How Much Impact Your Genes Have On Your Health And Wellness?

Your body, looks, fingerprints, and everything else comes from your genetics. Two sets of genes are passed down onto you from your parents. Therefore, just like the physical traits, you also inherit some health conditions from your parents. 

Your genes can predispose you to a disease

Sometimes, a gene that you inherit from one of your parents is not a perfect copy. Such changes are known as mutations. Some mutations have the ability to cause problems - having mutations in genes is a genetic disorder. Most diseases are caused by the combination of various factors such as genetic changes, daily lifestyle habits, and the environment. Having a mutation doesn’t mean you will certainly develop a disease; and not having a mutation doesn’t mean you can’t develop the disease in your lifetime. They can be hereditary or acquired. Acquired mutations can be triggered by environmental factors and cannot be passed on to children.

When do gene mutations develop into a disease?

Your genetic instructions are made of proteins. They are the building blocks of you, and your body. When your genetic instructions have mutations, they cause problems in the functioning of your body. For instance, if new copies of your genes have mistakes, then such gene changes can increase your probability for cancer. Most health conditions are related to gene mutations in a complex manner. Diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular issues are caused by mutations in multiple genes combined with lifestyle and environmental factors.

What does it mean to have a genetic predisposition to a disease?

Genetic predisposition or susceptibility means there is an increased risk of developing specific health conditions, diseases, and/or traits based on your genetic variations. Although these genetic variations contribute to the development of diseases but cannot directly cause it. Your genetic makeup is unique to you and is influenced by your lifestyle. Just remember, you cannot change your genes, but you can definitely change your lifestyle.

If you understand your genetic information, you can make appropriate lifestyle modifications to prevent the diseases and traits you are at high genetic risk of developing

You can understand more about yourself by understanding your genetic makeup. Genetic testing is an easy and user-friendly procedure that can decode your genetic information in a way that can be understood by you. Your genetic test report can be a powerful tool for you to become healthy, and live longer. 

 

Your genetic test report can help you in positively utilizing the impact your genes have in your health and wellness

Your genetic test report has all the predictions of diseases and traits that you might develop in your lifetime. Knowing about them can help you prevent them from developing. For instance, if your report says, you have a gene mutation that makes you more likely to develop breast cancer, you can make important preventive health decisions in accordance with your doctor. In case of high genetic risk, surgeries like prophylactic mastectomy or oophorectomy can lower your risk of getting cancer or the re-occurrence of it. If you have a high genetic risk score for developing cardiovascular diseases, you will be recommended ways to prevent it in your report and counselling. Book your genetic test to find out your genetic risk scores for 80+ diseases and traits.

10 Habits You Need In Your Life To Become Healthy

A healthy body and life can be built with small lifestyle modifications each day - change your habits little by little so that they can add up to give you a healthier life. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day!

Why is a shift in lifestyle essential for a healthy life?

Your daily lifestyle influences your body’s functioning and health. Everything you do has an impact on your body. So, it is essential to start making those shifts if you want a healthier and fitter life. Your preventive and health choices can be your defiance against various health conditions. Read to know what you can do to empower yourself with a healthy life. 

1. Eat healthy: A well balanced nutritious diet is most important for achieving optimal state of health. Opt for nutrient rich foods daily - add fresh fruits, seasonal vegetables, and whole grains on your food plate. Cut out processed meats and food, limit your alcohol and sugar consumption, and quit smoking.

2. Drink water: Being hydrated is essential for your body - all the cells, tissues and organs in your body need water to function well. Your water needs depend on various individual factors. 

3. Go for a daily walk: The habit of walking post your meals has many benefits. It can help you in managing your blood sugar levels.

4. Exercise for 20 minutes per day, weekly: Regular can increase your cognitive functioning, along with managing your body weight, and keeping you fit. 

5. Boost your mind: There are various ways to keep your mind healthy. Find out what gives you happiness - follow it as your hobby for a stronger mind. 

6. Sleep well: Sleep is an intrinsic part of good health. Sleep helps the body rest, regenerate, and promotes physiological and emotional health.

7. Manage your stress: Long term stress can take a toll on your physical and mental health. It interferes with the immune system and affects the body's health and emotional wellness. Know the ways that help you relieve stress, they are mostly individual to everyone.

8. Laugh a lot: Daily dose of laughter helps in boosting your immune system and reducing the hormones that cause stress. 

9. Be grateful: Note down the things that you are thankful for, and offer gratitude for them. Being grateful is powerful enough to create a rush of endorphins that can beat stress.

