A healthy gut helps prevent microbiome-based diseases

Excerpts from the interview

What is gut health and why is it important?

When was the last time you made a decision based on your gut because it felt just right? The health of your gut is the single most important marker of your overall wellness.

Gut health refers to the physical state and functioning of many parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Your gut is home to trillions of living organisms that feed on you and are in constant communication with the brain and the rest of the body. Pay attention to these little but potent microorganisms and feed them the food they need to prevent any health problems.

Everything that you eat is ultimately broken down in the gut to a simple form so that it can enter the bloodstream and deliver nutrients throughout your body. A healthy gut lays the foundation for preventing the risk of having microbiome-based diseases. Bione's gut microbiome test is an at-home test that provides comprehensive and personalised insights into the gut flora. By following Bione's tailor-made recommendations from their team of nutritional experts, you can maintain a good gut microbiome and achieve a healthy lifestyle with ease.

How are genetics diagnostics in India on the verge of transformation?

The genetic diagnostics industry has been rapidly evolving over the last few years and it has emerged to be a key component of the healthcare industry. The arrival of the pandemic pushed the diagnostic sector to witness a large transition. Be it keeping pace with the concept of telemedicine or addressing the change within consumer psychology, the diagnostic sector has been up and about with all of it.

There has been an extensive awareness and recognition of the increasing incidence of congenital and hereditary genetic diseases in India. Bione is Asia's first genetic testing company that analyses your genetic profile for over 50 parameters spread across cognitive health, fitness, nutrition requirements, and more.

I am assured that genetic diagnostics in India will evolve from a niche specialty to a wide spectrum of applications for chronic diseases and personal use.

Why are Genetic tests gaining popularity in India?

'Genetic testing' has gained immense prominence in our country as it has become one of the latest tools to manage and predict the possibility of developing rare disease disorders and chronic diseases including cancer, diabetes and hypertension. With its fast-pacing popularity in India, it is most likely to replace many of the conventional laboratory tests in the coming years.

The increased awareness of early diagnosis in the country along with the rising expenditure on preventive health measures, has further ignited the demand for preventive genetic testing in the market. The ease of performing tests and a quick turnaround time of receiving test reports, promises a bright future for D2C genetic testing in India.

The next generation sequencing based, most common test is clinical exome sequencing or whole exome sequencing and genome sequencing. These complex scientific tests used to cost Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 lakh in India around five years ago. But, now most of the preventive D2C genetic tests can be performed in India within a cost range of Rs 3,000 to Rs 80,000 per test, depending on the technologies used and genes covered. Bione's DNA test is also available at just Rs 12,000-14,000 and paves the way for accessible and personalised healthcare for the average consumer.

What part of the microbiome does a healthy diet play?

Our gut's health is closely linked to our overall health. We have at least 300 to 500 different types of bacteria in our gut which have almost 2 million genes. The balance between good and bad bacteria is very delicate and any kind of imbalance, known as gut dysbiosis leads to inflammation.

This kind of inflammation over the long term can lead to many health issues like obesity, skin breakouts, diabetes, anxiety and depression, cardiac disease, indigestion, etc. Getting an accurate picture of your gut health with a gut microbiome test can help you learn more about which foods work for you and which don't. Making smart diet choices and following a personalised diet based on the results of your microbiome test can contribute significantly to improving your overall health.