Genetic variation has a big influence on general health and risk of disease. It affects everything from an individual’s heart, bone and skin health, to their likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease, hemochromatosis or type 2 diabetes. It is not possible to change our genes, but an understanding of our genetics can enable early disease diagnoses and prompt medical treatment, and encourage us to make diet and lifestyle changes to combat any negative impact of our genetic variation. Genetic changes even influence how we each respond to medications, and understanding these changes can significantly reduce the time taken to find the best medication and the optimum dosage.