HOW IT WORKS

Using a small sample of blood, the genetic tests our naturopathic clinic provides evaluates specific portions of the genetic code that vary from person to person. These variations are called single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs (pronounced “snips”) for short.

Everyone has SNPs — they’re what make us different from one another — our hair color, our voices, our height—even aspects of our personality. In this way, SNPs are the very seat of individuality. Some SNPs also may make people more susceptible or more resistant to specific diseases, may make their bodies respond differently to certain diets and lifestyles and may increase the likelihood that certain drugs trigger severe side effects.

The testing our Toronto naturopathic doctor provides focuses only on SNPs in the genetic code that are associated with common health conditions, such as heart disease, osteoporosis, allergies and asthma, for which simple treatment strategies exist to reduce risk.

Testing also evaluates SNPs that affect how each person’s body is likely to respond to specific diets, supplements, and medications. In this way, test results can provide the naturopathic doctor with a “road map” for developing a comprehensive, personalized health action plan for each patient.

This type of genetic testing replaces the guesswork of “assembly line medicine” with a precise genetic road map that identifies an individual’s health risks and provides information to help avoid potential “roadblocks” to good health.