What are DNA, genes, and chromosomes?

DNA, genes, and chromosomes are part of the same mechanism that provides instructions for all our organ systems to develop and function properly and in concert with each other. Deoxyribonucleic acid (abbreviated DNA) is the molecule that contains information that is necessary to synthesize all our proteins in the body and carries the genetic information for the development and functioning of an organism. DNA is made of two linked strands that wind around each other to resemble a twisted ladder — a shape known as a double helix. Genes are segments of our DNA, which give us physical characteristics that make us unique. And chromosomes are structures within cells that contain our genes. It is a very complex mechanism but the image below should help you visualize it better.

Learn about genetic testing

What Can you Learn From Your Genetics?

Many people tend to think that genetic testing is just for determining your ancestry or checking to see if you’re predisposed to specific diseases at birth. Even though those things are true, there is so much more to genetic testing that we order and help you decipher at Absoulute Vitality. It allows you and us to gain insights into how your most important body systems function and how they impact your overall health and wellness.

Genetic testing answers the biggest question most patients have: What can I do to get the best health, based on how my body uniquely works? Today can be the day to find out…

When you take a genetic test, it looks at groups of genes  that work together to provide you with a “blueprint” of where your strongest and weakest areas are and more importantly, how you can mitigate your risks to protect yourself from certain common diseases related to these particular groups of genes. Here are the major areas where genetic testing can give you insight into your body’s functionality, and where you can make better diet and lifestyle choices that will be more optimal for you.

Systems

Genes also play an impactful role in keeping your systems functioning and communicating with one another. Genetic testing can give you insights into your mood imbalances, as well as how to improve your memory, cognition, and brain health overall. It can also inform you of your histamine tolerance, as genes regulate histamine production. You can also gain insights into your hormonal balance as well as your glucose and insulin regulation. You can also learn more about how your genes affect your joints and your bone health.

Genetic Testing Benefits
Genetic Testing New Jersey

Energy and metabolism

Genetic testing can uncover what’s affecting your energy levels and weight management, as specific genes can influence things like your appetite and how quickly you feel full during your meal. Genes can also influence something called adipogenesis (fat production), and the storage and release of fat cells, as well as whether fat triggers excess inflammation in your body. They also influence how easy or difficult it would be for you to gain or lose weight and how readily your body is willing to lose weight in response to exercise. Genetic testing can also shed some light on how your body burns calories to expend energy.

Your genes can also tell you more about your metabolism. We know that metabolism has a connection with energy and vibrancy, yet many of us have a “sluggish” metabolism we’re not sure how to correct. Knowing your genes can give you insights into how your metabolism is affected by what you eat, how you burn energy, how you store fat, and more.

Nutrients

Do you find yourself at a loss for what vitamins are good for you; which ones you need and which you don’t? Are you tired of having to swallow handfuls of supplements each day? This genetic test can tell you a lot about what types of nutrients are best for your body, and how well your body absorbs, utilizes, and metabolizes them (breaks them down). Your genes can affect how your body absorbs and processes vitamin D and C, B12 and folate, caffeine, iron, fatty acids, choline, gluten, and salt. We’re all affected by caffeine in various ways — some people can drink coffee right up until bedtime while others have to cut themselves off mid-morning! But do we know why? Our genes can tell us! Our genes are responsible for how quickly we metabolize caffeine, so we can know whether to have that extra cup or not. Being in the know here will allow us to help you make better food and supplement choices.

Activity and exercise

What if you’ve been hitting the gym and trying to get fit, but you’ve been doing the wrong exercises all this time? Getting insights into your genes can actually show you whether your body is more suited for endurance activities, like running or bicycling, or whether your body is more suited for power activities like sprinting or weight lifting. Knowing more about how your body works means being able to choose the right activities for you. Since genes influence oxygen usage and aerobic training, a genetic test can provide insights into your fitness levels and your potential. It can also tell you whether your body is more conditioned for endurance exercises, like running or biking, or for more power exercises, like sprinting or weight lifting. Knowing how your genes impact bone and joint health can also help you mitigate any injuries you may experience while exercising.

Cardiovascular

Our genes also play a huge role in a well-functioning, healthy cardiovascular system in the following ways:

  • Blood Pressure: Certain genes impact your heart’s ability to contract and relax, which may influence your blood pressure.
  • Cholesterol: Genetic testing can give you insight into how your body stores and metabolizes cholesterol, which can help you make better food, exercise, and supplement choices.
  • Vascular Health: Specific genes contribute to the health and strength of your blood vessels, so genetic testing can give insights into how strong or weak your circulatory system is and how you can improve your chances of avoiding disease of your blood vessels.
  • Blood clotting: Certain genes affect how well your blood clots, so genetic testing can help you determine if you need to take steps to minimize your risk of a heart attack, stroke, or other clotting disease.

 Cellular

Our genes have an impact on our bodies all the way to our cellular levels, and can have an effect on the following multiple processes:

  • Methylation: This is the process of making new DNA to repair and maintain your cells, and ensuring that your cells are functioning well on all levels. A genetic test can give you insight on how your methylation is working and based on that, what interventions and supplements you need if you have specific mutations/SNIPS such as notorious MTHFR (or others).
  • Oxidative Stress: Unchecked oxidative stress can lead to fatigue, memory loss, and other diseases, and you can learn how well your genes handle this oxidative damage.
  • Inflammation: The right amount of inflammation in the body is healthy, and helps speed up the healing process. The chronic disease appears when there’s too much ongoing inflammation — and you can learn through genetic testing how well your genes keep inflammation at bay.
  • Detoxification: A person’s genes can inform us how well your body is able to dispose of toxins that build up. You can learn how well your cells work to detoxify your systems, and if you need to change your environment to reduce toxins or modify your foods and/or add supplements and other lifestyle strategies to aid in the process of detoxification.

Why Take A Genetic Test?

Losing Weight

Your genes are able to give valuable insight to people who have struggled to lose weight and spend time, energy, and money seeking new ways to get healthy and lose weight. Genes are able to give insight into what types of exercise are best for your body, whether it be more endurance exercises or power exercises. They can also show how your body stores fat, which nutrients it absorbs best, to inform which foods are best and most healthy for you to eat, and other insights that can form a more targeted and individualized recommendation plan.

Putting It All Together

As you can see, genetic testing can tell you a lot more about yourself than just your ancestry! Genetic testing is the way to discover how your individual body works, and which lifestyle and diet choices you can adopt to help optimize your health, wellness, and longevity; and help you achieve your ABSOULUTE VITALITY.

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Schedule Your Consultation

To schedule your consultation with Dr. Sanna Kalika for a deep dive into your genetic testing, please fill out a contact form on our website or give us a call. Dr. Sanna Kalika is a board-certified internal medicine physician located in Manalapan, New Jersey, and has active licenses in other states (NY, SC, DC, MA, AK). Hours outside of a normal work day might be available if necessary, upon request. We look forward to helping you optimize your health, enabling you to feel healthy, vibrant, and absoulute!

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Patient Resources

We’re here to help, with a number of patient resources designed to make your experience as comfortable as possible. Read through the materials below, and don’t hesitate to reach out and set up your consultation to learn more about what we can do for you.