Genetic Testing Combined with Functional Medicine

How we use it in functional medicine

Your genetics are NOT your destiny, but they can give you the opportunity to take back control of your health and lead you toward a path of wellness and longevity.

Here at in2GREAT, we believe diet, environment, and lifestyle factors are the biggest influencers of health and well-being. But what about genetics? People may have blamed their genetics for all their health problems, saying, “Obesity/ Alzheimer’s/ Anxiety/ [insert any health condition here] runs in the family. We just have bad genes.”

While genetics can influence your health, your genetics don’t hold all the power. In fact, around 90% of your health is influenced by factors that you can control.¹

Our functional medicine approach, combined with genetic testing, like that offered here in our Kansas City office, can empower you to make necessary lifestyle changes based on your genetic results, giving you the power to “override” your unlucky genes.

What is genetic testing?

Genetic testing looks for changes, sometimes called mutations or variants, in your DNA. When these gene variants occur, they may impact your biological and cellular functioning, and increase your risk for certain health conditions.

But here’s the good news. Genetic testing provides another tool available to help you take back control of your health!

Genetic testing looks at specific genes that can be influenced by diet, nutrition, exercise, and other lifestyle behaviors (this is called epigenetics²). Knowing this information can help you create a plan to improve your health immediately, prevent future conditions, and help heal from current health issues.

Genetic testing combined with functional medicine analysis and recommendations, empower you and your provider with information that can support you with any health predispositions based on your genetics.

What can genetic testing tell you?

Your testing report will provide great insights into:

• your body’s ability to carry out methylation
• if you are more prone to inflammation
• your detoxification capability
• and your ability to combat oxidative stress

Your genetics could make you more susceptible to certain symptoms and health issues. By knowing your genetic information, our functional medicine team can help guide you on a path toward longevity and wellness and help you map out a plan to “turn off” your unhealthy genes and address your symptoms.

Some Symptoms and Health Conditions Impacted by Genetics:

• Anxiety
• Asthma
• ADHD
• OCD
• Weight gain/weight loss resistance
• Gut Issues
• Hormonal problem
• Bipolar Disorders
• Cardiovascular problems
• Dementia/ Alzheimer’s
• Inflammatory issues
• Histamine intolerance
• Cognitive problems
• Autoimmune conditions

What to do after the test

After you gain insights into your genetic makeup, you’ll be equipped with the information of knowing where your body needs extra support and specifically how to give it this support.

This may include:

• Taking certain supplementation (like taking more folate and vitamin B12 if you have the MTHFR mutation)
• Getting more quality sleep
• Staying away from toxins as much as possible
• Avoiding caffeine
• Staying away from alcohol
• Paying special attention to your stress levels
• Prioritizing movement
• Eating more/less of a specific type of food

An insight into your unique genetic makeup gives you a thorough understanding of how to adjust your behavior and environment to help change the expression of your DNA, helping you to heal quicker and reduce symptoms.

In addition to environmental and lifestyle factors, diet also plays a role in how your genes are expressed. Nutrigenomics is how our Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Eli Trave FNTP, RWP, can personalize and individualize your nutrition protocol based on your body’s needs depending on your genetic testing results.

Our testing looks at hundreds of genes. Here’s just a snippet of them:

• MTHFR
• COMT
• APOE
• DOA
• CBS
• MTR/MTRR
• VDR
• MAO

Take a look at a genetic testing sample report:

Is genetic testing worth it?

Read about our providers’ personal experiences

Yes, genetic testing is worth it. Knowing your genetics can prevent health conditions, which is much easier than treating them once they have already manifested. Not to mention, knowing your results can help you optimize your health and promote longevity and healthy aging, so you can feel your best even into your golden years!

But if you are already struggling with complex and mysterious symptoms, genetic testing could be the key to unlocking answers that could give you hope and relief. Your results can inform you of certain pathways that may not be working properly that could be contributing to the underlying root cause.

Here’s what in2GREAT providers Eli Trave and Dr. Scott Roethle, MD say about their genetic testing experience at in2GREAT:

“The 3×4 genetic test was very easy to do. It just involves a cheek swab and the lab sends the results in a couple of weeks. I received some great information on body systems and diseases that I am at risk for, as well as how to improve my health and nutrition by focusing on certain pathways that might need additional supplementation. Overall it was quite informative and will help me to optimize my health going forward.”

– Dr. Scott

“It combines genetics with epigenetics, and that is where in2GREAT comes into play! The information is so personalized and specific which is really helpful for the provider to look upstream at what is happening in the body to tailor recommendations (supplementation, diet, and lifestyle AND additional lab testing) to delay or reverse disease or even prevent disease by optimizing wellness. The test is inexpensive, easy to collect, and very informative. Personally, I really loved the information provided about energy and activity.“

– Eli

How much does the test cost?

We offer a bundled price for our patients, for the genetic test and a lab review, for $600. We’ve bundled them because the genetic test alone won’t improve your health. Our functional medicine team will analyze your results and make educated recommendations on what you can do with the results you’ve been given, so you can see health improvements.

The good news is that genetic testing is only required once in your life. Since we are analyzing your DNA, your results will remain constant, making it a one-time cost.

Is my health data safe?

Not all genetic testing promises data privacy. However, here at in2GREAT, we use the genetic testing company, 3X4 Genetics, in which data privacy is their top priority. We both treat your personal information with the rigor and integrity it deserves. Their practices, procedures, policies, and technology are designed to safeguard your privacy and health data. 90 days after we have received your results, 3X4 will destroy your sample so it can no longer be used elsewhere.

What to expect with this test at in2GREAT

This test is a buccal swab in the cheek. It can be collected in the office or at home. It takes less than 3 minutes to collect the saliva. You can expect your genetic testing results to arrive in about 4 weeks. At that time, you’ll come into our Kansas City office, where we will review your results together. We will explain what your results mean to your health, and give you specific, actionable steps to implement to support your body and reduce your risk of certain health conditions.

in2GREAT Offers Genetic Testing in Kansas City. Make an Appointment Today!

If you’re looking for genetic testing in Kansas City, schedule an appointment at in2GREAT today! This test is available for our existing patients, and for new patients during their initial onboarding phase of care.

We don’t simply give you your results and send you on your way. Our caring team of functional medicine providers will work with you so you can understand what you can do with these results to better your health. Contact our office to get started by giving us a call at (913) 906-7787.

REFERENCES

1 https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/exposome/

2 https://www.nature.com/articles/hdy201054