The Perfect 46 is a coming movie in which people are routinely tested to find an ideal genetic partner with whom to create a child. In the real world, things are almost as far-out. Some companies can screen and alert you to DNA variants that might combine with your partner's to produce an offspring with a rare, single-gene disease, such as cystic fibrosis. Others look for genetic indications that you could develop a disease down the road, so you can make decisions about prevention or medical treatment. <\/p>\n
But there are lots of questions about how reliable these mail-in-a-vial-of-blood-or-saliva genetic tests are. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has ordered one big-buzz company to stop shipping its $99 spit kit. Seems the company can't prove the accuracy of its tests for 254 genetic problems and was suggesting what people might do with test results. That could have devastating consequences. For example, a false-positive result for a high-risk gene-linked condition such breast cancer might lead a woman to have a mastectomy when she didn't really need to consider having one. <\/p>\n
So whether you're curious about your genome or you have a family history of a disorder that you want to avoid passing on to your children, get tested only if advised by a doctor whos trained in genetic medicine and have a second test done to confirm results. These tests will get more accurate, but they arent there yet. <\/p>\n
A real fountain of youth is inside you: the sweat that comes from physical activity. A new eight-year study looked at 3,500 folks around age 65: Those whod always gotten moderate or vigorous exercise were seven times more likely to have healthy aging; even those who didnt exercise until they were already old tripled their chances of a healthy old age. When you're sweatin and smilin, dementia and depression, as well as heart disease, cancer and Type 2 diabetes, just happen less often. <\/p>\n
The two keys to keeping active or to getting movin as you age: Having a group or partner to do it with, and finding an activity you enjoy. So sign up for a group class at the gym or get a workout buddy or online coach to support you. And experiment with walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, yoga and strength-building or flexibility exercises to see what sustains your interest. Then sweat it out for at least 30 minutes daily! P.S. You cut the risk of stroke 20 percent by sweating four times a week. <\/p>\n
Nothing about 3-D ever has been as life-changing as the way 3-D in mammograms can see breast tissue. Digital breast tomosynthesis, the name for these high-tech trouble-spotters, can identify 22 percent more cancers and avoid many false-positives (and unnecessary biopsies, particularly among women with dense breast tissue and younger women) that result from use of conventional digital mammogram machines. <\/p>\n
And theyre potentially lifesaving for people with a family history of BRCA-2 breast cancer. New information reveals that family members who test BRCA-2-free are still at a much-increased risk of breast cancer, compared with folks with who have no family history of BRCA-2. For them, mammograms need to be as accurate as possible, every time, and 3-D images are just that. <\/p>\n
Other people who might be grateful for the imaging power of tomosynthesis? Anyone with high LDL cholesterol is at increased risk for estrogen-dependent breast cancer (about 75 percent of breast cancers). Thats because a byproduct of cholesterol acts like estrogen in the body, making folks with high cholesterol more vulnerable. Regular 3-D screenings can catch breast cancer at its earliest and most curable stage. <\/p>\n
Bonus tip: If you have elevated LDL, taking a cholesterol-lowering statin and aspirin are smart ways to reduce breast-cancer risk; statins reduce the estrogen-like powers of that cholesterol byproduct, and a daily aspirin cuts the risk by 40 percent. <\/p>\n
Want to bring a little good cheer into a friend's life for various occasions scattered over the New Year? (Not a bad resolution.) Heres our list of eight mini-gifts that will make everyone healthier and happier (including you, because giving is a great feeling). <\/p>\n
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Beware accuracy of mail-in genetic tests<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Perfect 46 is a coming movie in which people are routinely tested to find an ideal genetic partner with whom to create a child. In the real world, things are almost as far-out. Continue reading