diet and treatment to meet an individual’s specific needs and particular circumstances that led to a disease,” says Bland. “Diseases are only names assigned


to a collection of symptoms,” says Bland. “Tey don’t indicate how the individual became afflicted. If 10 patients with Type 2 diabetes each had epigenetic variations that triggered getting the condition, it would be unwise to treat them all the same; it’s far better to treat those factors that specifically led to the disease.” Addressing the concern that genetic


test results might be used to deny someone health insurance, Bland notes, “Tis is a significant misunderstanding about genetic testing. Our genes don’t tell us how we are going to die. Tey tell us how we should live. Understanding how our genes can help us live to 100 is a model of enlighten- ment. Tose that practice this systems biol- ogy approach are counting on functional personalized medicine becoming the updated standard of care.” Physicians oſten offer genetic testing


services. At-home DNA testing can be done using a saliva collection kit mailed to a laboratory, offering both ancestry and health information that must be interpret- ed by an informed professional.


Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Connect at LindaSechrist.com.


Before enlightenment: chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment: chop wood, carry water. ~Zen proverb


May 2018


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