Genetic testing helps both; patient and specialist, know if you’ve inherited a tendency to get certain diseases. A sample of blood or skin is usually needed for genetic testing.
Genes are segments of your DNA; they are found in chromosomes and they control growth and help you stay healthy. Sometimes, when genes are abnormal or damaged, they may not work properly, which may lead to disease. Some genetic abnormalities, or “gene mutations,” may run in families. Some just happen by chance. Sometimes one mutation can cause a person to have a disease, but most diseases are caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
We offer genetic testing and counselling.
A positive test result means that you have the mutation you’ve been tested for. If you have a positive test result, it means you may be more likely to get a particular disease than most people, but it doesn’t mean you will definitely get the disease.
A negative test result means that you don’t have that particular mutation. This may mean that the disease doesn’t run in your family. A negative result doesn’t mean you won’t get the disease. It only means that you’re not more likely to get the disease than other people are.
Should you be tested?
By looking at your family history, your doctor can tell if you’re likely to have a gene mutation that may contribute to disease. A disease might run in your family if a blood relative developed the disease at a young age or if several family members have the disease. If one of your family members already has the disease, that person should be tested first. This helps show which genes, if any, are associated with the disease.
Here are some reasons you might want this service of genetic testing:
You might not be so worried about getting a disease.
You might be able to change your lifestyle to reduce your risk of getting a disease.
Your doctor will know how often to check you to see if a disease is developing.
You might be able to take medicine to prevent the disease.
There are different types of profiles that we can help you choose from:
- A basic preventive genetic test comprises 13 genes and determines their respective level of influence on lipid profile, BMI, insulin resistance and susceptibility to diabetes type II, lactose intolerance, Homocysteine level, Vitamin D defficiency and susceptibility for osteoporosis, sensitivity to certain chemicals and toxins, susceptibility to inflammation and oxidative stress. The genetic variations found in the 13 genes examined will help determine lists of foods to be encouraged versus to be avoided.
- A complete genetic profile is very holistic in nature and is entirely dedicated to preventive and anti-aging medicine.
With the help of the provided results, you will then be given personalized and detailed recommendations on nutrition, diet, and lifestyle management.
Additional laboratory tests are to be performed in order to monitor and follow-up on the effect that the nutrition and lifestyle changes have on your health.
FATTY ACIDS TESTING
This serum test is a comprehensive profile that provides information regarding mitochondrial and peroxisomal fatty acid metabolism, and the individual's nutritional status.
The major clinical manifestations associated with Fatty Acids deficiencies include hypoketotic hypoglycemia, liver disease and failure, skeletal myopathy, dilated/hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, depression and other mood disorders, ADD and ADHD, and sudden unexpected death in early life. Signs and symptoms may vary greatly in severity, combination, and age of presentation. Life-threatening episodes of metabolic decompensation frequently occur after periods of inadequate calorie intake or intercurrent illness. When properly diagnosed, individuals respond favorably to diet therapy, supplementation, and aggressive treatment of intercurrent illnesses, with significant reduction of morbidity and mortality.
Nutrition plays a minor role in psychiatric practice which is currently dominated by a pharmacological treatment algorithm. An accumulating body of evidence has implicated deficits in the dietary essential long-chain omega-3 (LCn-3) fatty acids, eicosapenaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in the pathophysiology of several major psychiatric disorders. LCn-3 fatty acids have an established long-term safety record in the general population, and existing evidence suggests that increasing LCn-3 fatty acid status may reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality. LCn-3 fatty acid supplementation has been shown to augment the therapeutic efficacy of antidepressant, mood-stabilizer, and second generation antipsychotic medications, and may additionally mitigate adverse cardiometabolic side-effects. Preliminary evidence also suggests that LCn-3 fatty acid supplementation may be efficacious as monotherapy for primary and early secondary prevention and for perinatal symptoms. The overall cost-benefit ratio endorses the incorporation of LCn-3 fatty acids into psychiatric treatment algorithms. The recent availability of laboratory facilities that specialize in determining blood LCn-3 fatty acid status and emerging evidence-based consensus guidelines regarding safe and efficacious LCn-3 fatty acid dose ranges provides the infrastructure necessary for implementation.
Through this test, our medical team incorporates LCn-3 fatty acid treatment into general medical practice and integrative psychiatric practice.
NEUROTRANSMITTER TESTING
What are Neurotransmitters?
It would be hard to overstate the complexity of the vast network of specialized cells that make up your nervous system. The average human brain houses over 100 billion nerve cells (neurons) with each connected to 10,000 or so other cells which, if you do the math, equals approximately 1000 trillion connections in your brain. This means you have, even on a slow day, roughly 10,000 times more connections in your brain than there are stars in the Milky Way.
Everything we do – all of our movements, thoughts, and feelings - is the result of these nerve cells talking with one another via electrical and chemical signals.
Neurons are not in direct contact with each other; in order to communicate with each other, they rely on highly specialized chemicals called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that coordinate the transmission of signals from one nerve cell (neuron) to the next. These all important brain chemicals interact with target sites called receptors located throughout the brain (and body) to regulate a wide variety of processes including emotions, fear, pleasure, joy, anger, mood, memory, cognition, attention, concentration, alertness, energy, appetite, cravings, sleep, and the perception of pain.
Additionally, neurotransmitters chemically link the brain and spinal cord with the rest of your body: muscles, organs, and glands. Thus, our brain is not only an array of wires (nerve cells/neurons) but also a highly evolved chemical soup (neurotransmitters). Neurotransmitters affect every cell, tissue, and system in your body. And because neurotransmitters are functionally integrated with the immune system and the endocrine system (including the adrenal glands), neurotransmitter imbalances can cause widespread health problems such as:
- Brain fog – loss of mental focus, ADD, ADHD, impaired memory, poor decision making
- Fatigue
- Insomnia – difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or both
- Pain – migraines, fibromyalgia
- Obesity – metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and diabetes
- Mood disorders – depression, mood swings, irritability
- Anxiety – panic, obsessions, PTSD
- Attention and Concentration - as seen in ADD/ADHD
- Behavioral disturbances – addictions, binge eating, compulsions impulsivity, gambling, autism
- Hormonal imbalances – PMS, estrogen dominance, low testosterone, hypo-thyroidism
The good news is that for each neurotransmitter we discover is out of balance, there are usually natural remedies such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs, or homeopathy that can help restore proper balance.
If you are showing signs of neurotransmitter imbalance, the best thing to do is to get your neurotransmitter levels tested. Call us to schedule your appointment.