10.  Get your full body screened: Early detection is crucial to prevent or treat chronic lifestyle health conditions. Regular full body health checkups are therefore important for preventing diseases and catching them at an early stage when it is still treatable and curable. Know more about preventive health checkups.

How To Age Gracefully And Continue To Stay Healthy, Fit, And Happy

You cannot delay or prevent aging but you can choose to live healthy, fit and be happy! Aging is beyond the change in your outer appearance, wrinkles, and greying hair. Beyond these physical signs indicating that you are getting older and wiser, you may notice other changes as well: decreased energy or endurance, altered sleep, onset of health problems, etc. What you should remember is - health is valuable at all ages that is why it is essential to take care to maintain it.

Here are some simple tips for taking charge of your body, health and wellness while you progress in your experience of this world.

 

• Maintain a healthy weight or body mass index: Weight management is crucial as you age. A healthy BMI lowers your risk for chronic lifestyle health conditions like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer.

• Consume healthy food: Eating a balanced meal full of nutrition is very important. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are the best friends of your body’s functioning.

• Exercise regularly: Exercising helps to boost your mood and improves your sleep quality thus reducing your risk for mental stress, and age related loss of memory. Not only does it manage your mobility, balance and flexibility, it also improves your immune system and digestive functioning. Being physically active goes a long way in blood pressure management, retention of bone density, and lowering your risk of Alzheimer's, CVD, diabetes, and certain cancers.

• Keep your blood glucose and cholesterol in control: High sugar and cholesterol can  work together to put you at risk for cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

• Don’t laze, be active: This is apart from your exercise routine - use every opportunity to be active, like taking the stairs instead of the elevators.

• Avoid bad health habits: You should quit smoking as soon as you can, and also keep your alcohol intake in moderation. Opt to eat freshly made food instead of processed foods. 

• Pick a hobby, have fun: Keeping yourself busy with something that interests you is crucial for your mental health. Also, take out time to laugh, meet your friends and enjoy yourself. Your  happiness contributes to your health. Spend time with the ones you love, follow your hobbies, explore new things.

• Be regular with your full body checkups: Health screenings are important to analyze the status of your current health. Knowing about your health status empowers you to take appropriate steps to live a healthier life.

Smart Strategies for Healthy Lifestyle at Work Place

Millions of people around the world spend at least 8 hours every day on the same desk. It can put a lot of stress not only on the body but also on the mind of the employee which causes lifestyle diseases. To avoid any type of health issue at workplace here

is a list of easy-to follow tips that can help you and your employees have a healthy lifestyle.

 · Healthy choices: 

The randomly packed snacks like chips and other items should be avoided at a workplace.They not add a few hundred calories to your daily diet but also increase the chances of illness in long run.

You can have a healthy food options in the cafeteria or a small fruit or salad bar in the office a part of healthy lifestyle choices. 

 · Stay hydrated: 

Encourage employees to drink at least 10 glasses of water every day. If possible provide reminder bottles at every desk. These bottles have a timer which reminds a person to drink water.

 · Get Active:

Yes, it is possible during work hours. There are a lot of exercises which employees can do during their work hours itself. Stretching exercises at your desk or what we can call “deskercises” can help in relaxing neck, backbone and eyes. Taking stairs instead of  elevators, walking during the lunch time, etc. can be good options.

 · Have multiple break time:

Apart from lunch time, allow your employees to move from their desk once in a while. Let them have a cup of coffee or a small 

chat with the person in the next cubical for 5-7 minutes. It will  reduce the stress.

 · Disinfect the hardware:

Computers, desks, tables, chair, etc are usually the favorite places of germs. Make sure to clean them with good disinfectant at  least thrice a week apart from the regular cleaning. 

 · Employee Wellness Programs:

An organization should invest on employee wellness programs. It serves a twofold advantage,for employees, it improves a sense of trust in the company; whereas for employers it serves as an important tool for employee engagement. 

Another important objective of an employee wellness program is to include corporate health checkups for improving the physical and mental health and wellbeing of their workforce. With such health screenings an early detection of all potential health risks  is assured. The corporate health checkup helps reduce absenteeism because of sickness and increase morale and productivity in turn. 

To many of us our workplace is almost like a second home. There is no harm in adopting minor lifestyle changes that have positive effects on health. Employee wellness programs with lifestyle adjustments and support can help reap long term life enhancing benefits.