Genetic testing

• Specific risk factors for diseases and HOW TO MITIGATE THOSE RISKS.

• The best dietary approach for you: Paleo? Keto? Mediterranean? Vegan?

• Are you prone to certain vitamin or mineral deficiencies? (Most people are - a root cause of illness!)

• Uncover hidden metabolic problems.

• Food intolerances: find out if you are likely to have issues with dairy or gluten.

• What is your personality wired for in terms of focus, drive and capacity? What career track would be best for you? How can you improve cognitive performance?

• Sleep & mood: discover how to support optimal sleep and cognitive health.

• Sustainable weight loss: genes play a critical part in determining what works best for reaching weight loss goals. (ie. high-protein, high fat diet, paleo, etc.)

• Response to exercise: Find out which type of exercise is optimal for your body.

• Hormones & thyroid: understand underlying issues and hints and how to optimize.

• Longevity: certain genes promote longer lifespans, while others can according to lifestyle factors (which we can address!)

• Optimize your immune function and detoxification pathways

As a geneticist, I’m very wary of the poor quality data and scientific integrity of most DNA analytics companies out there. And there are many (ie. most of them).

There are only a few tests I think offer excellent service, but the best of these is SelfDecode. (I do not work for them nor am I an affiliate.)

Their comprehensive reports are an integral part of my practice, helping me guide patients towards the best lifestyle choices for their unique genetic blueprint.

Why SelfDecode?
Their analysis is extraordinarily comprehensive and their science is strong. They are continually updating their reports to include the most recent scientific insights.

They also have a research focus, unlike nearly every other company in the space: they keep up with the latest science (a massive task!) and stay ahead of the pack when it comes to assessing what your genes are doing for you and how to work with them. 

At present, they’re among the few companies doing the real heavy lifting with what’s known as “combinatorial gene analysis!” This means they look at how different combinations of gene variants affect each other, rather than simply looking at a single gene to make a direct inference about your health. That doesn’t work well at all because many genes affect each others’ function significantly, and multiple genes are involved in the making of a single trait or biochemical pathway, so it’s important to consider them in combination! For example, you have a gene variant that could predispose you to cancer…but you have another gene variant that cancels out that effect! A lesser report would simply say you have higher cancer risk because they didn’t factor in the combinatorial effect of the 2 genes together. Not good.)

Importantly, SelfDecode is also fiercely protective of patient data privacy: they do not sell your data, unlike MOST other DNA companies. This is dangerous, especially for the future of health insurance. US companies have already bought access to unsuspecting people's genetic data - most definitely a future human rights issue. This does mean that their tests are more expensive, as because their costs by selling your data…but I think it’s well worth paying a little more.

Genetic test kits are fast, painless and very easy - just a simple cheek swab that takes 1 min. Then you pop it in the return envelope provided and call FedEx to pick it up from your home. No need to refridgerate / freeze / leave the house.

It’s also worth noting that your DNA sequence never changes, so once you have your whole genome sequence (which cheaper companies don’t do!), you have an invaluable tool for life! And, it’s a tool that keeps on giving: as we learn more about genetics, you can re-analyze your data again and again to make new discoveries about your body.

And, one last thing: as an extra bonus, I notice significantly increased patient engagement with and adherence to protocols in patients who do this test because it does help to deeply personalized one’s health strategies.

Analysis and personal review with Dr Pines: $500.

Test kit: US$397

Allow 5 weeks for results once your sample is received by the lab.

Includes:

• Health reports such as: Vitamin Requirements, Heavy Metal & Pesticide Sensitivity, Macronutrient Metabolism, Toxin Sensitivity, Bacteria, Yeast & Parasite Sensitivity, DNA Repair, Hormones & Fertility, Sleep Optimization, Meal Timing, Stress Management, Methylation, Cardiovascular Health, Mental Health including Anxiety, Addiction, Brain Repair & OCD, and Athletic Performance

• Personalized Grocery Lists and recipes

• Recommended Blood Work

• Easy to interpret results laid out categorically in a printable PDFs, as well as on your personal online portal.

• Free return shipping