Flexitarian Diet: Does this new diet help me get healthy?

Flexitarian Diet - HealthCodes DNA

What is a Flexitarian diet? It can be hard to know where to start when you’re considering the flexitarian diet, but once you understand what foods offer. It becomes easier to work out which ones you should choose and which ones you should avoid to lose weight and improve your health

But before we look at the specific foods that form part of the flexitarian diet, let’s consider why you might want to consider this approach to eating and how it could help you get healthier faster and lose weight more quickly.

What Is a Flexitarian Diet?

A Flexitarian diet is a type of diet in which you eat a primarily vegetarian diet but still include meat once in a while. For example, you might skip meat on weekdays but still eat it on weekends. This is different from pescetarianism which is another popular type of semi-vegetarianism that allows red meat and seafood 

Flexitarian Diet Basics

The flexitarian diet, or flex diet for short, is an eating style that limits red meat consumption and emphasizes plant-based sources of protein and fatIt lets you fill up on healthy foods such as grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, and lentils—foods that may be naturally low in fat and calories but still provide satisfaction. By cutting out animal products, you’ll also cut down on saturated fats (which can raise your cholesterol levels) and avoid unnecessary sodium (which can cause water retention). 

In addition to weight loss benefits, following a flexitarian diet can also help reduce your risk of heart disease and certain types of cancerA 2011 study published in Public Health Nutrition found that people who ate vegetarian diets had lower body mass indexes than non-vegetarians and were less likely to have diabetes. 

Another study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that consuming more plant proteins was associated with weight loss compared with consuming more animal proteins

This study found no difference between vegetarian diets and omnivorous diets when weight loss over six months; however, vegetarians lost more belly fat than their carnivorous counterparts did during that time frame.

10 Reasons Why a Flexitarian Diet May Help with Weight Loss

  1. A flexitarian diet may provide a middle ground between strict vegan and vegetarian diets, which are known to help with weight loss, and a more typical western diet which is not associated with weight loss. 
  2. A flexitarian diet can be more sustainable than other weight-loss diets because it allows for the occasional consumption of meat. 
  3. The flexibility of a flexitarian diet may make it easier for people to stick with than other types of diets that require complete adherence to be effective, such as very low calorie or deficient carbohydrate diets. 
  4. A flexitarian diet is associated with a lower intake of saturated fat and cholesterol and a higher intake of healthy fats and fiber than an omnivorous Western diet. 
  5. A flexitarian diet is associated with a lower risk of heart disease and cancer compared to an omnivorous Western diet. 
  6. Their flexitarian diet can help increase your vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. 
  7. Studies show that people who eat a more plant-based diet have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer than those who don’t. 
  8. Other studies show that vegetarians have lower body mass index than non-vegetarians.
  9. A flexitarian diet can help reduce your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer
  10. A Flexitarian diet may improve cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels and reduce inflammation in people with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, or obesity compared to a typical Western diet high in red meat and processed foods.

Risks of the Flexitarian Diet

While a flexitarian diet is safe for most people, some may experience side effects and risks. Before eating a flexitarian diet, check with your doctor to see if it’s right for you. Some of these risks include switching from one extreme diet to another, and you could be putting yourself at risk for nutrient deficienciesYou have to ensure that your body gets all of its required nutrients by checking in with your doctor before beginning any new diet plan. 

Also, remember that because flexitarian diets are typically higher in calories than other diets, they can cause weight gain over time if not done correctly or without moderation. If you decide to follow a flexitarian diet. Try to do so in moderation and keep track of how many calories you consume each day. This will help ensure that you don’t take in too many calories and gain weight as a result.

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Pros and Cons of a Flexitarian Diet

Do you often find yourself struggling to lose weight? If so, then you’ve probably tried every fad diet in existence. One popular but misunderstood strategy is flexitarianism—reducing your meat intake and eating more vegetarian meals. 

However, many people are still unaware of what a flexitarian diet is and how it can benefit their health. Read on to learn about all its pros and cons! 

