What if you could predict if and when your well-being would get disrupted? Would you still sit back and let the song
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of life play on, or would you change the track to a happier number? Your computer, phone and other appliances give you warning signs about their impending crash – and you do something about it, immediately. Find that warranty card, get some servicing, replacement…you do whatever needs to be done! What about your health, though? Does your body give warning signs? Yes, we check for lumps, feel for pain, but these aren’t warning signs. These are signs of poor health (compromised to varying extents).
We live in a world of remedial medicine, engaging with the healthcare system only when we need to get “fixed”. We react to disease. We don’t get ahead of it. Unfortunately, the healthcare system has been built such that medicine has adopted a reactive rather than proactive approach to wellness. Find the problem and then fix it.
What if we could better understand our predispositions to health problems rather than focus on recognizing symptoms of their manifestation? What if healthcare, in general, became more predictive, more preventive? What if health management became more personalised, more precise; catered to each individual rather than the population? What if we could participate in health management – becoming the owners of our own well-being?
To bring about this paradigm shift in healthcare, all you need to do is look deeper inside you – at your very foundation, your DNA. Gain a deeper understanding of your genetic predispositions. Identify your strengths and weaknesses. This helps you commence a journey into a proactive and personalized healthcare regime! Take the plunge into the immersive, immense, immaculate realm of Personal Genomics and discover the power of the immutable (for the most part) DNA – the blueprint of your being!
We have DNA at the heart of each cell in our body – the book of our life, written in a 4 letter language. A, T, G and C. These 4 letters come together in a defined sequence to write our 3.2 billion letters long book of life. Chapters of this book, termed genes, contain recipes to make proteins, enzymes, and other regulatory elements in the body, leading to each process happening within us – from cell division and respiration, eye/hair colour, to metabolism, exercise and drug response….everything!
Genome is the technical term for the complete set of genes or genetic material present in each cell in our body. The genome of any two humans is about 99.9% identical. That 0.1% variation is the reason behind how we are all physically, physiologically and psychologically unique. While some of these differences are apparent – height, hair/eye color, attached vs detached earlobes, dimples etc; most of these variations occur at a molecular level. If you’ve ever wondered why the same diet, workout or drug doesn’t work the same way for you as it does for your friend – you’ve unknowingly acknowledged these “hidden” variations. Simply put – genetic variations are responsible for every aspect of your life that differs from the next person.
However, your genetics alone do not determine how your life unravels. Your DNA does get influenced by external factors – your environment, lifestyle, nutrition, etc. That’s good news. All these “external factors” are in your control and can be modified!
Remember – your DNA is your instruction manual, not your destiny. Once you’ve read the instruction manual, you can modify the external factors to make them suitable to YOU. Someone with a genetic predisposition towards improper dietary fat metabolism can control dietary fat intake, while someone with a genetic predisposition to colorectal cancer can frequent his screening, and reduce the intake of char-grilled foods.
90% of the leading causes of death, globally, have something to do with your genetics. I had an epiphany back in 2012, when a close friend lost both his parents to cancer in the span of just 13 months. Different cancers. Both didn’t respond well to traditional chemotherapy, and by the time the “right” drug cocktail was determined, we had already crossed well into palliative care, instead of a curative aspiration. This got me thinking. If only my friend knew about his parents’ health risks beforehand, could they have done something earlier to prevent this? If only their treating physician knew which chemotherapeutic agent would work best for them, and started them off on that treatment protocol, could they be here today to share their story with us? Considering that he got 50% of his DNA from each of them, was my friend also headed down the same road?
The genomics market today is expanding every day. Whole genome sequencing, whole exome sequencing, clinical exome sequencing, monogenic disorder testing, Sanger sequencing, deletion-duplication analysis…the list is endless! However, most genetic tests are expensive and not necessarily the best option for an average, seemingly healthy person. Save for one. A personal genomics test. Easy, painless, and non-invasive, these tests can be bought from genetic companies, and sampling can be done right in the comfort of your home. These tests, while not diagnostic in nature, help you get a deeper understanding of your genetic risks, predispositions, strengths to capitalize upon and roadblocks that need addressing. Reading your “instruction manual” sets you on a path to enhanced wellness, health, and mindfulness that’s built for you. Most of these tests cost less than today’s top-selling smartphones. The only question that remains is – When do you start?
That’s not all. Decoding your genome obviously has immense value for you, but also for the society. With your consent, your anonymized, de-identified genomic data gets added to the research and development database, furthering our knowledge of the demographic genomic variations – enabling the development of precision drugs, treatment protocols, screening strategies, nutritional profiling and a deep molecular understanding of the society.
Your DNA is way more powerful than you think. Unleash that power. Do your part for yourself, and the society. Embrace the promise of Personal Genomics.
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