By Linda S. Moore, R.N.
Throughout my thirty plus year career in nursing, I have seen firsthand that the healthier we live, the better we live. And the better we look. You can’t pick up a newspaper or a magazine today that doesn’t have an article regarding anti-aging, recommending this or that product in the hopes of living well until a ripe old age. But isn’t that what we all want for ourselves and everyone we know and love?
For the past ten years, I have owned and run a medical skincare clinic on the Peninsula. We have helped our clients determine which options would be best to help them reach their aesthetic goals. It has become apparent to me that a combination of how well an individual cares for him or herself, and the genetic history of that person, determines the overall health and wellbeing of that individual. This is the nature/nurture paradigm in reality.
The frustrating part of this equation has always been the same. What can be done about the hand we were dealt at birth? How can we counteract any of the negatives in the genetic makeup we received from our parents? With all of the advances in genetic testing, the cracking of the human genome, is it possible to glean important information that we can then use to improve our health and longevity?
DNA Testing Now Available
There is some good news. We now have a simple, affordable swab test that can be analyzed, resulting in a custom formulation to boost the deficiencies found in our DNA. The future has arrived! We can stop guessing and start assessing. Gone are the days of walking into a health food store and wondering which supplements will give us the nutritional support our bodies need. Just because we are over fifty, does it mean that we need the same amount of calcium that the next 50 year old needs? How about the correct amount of D3? And does a 110 pound female need the same amount of vitamin B, C and E that a 245 pound male requires? Until now, it has been a guessing game.
As much as I would like to agree with those that think they are getting all the nutrients they need from the “healthy” food they eat, I cannot. In today’s world, with the mineral-depleted earth and questionable growing methods of most of our food sources, it is literally impossible to derive all of our nutritional needs from food alone. If we just look at the recommended daily ORAC (anti-oxidant) units of between 5000 and 9000, food sources are not enough. A banana has 9 ORAC units. That’s a lot of bananas! Even with the best diet possible, we fall short of getting all of the vitamins and minerals we need to stay healthy and thrive through the ages.
A Quick Genetics Tutorial
Within every human cell is an individual blueprint for life – DNA. DNA contains the master information that is needed to construct and maintain the human body. Based strictly on DNA, humans are surprisingly alike. Despite our apparent differences, the DNA between any two people is 99.1% identical. That 0.9% variation in DNA, however, is hugely important, accounting for all of our genetic differences.
With the mapping of the human genome completed in 2003, scientists now have the ability to identify small variations in the genetic code that can lead to diminished health and wellness. By identifying which of these variations (vulnerabilities) you have, it is possible for the first time to customize a targeted nutritional supplement regimen for your specific genotype.
Aging is the Challenge – Nourishing Your Cells is the Solution
From the moment we are born we begin the aging process. We have the weapon to fight disease and aging with something called superoxide dismutase. This substance is a natural antioxidant that fights and neutralizes the free radicals that cause aging. In our population, 60% of us have only one functional dismutase gene, and 20% have none at all. That is why introducing antioxidant formulas into our daily regimen are so vitally important. Supplemental antioxidants could be considered a sort of life insurance policy against aging and its visible affects.
By using current DNA swab testing, we are now able to see which areas of deficiency need correcting. Utilizing the right nutritional building blocks in their proper amounts to neutralize free radicals, minimizing the daily cellular damage that leads to premature aging and early death is possible.
Stop Guessing, Start Assessing
Prior to entering the field of medical esthetics in 2000, I spent twenty-five years working as a critical care nurse in ICU, CCU, ER, and Recovery. I know firsthand what a large part genetics play in our health. It is so exciting to finally be able to offer a simple test that can tell each of us what hidden dangers face us in the future of our health. And, instead of just informing us of those issues, we are given a simple solution to help protect us from each of the areas of potential concern.
With the aging population and increasing chronic disease, the current healthcare system is headed towards catastrophe. If there was a way to keep yourself out of that “disease loop”, would you be interested? Granted, this is just one solution to helping avoid the woes of chronic disease that may lead to a less than quality life. But I propose: Does it get any better than your DNA? What test gives you a clearer picture of who you are at the core level?
The more we know about our genetic history, the better we will be prepared for the future of our health. Once we know our unique history, our genetic footprint, we will be better able to begin to prevent many of the health challenges that lead to chronic disease and a less than vibrant life.
A last bit of good news: A skincare serum based on individual DNA testing will soon be available. All of those that have already swabbed for the custom nutritional supplements will be offered the first custom skin serum to help fight the signs of aging. Trials have shown a 70% increase in elasticity and firmness in as little as three months. Think about it … a skin serum based on your DNA!
Isn’t it time for you to take control of your future? To know more about this cutting edge technology, and to get your confidential DNA swab that opens the door to your genetic history (and what to do with it), please call us today at (650)631-5700 or email us at info@rejuvenateskincare.net.