Pros and Cons of a Flexitarian Diet: 

As with any diet, there are both pros and cons to flexitarianism. Let’s take a look at some of them:

Pros:

– The flexibility of including meat and fish in your diet makes it much easier to adjust to a vegetarian lifestyle.

– Better for the Environment

– Reduces health risks

– It’s easy to follow because there are no strict rules about what you can and can’t eat.

– It may promote fullness and weight loss.

-It may reduce your risk of heart disease.

– The focus on healthy foods provides great benefits for overall health.

– It may benefit people with type 2 diabetes.

– It may lower your risk of certain cancers.

Cons:

– You still have to include meat

– It may take time to adjust to the diet.

– Some people don’t like having any restrictions on their diets at all, so even being a flexitarian may be too limiting for them.

– It can be difficult to manage the amount of meat or fish. That you eat when there are no set rules about how much you should include in your diet.

– If you have strict dietary requirements, such as gluten-free or low carb, then this approach will not work well with those guidelines.

– You should still eat processed foods in moderation.

– You may need to take supplements to meet your nutritional needs.

Who Should Use the Flexitarian Diet?

Flexitarian diets may be suitable for anyone who wants to reduce their consumption of animal products without eliminating them. Vegans and vegetarians may find that they aren’t getting enough protein or other nutrients from plant-based foods alone, while flexitarians may not have time to cook two separate meals every day. Some vegetarians also occasionally consume fish or chicken for taste or convenience, which makes them flexitarians. 

What Foods are Allowed on the Flexitarian Diet

While many people think of a flexitarian diet as being mainly vegan or vegetarian, it’s more flexible. There are several types of flexitarians: 

Lacto-ovo vegetarians: These people consume dairy and eggs but no other animal products. They are also known as ovo vegetarians or Lacto vegetarians. Lacto-vegetarians: This type of flexitarian eats dairy but not eggs. 

Pesco-vegetarianism: This is when you eat fish but not meat or poultry. 

Semi-vegetarianism (flexitarianism): This is when you eat meat once in a while—for example, once every few days to once per week—but don’t make it your primary source of protein. 

Where to get Flexitarian Diet?

When shopping for your flexible diet, you have several options, but consider that convenience may come at a price. 

For example, grab-and-go foods and prepared meals can be pricey. But if you’re looking to save time while sticking to your flexitarian diet plan, HealthCodes DNA testing can help you understand your body so you can make better decisions in life through our various programs and packages.

HealthCodes DNA testing can help you understand your body system Using our convenient at-home test kits, you can determine your wellness level, health, nutrition, and fitness DNA needs.

Can Flexitarians Eat Dairy?

You don’t need to cut out dairy if you’re a flexitarian. Some flexitarians do, of course—but as in any other diet, that depends on your personal preferences and health goals. Milk, cheese, and yogurt are healthy choices for everyone; watch your portion sizes to keep from overeating. 

And when it comes to milk, remember that some people react negatively to cow’s milk but can tolerate goat or sheep’s milk instead. Always check with your doctor before making any changes in your diet.

It may seem obvious, but one crucial thing all vegetarians should be aware of is protein: Make sure you have enough!

Is Flexitarian better than Vegan?

If you’re wondering whether a vegan or flexitarian diet is better for weight loss, it’s probably best to think about your reasons for wanting to shift towards a more plant-based way of eating. If you do it to reduce calories and lose weight, maybe flexitarian isn’t ideal. But if you want to eat less meat because you’re concerned about animal welfare or because there are health benefits associated with reducing meat consumption, then, by all means, go for a flexitarian diet! The great news is that most people can benefit from eating less meat—vegan or not.

Low-Carb Flexitarian Diet

A low-carb diet limits carb intake—typically to under 50 grams per day—while a flexitarian diet allows for a few servings of healthy carbs like fruits and whole grains. Following both diets can reduce your weight, but which is best? Let’s break down their similarities and differences. 

