你的基因如何，你的日子也必如何？（慢性疾病篇） Your Gene, Your Fate? (Chronic Disease)
講起慢性疾病，會令你諗起咩？高血壓、骨質疏鬆、定係腦退化症呢？慢性疾病，聽落好似遠在天邊，但實際情況值得關注。根據衞生署資料顯示，單單喺 2016 年，就有超過20,000 宗死亡個案同慢性疾病有關。亦有研究發現，部份慢性疾病，例如高血壓及糖尿病，已經有年輕化趨勢。想日後安枕無憂，唔洗擔心患上慢性疾病，就要做足準備，及早預防！
When it comes to chronic diseases, what will come into your mind? High blood pressure, osteoporosis or even dementia? Though chronic diseases usually happen among the elderly, it is worth paying attention to. According to the Department of Health, there were more than 20,000 deaths related to chronic diseases in 2016. In recent years, studies found that, some chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, have shown an increasing trend in younger populations. Is there anything we can do about it?
聽人講打麻將可以鍛煉腦力，預防腦退化？聽人講飲多杯水令血液變稀，就可以預防血管栓塞？呢類講法似是而非，並未有實質科學根據。不過，講到科學根據嘅話，有樣嘢就好幫到手喇，就係「基因測試」！
You may have heard that “Playing mahjong can train up the brain and prevent dementia?”“Drinking more water can make the blood thinner and prevent blood clot?” It sounds plausible but yet to be proven. New trends in
gene testing can definitely help making clear what you could do. More importantly, it has a scientific basis.
基因，存在喺每個細胞入面，掌控住唔同嘅生理特徵同機能。研究指出，患上某啲慢性疾病嘅機會受到基因影響，令部份人患病風險提高。舉個例，擁有基因型 ApoE4 嘅人，日後患上腦退化症嘅風險會較高。又例如，擁有基因型 LDLR 變異嘅人，會有較高風險患上家族性高膽固醇。及早知道自己有無基因型突變，就可以早一步為健康打算，作出預防。
It is found that the risk of getting a certain chronic disease is closely related to genes. For example, the risk of dementia is greatly increased in people with genotype ApoE4. Another example is that the risk of familial hypercholesterolemia is higher in those with LDLR gene mutation. The sooner you understand your genetic profile, the earlier you can take preventive measures for your health.
隨著醫療科技進步，好容易就可以了解自己嘅基因。宜家做基因測試，已經無需抽血。相反，只需要少量唾液樣本，就可以得出過百個檢測結果。即使驗出有相關嘅基因型突變，都唔需要太大擔心。我哋仲可以透過其他方法，去減低患上慢性疾病嘅機會。勤做運動、均衡飲食、維持理想體重都係重要嘅預防方法。另外，市面上亦有唔同嘅保健品，可以幫助預防大大小小嘅慢性疾病，甚至乎能夠針對「腦弱態」等嘅腦部同機能問題。
With the advancement of medical technology, it is now very easy to understand your own genes. Instead of taking your blood, gene testing can be done by simply taking mere amount of saliva sample, which can produce hundreds of results. Do not worry much even if there is gene mutation. You can still maintain a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases. Exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet and maintaining healthy weight are the measures that you could take. In addition, there are many health supplements that can help prevent chronic diseases, some of them can even improve the symptoms of brain function decline.
雖然慢性疾病令人相當頭疼，但係我哋可以好好利用基因測試，及早發現潛在嘅患病風險。透過調整生活方式，採取有效嘅預防措施，改變你的日子！
Although chronic diseases can be distressing, we can still take the advantage of gene testing to find out the risk at an early stage. Adjust your lifestyle and take
effective preventive measures. No matter what your genes are, it is never too
late to change your lifestyle for the better!
