Genetic Health Testing

12 Aug 2017

You should well consider a genetic health test for you. Genetic health tests are a great way to know more about your genes and the diseases they may carry and how to try and avoid developing the diseases.

Health genetic testing, sometimes referred to as genetic predisposition tests or even DNA health testing, will tell you about hereditary or autoimmune diseases that you may be predisposed to. Parents might be interested in doing this test for their children; perhaps you may find out your child has a high probability of developing lung cancer or diabetes’s and you can thus, begin by taking certain steps: a change of diet, a change of environment, avoiding smoking around the house.

These genetic tests are generally done by healthy individuals who just wish to know more. The results can tell you whether you are at high risk or not. Importantly, just because you have a predisposition to an illness, it does not mean you might actually ever develop the diseases but some people still prefer putting themselves on the safe side by doing all they can to avoid the illness.

Of course, for some illnesses there may be little you can do and just hope you do not develop it, but on the whole there are often minor changes which may help.

Why would I want a genetic health test?

• If there is a history of an illness in your family, well then it may well be one good reason to do this test.
• If you begin to show symptoms that are associated with a genetic disorder.
• You may be worried that you may pass on a hereditary condition to your child.

Here are some of the diseases your genetic health test may tell you about; they are divided into categories.

Immune diseases: these include psoriasis and multiple sclerosis.

Cardiovascular conditions: these include heart diseases and atrial fibrillation

Cancers: these include bladder cancer and colorectal cancer

Remember, genetic health testing can show you susceptibility for a disease or a predisposition, you may never develop it.

Depression and genetics

By 2020, depression will be the most common illness across the world. Cases of the disease are rising rapidly across demographics, affecting mainly Western cultures. Despite the huge improvements in standard of living, better health care and treatments, the trend seems to be unstoppable. Click here for more about depression and genetics.