The flexible part of a flexitarian diet refers to eating plant-based foods in moderation. This means you might occasionally eat meat or dairy products (which are allowed on low-carb diets). Still, it would help to focus primarily on plant foods such as vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds (staples in vegetarian and vegan diets). 

By focusing on healthy carbs, lean proteins, and healthy fats, you can lose weight while still enjoying various foods. Low-carb diets have been discovered to help people lose more weight than other popular diets; however, they come with some risks that may make them unsuitable for certain people. 

It’s important to talk with your doctor before starting any new diet plan to know if it will be safe for you.

7 Rules of a Flexitarian Diet

There is no official rule book for flexitarianism. The rules are simple: choose as many plant-based foods as possible, with a smaller portion of meat or fish. 

As we said earlier, a less strict version of a vegetarian diet would be a flexitarian diet. This means that you don’t eliminate meat from your diet, but you cut back on it. However, if you want to follow a proper vegetarian diet, then there are some rules that you need to follow.

Rule 1 – Know what vegetarians don’t eat:

If you want to know what vegetarians don’t eat, it is best to look at what they eat first. 

This will give you an idea of what ingredients can be used in your cooking. Some common foods eaten by vegetarians include fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds. It is important to note that some people who follow a vegetarian diet also avoid eating eggs and dairy products and meat and fish.

Rule 2 – Make sure you get enough protein:

One thing that many people worry about when following a vegetarian diet is getting enough protein in their diet. Protein helps our bodies build and repair muscles, bones, skin, and blood cells, so we need it every day for good health. The best protein sources are meat and fish. But vegetarians can also find plenty of protein in other foods such as eggs, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds. It is essential to eat various foods to ensure you are getting all of your nutrients. 

Rule 3 – Eat a balanced diet:

Following a vegetarian diet doesn’t mean being strict about what you eat. Many people think they will miss out on some essential vitamins and minerals if they don’t follow a strict plan. However, plenty of foods contain all of these essential nutrients, including vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes. A balanced diet will include lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and wholegrain bread and cereals. Also, it is essential to make sure you get enough iron in your diet and calcium and vitamin D

Rule 4 – Get advice from a nutritionist:

If you want to make sure that your vegetarian diet is healthy, it is best to get advice from a nutritionist or doctorThey can give you advice on how much protein, iron, and other nutrients you need each day depending on your age, sex, and activity levels.

Rule 5 – Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables:

It is important to eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables every day. The healthiest vegetarian diet will include a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Many people find that following a vegetarian diet has helped them cut down on junk food and eat more healthily. This can be an advantage for those who want to lose weight and those looking after their general health.

Rule 6 – Make sure you get enough calcium:

Calcium helps our bodies build strong bones and teeth, so it is essential for all adults, including vegetarians, to get enough in their diet. Valuable sources of calcium include milk, cheese, and yogurt, but many other foods contain some calcium. It is best to eat various foods every day to get all of your nutrients from multiple sources. 

Rule 7 – Eat plenty of iron-rich foods:

Iron helps red blood cells carry oxygen around our bodies, making us feel more energetic throughout the day. Do you need DNA for genetic tests for personalized health, diet, and exercise?

Then look no further; the HealthCodes DNA test for diets is a revolutionary approach to nutrition and weight loss. It’s based on the simple idea that people live different lifestyles, and have different genetic histories, and environments. 

Thus, our DNA tests will tell you what your body needs to overcome and balance your diet, health, weight, nutrition, and fitness DNA struggles or gives you a real insight into how to achieve your personal health goals in less than 21 days with less effort than any other approach out there. 

HealthCodes DNA offers DNA tests with results, recommendations, access to personalized diet and fitness planning technology, and lifetime consultations.

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This privacy statement applies to all websites owned and operated by HealthCodes DNA, LLC (“HealthCodes DNA”), including healthcodesdna.com and register.healthcodesdna.com Our Privacy Statement is designed to help you better understand how we collect, use, store, process, and transfer your information when operating our website, mobile apps, products, software and other services (collectively “Service” or “Services“).

