Have you tried cutting out gluten but unsure if it was benefiting you? Have you tried taking a certain vitamin to try improve a cold or flu? Or have you googled a health question, trying to find an answer for reassurance and direction?

We have a lot of information at our fingertips, but at the same time we can start to notice the conflicting advice - especially when it comes to dietary changes or lifestyle habits. This is why personalized medicine is a critical part of Naturopathic care; we need to sift through the options to find what will work best for the person sitting in front of us.

One way to find a clear guide is through our genetics. There is more to genetic testing than just determining your risk for a disease. At our clinic, when we look at a patient’s genetics, the purpose is to guide our decisions regarding supplements and lifestyle habits. It gives us actions and knowledge, not just a risk ratio.

How do we do this? It starts with getting your DNA - either through 23andme or Ancestry.ca - and pulling out the genes that are researched and relevant to our health habits. I use the PureGenomics program (puregenomics.com) to do this.

The genes that are reported are mostly to do with enzymes - what they build up and create, and what they break down. This means we can see how your body is able to break down a hormone like Estrogen, or absorb B-vitamins, or balance inflammatory cytokines. It’s a foundational, personal approach to understanding what is helpful and what hinders you on your health journey.

Book an appointment to review your results - and get a foundational knowledge of what works for your body.