Pharmacogenomics (PGx) Testing

Pharmacogenomics is the study of how a patient's genetic makeup contributes to a specific therapeutic result and/or adverse responses to specified medications. Using pharmacogenomics, doctors can customize treatment plans that minimize adverse side effects or risks.

Pharmacogenomics provides knowledge that helps doctors define a medicine regimen with a greater probability of a positive outcome. Get the right cure of the right medicine at the right time.

More, safer medicines the first time

Rather than the standard trial-and-error system of matching patients with the right medicines, doctors will be able to analyze your genetic profile and define the best available medicine therapy from the start. Not only will this take the guesswork out of finding the right medicine, it'll speed recovery time and increase safety as the likelihood of adverse responses is reduced.

More accurate methods of determining appropriate medicine dosages

Current methods of basing dosages on weight and age will be replaced with dosages based on a person's genetics; how well the body processes the drug and the time it takes to metabolize it. This will maximize the therapy's value and decrease the likelihood of overdose.

Not all drugs work for everyone

Many medicines that are currently available are "one size fits all," but they do not work the same way for everyone. It can be difficult to predict who will benefit from a medication, who will not respond at all, and who will experience negative side effects (called adverse drug reactions). Adverse drug reactions are a significant cause of hospitalizations and deaths in the United States.

What are the Chances of an ADR (Adverse Drug Reaction)?

The more medicines a patient is taking, the greater chance of an ADR.

Patients taking over 11 medicines have a 96% chance of an ADR.

With the knowledge gained from the Human Genome Project, researchers are learning how inherited differences in genes affect the body's response to medications. These genetic differences will be used to predict whether a drug will be effective for a particular person and to prevent adverse drug responses.

A simple noninvasive Pharmacogenomics test is an important once-in-a-lifetime test that may enhance or even save your life!

6 Proven Steps to Minimize Your Breast Cancer Risk

Breast cancer could be a frightening reality that one in seven women will face within their lifetime. Every 13 minutes another woman dies from breast cancer, a disease that has more than tripled in incidence over the past 50 years. While there are risk factors that are beyond our control, like genetic predisposition, researchers are continually revealing newly discovered causes and finding that environmental and synthetic substances are at the root of much of the breast cancer epidemic.

There is no surefire way to prevent breast cancer, but even a genetic predisposition doesn't mean a death sentence. Studies show that 10% of breast cancer cases today are caused by genetics, while the other 90% have unknown origins. Even with a predisposition, it's necessary to be exposed to hormone-altering substances to set the disease in motion.

At the root of breast cancer lies the harmful culprit: estrogen. An overabundance of estrogen can cause cancerous cells to proliferate and lead to breast cancer. While the body generates a certain amount of estrogen over our lifetimes, certain synthetic substances, like pesticides and plastics, have the power to mimic estrogen once they enter the body.

1. Pull the Plug on EMFs

Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs) are generated by all electrical sources, whether they're plugged into a wall or powered by batteries. The concern on EMFs began in the 1970s when a link was established between radiation from power lines and childhood leukemia. Since then, research has established links between EMF waves and breast cancer.

A study conducted by the Midwest Research Institute found that women exposed to high levels of EMFs showed significantly higher levels of estrogen than normal. The FDA recommends "prudent avoidance" of EMFs:

• Keep appliances unplugged when not in use
• Maintain distance from operating appliances
• Move alarm clocks away from beds
• Avoid standing near microwaves in use
• Have your home wiring checked by a licensed electrician

2. Discover a New Layer in Ozone

The water that comes from your tap is treated with chlorine to kill dangerous microorganisms. However, when chlorine mixes with organic substances, dangerous byproducts called organochlorines are created. A Hartford, Connecticut study found that women with breast cancer have 50-60% higher levels of organochlorines in their breast tissue.

England began using ozone to treat their nation's drinking water in 2002. Ozone treatment:

• Destroys disease-causing microbes
• Eliminates chlorine byproducts
• Creates alkaline water that promotes health

3. Be an All-Natural Beauty

The cancer-causing agent paraben is used in more beauty products than any other synthetic ingredient (second only to water). Used as a preservative, parabens can mimic estrogen in the body. A recent study found parabens in human breast cancer tissue.

Solution: Choose all-natural beauty products from health food stores.

4. End the Heavy Metal Revolution

Heavy metals like cadmium, copper, cobalt, nickel, lead, mercury and tin all exhibit estrogen-like activity in the body. Exposure can precipitate early menstruation, extending lifetime exposure to estrogen.

Ways to reduce exposure:

• Limit fish consumption (high mercury)
• Have silver amalgam fillings safely removed
• Consider heavy metal detoxification

5. Pick Your Produce Wisely

Conventional produce contains dangerous hormone-altering chemicals. The EPA considers 60% of herbicides, 90% of fungicides and 30% of insecticides to be carcinogenic.

Solution: Buy organic produce which is free of toxic chemicals and more nutritious.

6. Go Wild with Free Range

Hormones used in livestock cause breast cancer cells to proliferate. Grass-fed meats:

• Contain no antibiotics or growth hormones
• Are lower in fat and calories
• May reduce diabetes risk