  1. Key Definitions
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The following are our core privacy principles:

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  1. What information we collect
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  1. Saliva sample and bio-banking. To use our genetic testing services, you must purchase, or receive as a gift, a HealthCodes DNA wellness kit, register an online account, and ship your saliva sample to our third-party laboratory. Once received, your saliva sample will be identified by its unique barcode, along with your gender and your year of birth. The barcode label identifies you to us but not to our third-party laboratory. Your saliva samples and DNA are destroyed after the laboratory completes its work, unless the laboratory’s legal and regulatory requirements require it to maintain physical samples.
  2. Genetic Information. Genetic Information refers to features of your DNA that distinguish you from other people (e.g. the As, Ts, Cs, and Gs at particular locations in your genome) and is generated when we analyze and process your saliva sample, or when you otherwise contribute or access your Genetic Information through our Services. Genetic Information includes the HealthCodes DNA Results information reported to you as part of our Services, and may be used for other purposes, as outlined in Section 4 below.

 

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Web Behavior Information. We and our third-party partners use cookies and similar technologies (such as web beacons, tags, scripts and device identifiers) to help us recognize you, customize and improve your experience, provide security, analyze usage of our Services (such as to analyze your interactions with the results, reports, and other features of the Service), gather demographic information about our user base, to offer our products and services to you, to monitor the success of marketing programs, and to serve targeted advertising on our site and on other sites around the Internet. We and our third-party partners do not use your sensitive information, such as Genetic Information and Self-Reported Information for targeted advertising. We may receive reports based on the use of these technologies by these companies on an individual as well as aggregated basis. Users can control the use of cookies at the individual browser level. If you reject cookies, you may still use our site, but your ability to use some features or areas of our site may be limited.

As is true of most websites, we gather certain information automatically and store it in log files. This information may include internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, operating system, date/time stamp, and/or clickstream data. We may combine this automatically collected log information with other information we collect about you, such as your user profile ID or order number. We do this to improve services we offer you, and to improve marketing, analytics, and site functionality.

When you access our Service by or through a mobile device, we may receive or collect and store a unique identification numbers associated with your device or our mobile application (including, for example, a UDID, Unique ID for Advertisers (“IDFA”), Google Ad ID, or Windows Advertising ID), mobile carrier, device type, model and manufacturer, mobile device operating system brand and model, phone number, and, depending on your mobile device settings, your geographical location data, including GPS coordinates (e.g. latitude and/or longitude) or similar information regarding the location of your mobile device.

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  1. Other Types of Information.

We are always working to enhance our Services with new products, applications and features that may result in the collection of new and different types of information. We will update our privacy statement, as needed.

  1. How we use and share information

HealthCodes DNA will use and share your personal information with third-parties only in the ways that are described in this privacy statement.

  1. Using information to provide, analyze and improve our Services

We use the information described above in Section 3 to operate, provide, analyze and improve our Services. These activities may include, among other things, using your information in a manner consistent with other commitments in this privacy statement, to:

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  3. conduct surveys or polls, and obtain testimonials;
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  • perform research & development activities, which may include, for example, conducting data analysis and research in order to develop new or improve existing products and services, and performing quality control activities.

You may be able to opt-in, opt-out or otherwise adjust your preferences of having your information used for certain of these activities. Please see below to learn more.

We use mobile analytics software to allow us to better understand the functionality of our Mobile Software on your phone. This software may record information such as how often you use the application, the events that occur within the application, aggregated usage, performance data, and where the application was downloaded from. We do not link the information we store within the analytics software to any personally identifiable information you submit within the mobile application.

  1. Using information with your consent

You have the choice to participate in HealthCodes DNA Research by providing your consent. “HealthCodes DNA Research” refers to research aimed at publication in peer-reviewed journals and other research funded by the federal government (such as the National Institutes of Health – NIH) conducted by HealthCodes DNA. HealthCodes DNA Research may be sponsored by, conducted on behalf of, or in collaboration with third-parties, such as non-profit foundations, academic institutions or pharmaceutical companies.  HealthCodes DNA Research may study a specific group or population, identify potential areas or targets for therapeutics development, conduct or support the development of drugs, diagnostics or devices to diagnose, predict or treat medical or other health conditions, work with public, private and/or non-profit entities on genetic research initiatives, or otherwise create, commercialize, and apply this new knowledge to improve health care. HealthCodes DNA Research uses your aggregate or individual-level Genetic Information and Self-Reported Information as specified in the Terms of Service.

