.

At the end of the day, this is what gives us peace of mind. Who isn’t looking for that these days?

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for more information on the genetic testing we offer.