Suzy Cohen, RPh is crazy about genes, and all that they tell us about ourselves.
And she wants you to know what she knows.
Are you familiar with SNPs (read “snips”)?
Most people aren’t, but should be. SNPs stand for single nucleotide polymorphism.
According to Cohen, “SNPs make up your genetic personality, they are neither good or bad, they just occur in your DNA strand from mom and dad…”
Think of them as “DNA speed bumps” that affect anything from eye color, to your sensitivity to certain medications. Our SNPs are as individual as our DNA.
Understanding, even testing, your genes for certain SNPs can help you learn how various SNPs correlate with your illnesses, physical issues, and even personality traits.
Cohen invites us to get a gene report, and look closely at the genes and SNPS reported there.
She explains that some genes have homozygous situations, where a higher risk of occurrence is implied, if you express the trait tied to that gene.
The general idea she wants to get across is that you can have one gene, with many SNPs.
Cohen is quick to point out that, “…there are many, many factors that go into whether or not you express a particular trait… It just means you have a speed bump (or SNP) in your genetic code that increases risk, so you should be especially careful about lifestyle, diet, stress, environmental pollution, radiation, medications, xenobiotics, and every other factor that goes into the formation of cancer in the human body.”
So what do you do?
Cohen says, “nothing,” if no symptoms present.
However, if you are having significant health problems, you should definitely consider doing your genetic homework. You can easily obtain a comprehensive web report to quickly determine how your SNPs may be contributing to your illness.
From there, you can research vitamins, minerals and medications that might bring relief, with the help of your medical professional.
Be advised, says Cohen, “ there are not a lot of people who know about this.”
But be encouraged: The more you know about your genetic makeup the better.
Read the full article here:Genes, Methylation and Your Health
