Genomics Testing FAQs

    • Epigenetics is the study of how your unique DNA patterns interact with environmental factors, including diet, exercise, stress levels, and sleep. By learning how your specific chemical reactions function best, you can take trial-and-error out of the equation.

    • This incredibly valuable knowledge will provide you with the guidance of how to best support your body to feel your absolute best and minimize risk of disease, increasing vitality and longevity. If you've ever wished that you knew EXACTLY what would work for YOUR body before trying yet another diet, workout, or lifestyle approach... If you've ever felt like you wasted money on supplements or couldn't really tell if your vitamins were doing anything for you... then stop guessing, and start testing!

    • Well, if you still don’t feel as great as you’d like to feel… then, yes! Lab tests are great to cross-reference, but ultimately they’re addressing the symptoms, not looking for root causes. Other labs that look at blood, urine, or stool change quite variably. They only show what’s currently happening in your body, so most of the time they don’t present a solution for the root cause.

    • That’s where genetics comes in. We are looking at how your body is literally wired to perform best. When you make adjustments to your lifestyle, such as sleeping/exercising/eating for YOUR body, you’ll see inflammation drop quickly and easily because you’re giving your body what it wants! You only have to do this test once, and you get a wealth of knowledge in your unique DNA blueprint.

    • Accuracy is actually superior to most other functional labs, bloodwork, etc. because of the degree of variability in most other chemistries. Genes are quite remarkable since they aren’t so “fluid.”

    • There aren’t tests to measure expression of specific genes, and this is why we consult face-to-face. Working with an epigenetics coach can help you understand how your genes are currently being expressed. Just because you have a genetic variant doesn’t mean the gene is being expressed. Expression is what you’re currently feeling, current health concerns, etc.

    • Valid concern! Unlike Direct-to-Consumer tests that openly sell your data to pharmaceutical companies, the company I'm working with uses a barcode and your email to track test kits and results. This test is designed for clinical use and application, so it's far more secure and in-depth than any DIY kit on the market. The process is entirely secure, from a private CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited lab with the highest standards.

    • Also, raw test data is only stored in the lab database for 90 days and can be deleted upon your request. Your information is never sold, unlike many products that are marketed and sold Direct-to-Consumer. The lab I use does not ask for your social security number, only your email address for kit registration purposes. The entire process can be done anonymously if you wish. Simply put, I use a private label practitioner-grade kit with the largest genetic array on the market. If you’ve ever had any lab work done, you likely already have far more data stored than this test will ever connect to you.

    • It’s truly night and day! The clinical test I use actually has a proprietary screening panel that currently tests 120,000 more SNPs (genetic markers) than any other consumer test on the market, many of them including lifestyle and longevity variables that help to create an extremely holistic wellness plan unique to YOU.

    • The real value here is in expert interpretation and reading. An auto-generated report can tell you information about your genes, but it doesn’t consult with you about your current concerns, or provide actionable lifestyle shifts that are in your best interest. In order to understand how to implement all this data, a human expert touch is key.

    • Genes don’t mean much at face value because it’s all about how they are responding to YOU and your environment. Automated testing, no matter how advanced, cannot account for a person’s lived experiences, medical history, and lifestyle choices. This is where epigenetics is in a league of its own.

    • The field of epigenetics proves that your entire medical history, lifestyle such as dietary/exercise/stress mgmt choices, toxin exposures, even your emotional health all have a specific effect on activating or deactivating genetic expression. So without consideration of these factors, a computerized version can't really tell you much. Especially due to liability, what you're left with are some super surface-level tips that are maybe equivalent to the bargain price they're charging.

    • Professional, clinical-grade analysis is a completely different investment, actually teaching you how to activate your genetic pathways where you need support most. You'll learn how to streamline your wellness approach into only what matters, when it comes to food, supplements, hormones, immunity, longevity, and so much more.

    • Once you test, you'll have your codes for life! Having access to your body's inner workings across all systems helps you to take a holistic approach, instead of searching for breadcrumb clues to help you feel your best. You'll literally never see things the same way! Talk about the ultimate filter: being able to stop guessing and trial-and-erroring and move confidently through your life understanding your body's own chemistry. Game changer!

    • Only once! Just another reason why Epigenetics Coaching is so valuable… you test once and you have your codes, FOREVER! You can use this data with any physician or other healthcare practitioner to develop your ideal wellness plan as your needs evolve over your lifetime. Many medications and supplements can be tailored to your specific needs based on your results.

    • The testing doesn’t need to be repeated. The results of the test won’t be changed, but other health markers would be reflective. Simply put, you’ll FEEL a difference! If you want to measure other metrics such as blood labs, then changes will likely show up there. The other chemistries are a measure of what’s happening NOW compared to your genes, which are more so your body’s blueprint for health optimization.

    • This testing compliments many tests well, but it also takes the place of many tests. There’s no need to wait, since your genes won’t change!

    • The faster you start the process, the faster you’ll have answers. Other labs that look at your blood, urine, or stool change quite variably, so I encourage you to give your epigenetics protocol at least 90 days to reflect positive improvements before investing in other labs.