Consent process for research. Your Genetic Information and Self-Reported Information may be used for HealthCodes DNA Research only if you have consented to this use by completing a Research Initiatives Consent Document. If you have completed a Research Initiatives Consent Document:

  1. Your aggregated, de-identified Genetic Information may be used for either philanthropic or commercial research purposes as set forth more fully the Research Initiatives Consent Document.
  2. When your Genetic Information and Self-Reported Informationis being used for research purposes, it will not be linked to your Registration Information.
  1. Withdrawing your Consent.You may withdraw your consent to participate in HealthCodes DNA Research Initiatives at any time by emailing us at support@healthcodesdna.com. HealthCodes DNA will not include your Genetic Information or Self-Reported Information in new research occurring after 30 days from the receipt of your request. Any research involving your data that has already been performed or published prior to our receipt of your request will not be reversed, undone, or withdrawn. If you withdraw your consent for research your Genetic Information and Self-Reported Information may still be used by us and shared with our third-party service providers to provide and improve our Services (as described in Section 4.a), and shared as Aggregate Information that does not identify you as an individual (as described in Section 4.d).
  2. What happens if you do NOT consent to HealthCodes DNA Research?If you do not complete a Research Initiatives Consent Document or any additional consent agreement with HealthCodes DNA, your information will not be used for HealthCodes DNA Research Initiatives and you will not be able to use HealthCodes DNA Services.
  1. Recruiting for external research

Academic institutions, healthcare organizations, and other groups are always conducting interesting new research projects. We want to make you aware of these opportunities. While we do not share individual-level Genetic Information or Self-Reported Information with third-parties without your consent, from time to time we may inform you of third-party research opportunities for which you may be eligible. For example, if a university tells us about a new cancer research project, we may send an email to HealthCodes DNA members who potentially fit the relevant eligibility criteria based on their Self-Reported Information to make them aware of the research project and provide a link to participate with the research organization conducting the study.

  1. Information we share with third-parties
  • General service providers.We share the information described above in Section 3 with our service providers, as necessary to provide their services to us. Service providers are third-parties (other companies or individuals) that help us to provide, analyze and improve our Services. For example, we work with third-party laboratories and contractors to process and analyze your saliva sample for purposes of generating your Genetic Information

NOTE: Our service providers act on HealthCodes DNA’s behalf. While we implement procedures and contractual terms to protect the confidentiality and security of your information, we cannot guarantee the confidentiality and security of your information due to the inherent risks associated with storing and transmitting data electronically.

When you purchase a testing kit and report from HealthCodes DNA, you are instructed to send a saliva sample to our third-party laboratory with a unique barcode label. The unique barcode identifies you to us but not to the laboratory. We may also be required to provide to the laboratory, your sex and date of birth or age pursuant to clinical laboratory requirements such as the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA). No other Registration Information such as your name, address, email, phone number or other contact information) is required or provided to the laboratory. The receiving personnel at the laboratory will remove and discard your “sender information” from the packaging (e.g., name, address) before testing personnel receive the samples for processing. Receiving personnel do not perform testing, and testing personnel handle saliva samples that are labeled only with the unique barcode. DNA and saliva samples are destroyed after the laboratory completes its work, provided that laboratory legal and regulatory requirements no longer require the actual samples to be maintained. A de-identified copy of genotyping data may be kept in accordance with CLIA. The laboratory securely sends the resulting Genetic Information to our third party reporting company along with your unique barcode. Genetic Information is stored securely on our servers; the laboratory also stores your Genetic Information, but again, labeled only with the barcode.

