How to conspire with your genes: Lifestyle Genetics

The book 'LifeStyle Genetics: how to conspire with your genes' aims to provide with a good overview of the available information linking an individual's DNA with personalised traits and tailored lifestyle advices. This information has been obtained from biological research and focuses on the determination of genetic factors conferring genetic predisposition. A good idea about the genetic predisposition, significantly contributes to a better understanding of an individual's personalised needs in relation to various aspects of certain lifestyle habits and wellness. The information outlined in the next chapters is thorough and supported by cited published research; however it is not exhaustive, and given that research studies are ongoing, it perhaps could never be. The aim is to familiarise the reader with the concepts and notions of lifestyle genetics, by discussing how certain variations in the DNA, which compose an individualised genetic profile, may be used in favour, for tailoring his/her lifestyle habits in an efficient and beneficial manner. LifeStyle Genetics is a novel challenging field which aims to translate the scientific information obtained from genetic analyses and biochemical studies, to conclusions and advices that are useful to society. They aim to translate our personal genetic predispositions, pointing towards the direction of a frame of actions that may help us reach our goals in terms of a healthy lifestyle involving our dietary or body exercise habits. Though particularly interesting, this is a laborious task, which involves an amount of potential risks. Such potential risks include the consideration of inconclusive research findings or the misinterpreted adaptation of valid scientific information, to invalid or dubious conclusions. In addition, there is a rapidly increasing number of commercially available genetic tests and marketing services world-wide urged to provide with interesting and useful detailed advices to our health and to choices we make for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This book aims to provide with a thorough description of the kinds of information our genes can tells us today about our lifestyle benefits and emphasise that, as in every attempt to apply translational research, meaning to use research findings for developing products or services useful to the broad interest, it is highly important to be bio-literate and familiar with the basic knowledge of the biological processes, thus being able to evaluate the scientific-derived conclusions.