  • Nutrition: Optimize your metabolism. Heal your gut. Drop the diets that don't work and learn what's most efficient for YOU! Learn which foods work best, potential food sensitivities and triggers, fats digestion and preference, appetite and satiety, sugar craving/behavioral insights, and more. This panel includes the following insights:

    • Glucose Metabolism + Insulin Resistance

    • Dairy Sensitivity

    • Gluten Allergy

    • Grain Sensitivity

    • Histamine Sensitivity

    • Lipid Handling

    • Metabolic Rate

    • Sodium Sensitivity

    • Caffeine Metabolism + Tolerance

    Sleep + Systematic Stress: Identify areas of support and brain chemistry propensities. This panel includes the following insights:

    • Inflammation Response

    • Oxidative Stress / Aging

    • Sleep Disruption / Movement

    • Sleep Propensity / Needs

    • Circadian Rhythm / Chronotype

    Detox Pathways: This category alone can save you a small fortune if you're having complex signs of distress. Sometimes success is beyond controlling input and more about optimizing detox and output. Identify details of multiple phases that impact your hormonal balance, toxic load handling, cellular aging and repair, and much more. This panel includes the following insights:

    • Phase 1 Detox

    • Methylation

    • Glutathione System

    • Mitochondria

    • Histamine Sensitivity

    Micronutrients/Supplementation: Address micronutrient needs, vitamin conversion, gut health, and absorption. Ditch the multivitamins and learn how you can save money by streamlining only what you need most. This panel includes the following insights:

    • Vitamin B12

    • Vitamin B6

    • Vitamin A

    • Choline

    • Vitamin C

    • Vitamin D

    • Folate

    Hormones: Beyond the blood / urine labs that change ALL the time… your genetic hormone insights can show you the fastest path to optimization. Additional labs can be helpful but most often aren't necessary to get even better, longer-lasting results. This panel includes the following insights:

    • Progesterone

    • Estrogen

    • Testosterone

    • PCOS

    Body Composition: Work SMARTER, not harder! Optimize your physical activity plan and overcome metabolic hurdles with insights on preferences. This panel includes the following insights:

    • Metabolic Syndrome

    • Obesity Predisposition

    • Mindful Eating

    • Motivation for Exercise

    • Muscle Fiber Type

    • Endurance Performance

    • Response to Exercise Types

    • Hunger Signaling

    • Yo-Yo Dieting

    • You will see foundational sensitivities to major food groups, which alleviates the need to follow through with many standalone intolerance tests. Many food sensitivities are not true allergies, but rather intolerances. This means that your body may not respond well to certain things, especially if sensitivities are showing up that haven't always been there. Generally, this can point to gut inflammation stemming from something larger, so your genetics will show the root causes that could trigger food sensitivities.

    • In most cases, once you address the root cause, food sensitivities will diminish or even go away relatively quickly! With other forms of testing, you are likely not identifying the root cause, so even eliminating specific foods will not correct the signs of inflammation.

    • In short, NO. It’s quite the opposite, and the truth is, genes don’t really work that way… at least not Epigenetics. Nearly all disease (over 80%) is preventable through lifestyle choices, and this is exactly what I’m striving to do; empower you to make your own best decisions to positively impact your health.

    • This test is never diagnostic. Even if you have a family history and/or genetic predispositions, nothing is ever set in stone! That’s simply not how genes work. Knowledge is power, and learning how to steer gene expression is the key to prevention of illness in many cases.

    • This test is not a diagnostic tool, rather, the panel focuses on high impact, actionable interventions and prevention.

    • No, this test does not look at diagnostic genes. We are not looking for disease causation, rather looking at health optimization and prevention.

    • No, autosomal typically refers to being registered into a database of sorts, where you may be contacted by potential relatives as they match with you. Short answer– absolutely NOT! Never will we do this!

    1. Place your order. Kits are shipped on weekdays only. The entire process takes about 6-8 weeks from the time you order, so let’s get this show on the road! Your kit will ship directly to your home, anywhere in the world!

    2. Receive your sample kit. You’ll receive your sample collection kit in the mail within 3-5 business days. Simply swab your cheek (so easy!), register your kit online, and pop it back in the mail.

    3. Return your sample kit. Use the included prepaid mailer to return your saliva sample back to the private lab for processing. This takes about 6 weeks, on average.

    4. Schedule your feedback session. It’s showtime! In roughly 6 weeks, your data will be back from the lab and ready for interpretation! When your report is ready, you’ll receive an email that it’s time to schedule your session via Zoom. During your 1:1 feedback session, you’ll get a full interpretation and health action plan based on your unique DNA that’s shareable with any of your doctors or healthcare providers. Your session can be recorded for future playback as well.

    • There aren’t really any contraindications to testing, since the body’s chemistries being sampled aren’t impacted by current health status, medications, age, hormones, etc.

    • Note: It is recommended to wait at least one week after taking antibiotics to test, as antibiotics can skew results. Otherwise, anyone one month or older can benefit from testing!

    • Yes, you can choose installments that work best for you at check out. You'll still get all the same benefits and support! I understand first-hand how it feels to invest out-of-pocket in your health, and I assure you, the value for this test is absolutely incredible. You'll be able to reference it for the rest of your life!