  • “Targeted advertising” service providers.We may permit third-party advertising networks and providers to collect Web Behavior Information on our Service to help us to deliver targeted online advertisements (“ads”) to you. They use cookies and similar technologies (such as JavaScript, beacons, device identifiers, location data, and clear gifs) to compile information about your browser’s or device’s visits and usage patterns on our Services and on other websites over time, which helps to better personalize ads to match your interests, and to measure the effectiveness of ad campaigns.

If you wish to not have this information used for the purpose of serving you targeted ads, you may be able to opt-out of many advertising networks by visiting here and here (if you are located in Canada, click here; or if you are located in the European Union click here). Please note this does not mean that you have opted-out of being served advertising. You will continue to receive generic ads.

  • Aggregate information.We may share aggregate information with third-parties, which is any information that has been stripped of your Registration (e.g., your name and contact information) and aggregated with information of others so that you cannot reasonably be identified as an individual (“Aggregate Information”). This Aggregate Information is different from “individual-level” information. Individual-level Genetic Information or Self-Reported Information of data about a single individual’s genotypes, diseases or other traits/characteristics information. For example, Aggregate Information may include a statement that “30% of our female users share a particular genetic trait,” without providing any data or testing results specific to any individual user. We may provide such Aggregate Information in commercial arrangements with our business partners. In contrast, individual-level Genetic Information could reveal whether a specific user has a particular genetic trait, or all of the Genetic Information about that user. HealthCodes DNA will ask for your consent to share individual-level Genetic Information or Self-Reported Information with any third-party, other than our service providers as necessary for us to provide the Services to you.
  • Information we share with commonly owned entities.We may share some or all of your information with other companies under common ownership or control of HealthCodes DNA, which may include our subsidiaries, our corporate parent, or any other subsidiaries owned by our corporate parent in order to provide you better service and improve user experience. We may provide additional notice and ask for your consent if we wish to share your information with our commonly owned entities in a materially different way than discussed in this Privacy Statement.
  1. Disclosures required by law

Under certain circumstances your information may be subject to disclosure pursuant to judicial or other government subpoenas, warrants, or orders, or in coordination with regulatory authorities, we may be required to disclose personal data in response to lawful requests by public authorities, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements. HealthCodes DNA will preserve and disclose any and all information to law enforcement agencies or others if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such preservation or disclosure is reasonably necessary to: (a) comply with legal or regulatory process (such as a judicial proceeding, court order, or government inquiry) or obligations that HealthCodes DNA may owe pursuant to ethical and other professional rules, laws, and regulations; (b) enforce the HealthCodes DNA Terms of Service and other policies; (c) respond to claims that any content violates the rights of third-parties; or (d) protect the rights, property, or personal safety of HealthCodes DNA, its employees, its users, its clients, and the public.

NOTE: If you are participating in HealthCodes DNA Research, HealthCodes DNA will withhold disclosure of your personal information involved in such research in response to judicial or other government subpoenas, warrants or orders in accordance with any applicable Certificate of Confidentiality that HealthCodes DNA and/or any of its third party providers has obtained from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). There are limits to what the Certificate of Confidentiality covers so please visit the Certificates of Confidentiality Kiosk ( https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/coc/index.htm).

  1. Your choices
  2. Access to your account

If your Registration Information changes, you may access, correct or update most of it from your Account page. You may also modify and delete certain of your information. Please note that you may not be able to delete User Content that has been shared with others through the Service and that you may not be able to delete information that has been shared with third-parties, though we can work with you to prohibit your data from being shared with third-parties in the future. We will respond to your request to access within 30 days.

  1. Marketing communications

By registering for an account, you are agreeing that we may send you promotional emails about our Services. You can opt-out of such emails by clicking the “unsubscribe” button at the bottom of any of our or third-party promotional email communications. Please note that you may not opt-out of receiving non-promotional messages regarding your account, such as technical notices, purchase confirmations, or Service-related emails.

  1. Information you choose to share with others

You may decide to disclose your personal information to friends and/or family members, doctors or other health care professionals, and/or other individuals outside of our Services, including through third-party services such as social networks and third-party apps that connect to our website and mobile apps through our application programming interface (“API”). These third-parties may use your personal information differently than we do under this Privacy Statement. Please make such choices carefully and review the privacy policies of all other third-parties involved in the transaction. For example, if you have enabled a HealthCodes DNA sharing feature with another person who downloads a third-party app that uses our API, your information may also be obtained by that third-party app developer and, potentially, by other users of that third-party app.

In general, personal information, once shared or disclosed, can be difficult to contain or retrieve. HealthCodes DNA will have no responsibility or liability for any consequences that may result because you have released or shared personal information with others.

  1. Account closure

If you no longer wish to participate in our Services or no longer wish to have your personal information be used, you may close your account by sending a request to support@healthcodesdna.com. When closing an account, we remove all Genetic Information within your account (or profile) within thirty (30) days of our receipt of your request. As stated in any applicable Consent Document, however, Genetic Information and/or Self-Reported Information that you have previously provided and for which you have given consent to use in HealthCodes DNA Research cannot be removed from ongoing or completed studies that use the information. Our contracted genotyping laboratory may also retain your Genetic Information as required by local law and we may retain backup copies for a limited period of time pursuant to our data protection policies. In addition, we retain limited Registration Information related to your order history (e.g., name, contact, and transaction data) as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you services, as well as for accounting, audit and compliance purposes.

  1. Important Information
  2. Security measures

HealthCodes DNA takes seriously the trust you place in us. To prevent unauthorized access or disclosure, to maintain data accuracy, and to ensure the appropriate use of information, HealthCodes DNA uses a range of physical, technical, and administrative measures to safeguard your Personal Information. In particular, all connections to and from our website and mobile application are encrypted using Extended Validation Secure Socket Layer (EV SSL) technology.

Please recognize that protecting your Personal Information is also your responsibility. We ask you to be responsible for safeguarding your password, secret questions and answers, and other authentication information you use to access our Services. You should not disclose your authentication information to any third-party and should immediately notify HealthCodes DNA of any unauthorized use of your password. HealthCodes DNA cannot secure Personal Information that you release on your own or that you request us to release.

Your information collected through the Service may be stored and processed in the United States or any other country in which HealthCodes DNA or its subsidiaries, affiliates or service providers maintain facilities and, therefore, your information may be subject to the laws of those other jurisdictions which may be different from the laws of your country of residence.

  1. Business transactions

In the event that HealthCodes DNA goes through a business transition such as a merger, acquisition by another company, or sale of all or a portion of its assets, your information will likely be among the assets transferred. In such a case, your information would remain subject to the promises made in any pre-existing Privacy Statement.

  1. Linked websites

HealthCodes DNA provides links to third-party websites operated by organizations not affiliated with HealthCodes DNA. HealthCodes DNA does not disclose your information to organizations operating such linked third-party websites. HealthCodes DNA does not review or endorse, and is not responsible for, the privacy practices of these organizations. We encourage you to read the privacy statements of each and every website that you visit. This Privacy Statement applies solely to information collected by HealthCodes DNA.

  1. Children’s privacy

HealthCodes DNA is committed to protecting the privacy of children as well as adults. Neither HealthCodes DNA nor any of its Services are designed for, intended to attract, or directed toward children under the age of 18. A parent or guardian, however, may collect a saliva sample from, create an account for, and provide information related to, his or her child. The parent or guardian assumes full responsibility for ensuring that the information that he/she provides to HealthCodes DNA about his or her child is kept secure and that the information submitted is accurate.

  1. Changes to this Privacy Statement

Whenever this Privacy Statement is changed in a material way, a notice will be posted as part of this Privacy Statement and on our customers’ account login pages for 30 days. After 30 days the changes will become effective. In addition, all customers will receive an email with notification of the changes prior to the change becoming effective.

  1. Contact Information

If you have questions about this Privacy Statement, please email HealthCodes DNA at info@HealthCodesDNA.com.