FAQs

Check out our ‘get started’ page which outlines the five simple steps involved in creating your personalised health programme.  

You will receive a health roadmap based on your lifestyle, family history and genetic testing results delivered by Life100’s doctor.  This will provide recommended additional screening (if indicated), lifestyle changes and vitamin and nutrient advice together with an exercise and diet plan. As part of the one-off fee, you will receive a 30x whole genome genetic test and you will gain access to the SelfDecode gene library with a 1-year membership, this can be extended through a membership with SelfDecode. The library is updated regularly and contains all current genetic research linked to your genome.

Depending on what Bundle you select, you will receive:

Essential Bundle

Gain access to the SelfDecode portal with over 1,250 Comprehensive DNA Health Reports, personalised diet, supplement & lifestyle recommendations. Methylation pathway analysis and 130+ medial reports. 25+ longevity risk assessments and a 1-year subscription to your data and all the reports. You can resubscribe each year continuing access to your data and ongoing insights, or you can choose to download your data for future use.

Whole Genome Sequencing Bundle

Everything in the Essential Bundle plus updated reports to incorporate Whole Genome Sequencing functionality, American College of Medical Genetics and Genomic reports, plus rare variant analysis.

Consult Add on

You will receive a health roadmap based on lifestyle, family history and genetic testing results delivered by Life100’s doctor. This will provide recommended additional screening (if indicated), lifestyle changes, and dive into the diet vitamin and nutrients that are recommended for you based on your results.

There are 3 options to choose from:

Essential Bundle: USD $667 - you receive a discount from the standard SelfDecode price

Whole Genome Sequencing: USD $999 - you receive a discount from the standard SelfDecode price

Consult: NZD $600 + GST - this is a one-off fee that will cover the in depth review of your reports plus a tailored roadmap developed by Life100 co-founder and practicing GP, Dr Paul Stoddart, to optimise your future health outcomes.

It provides insight into the individual’s extended families’ health concerns, illness and significant risks that run in families.  Lifestyle assessment provides insight into the individual's current behaviours, such as diet, sleep, stress, exercise and more, and these can provide a predictor to future risk of illness. The combination of all three factors enables us to provide a roadmap to help improve future health outcomes.

There is no reason not to go ahead – in fact you will be able to see if there is anything we should be looking out for – lifestyle and testing at the right ages become increasingly important and predispositions in your genes can give you useful information about tests that are tailored to you.

Your healthcare plan will include advice on future screening tests and when you should have them done plus lifestyle and nutritional advice. We anticipate that your healthcare programme will assist your GP and or specialist who will follow things up and provide the ongoing care. The LIFE100 Doctor will be happy to answer any relevant questions you may have about your healthcare plan.

We understand that it is sometimes hard to make changes to your lifestyle, diet and exercise habits. With the help of a coach, they will check in with you to ensure your future screening tests are booked and help you implement your bespoke health management plan.

Life 100 was founded by Paul Stoddart, a doctor, and Shelley Stoddart, who saw a gap in the market for a proactive health programme designed through a combination of comprehensive health screening and world-leading genetic testing. To find out more about our co-founders see their bios on the ‘Our Team’ page.    

A team of 70 highly qualified professionals in science, engineering, genomics and artificial intelligence came together to build SelfDecode. It is the most accurate direct-to-consumer precision health software available today.

SelfDecode is the only company in the world that directly provides you with a holistic set of accurate health recommendations based on your genes so that you can take charge of your own healthcare with data-driven precision health decisions.

In order to make the best health decisions, you must take all of your health data into account. Otherwise, you end up addressing individual problems or symptoms without looking at the whole picture. The problem is that there is just too much information for any human to analyse.

Click here to learn more about SelfDecode

A genetic test that decodes 100% of your DNA is called Whole Genome Sequencing. It includes the sequencing of all genes (coding regions), regulatory genomic regions, the Y chromosome (for males), and mitochondrial DNA. In contrast, other types of genetic tests examine less than 1% of your genome (e.g. tests from DNA companies such as AncestryDNA, 23andMe, MyHeritage DNA, and Living DNA). It is the best DNA test for health, ancestry as well as the best test for genomic research (academia and pharmaceutical companies) and public health purposes. You can learn more about Whole Genome Sequencing (and genetics and genomics in general) on the websites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institutes of Health.

Whole Genome Sequencing uses a massively parallel DNA sequencing technology called Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS), that enables large scale sequencing of many short DNA molecules at the same time. This is much faster than sequencing the full length of the entire genome base-by-base. To determine the order of the short DNA fragments that are output by the sequencing machines, the fragments are computationally mapped to a reference genome and the full-length DNA strands of the newly sequenced genome are reconstructed.Whole Genome Sequencing is much more advanced than the other DNA tests typically used by companies like 23andMe and AncestryDNA.

Whole Genome Sequencing identifies all genetic variation in the genome and is not limited to single-gene sequencing for specific diseases. For this reason, it is the best DNA test to discover genetic health risks and for diagnosis of genetic conditions. For example, Whole Genome DNA Sequencing can determine if there is an increased risk of developing diseases like hereditary cancers (e.g. a high risk for breast and ovarian cancer) and genetic predispositions to many other health conditions.  It allows you to find out what genes are functioning and what genes aren't. It will unveil genetic mutations that may impact genetic methylation. Genetic methylation is a process the body goes through to regulate gene expression patterns. It is how the body converts raw nutrients into usable forms that the body needs. It plays a critical role in disease and response to environmental factors. It is essential for detoxification, energy production, hormone balance plus immune and nervous system function.

Whole Genome Sequencing enables patients to receive improved medical care that takes genetic disease and gene expression into consideration. Combining Whole Genome Sequencing data with family history and combined further screening tests with a specialist, where appropriate can help evaluation of disease risks, early diagnosis and optimise health outcomes.

Whole Genome Sequencing is also the best DNA test for ancestry. Unlike other DNA ancestry services, SelfDecode fully decode mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA testing; maternal lineage) and Y chromosomes (Y-CHR testing; paternal lineage) which can help identify connections between your DNA profile and distant family members through ancestors who lived a long time ago.

If you have selected one of the bundle options, you will receive a notification from SelfDecode that your reports are available for you to review.  With the consultation add on, you will receive a tailormade healthcare programme developed by Life100’s Dr Paul Stoddart that keeps pace with advances in genetic medicine. Your plan will include advice on nutrition, exercise, lifestyle and future screening tests tailormade to your specific health needs so you can take control of your future health.

We will schedule a one hour consultation to review and discuss recommendations with you.  If you have not selected the consultation add on, you can upgrade to this option at any time; please contact us and we will assist.

Yes! SelfDecode do Whole Genome Sequencing which means that they decode all ~20,000 genes in the human genome. This includes any gene that you might be interested in. If you are interested in specific genes to see if you are a carrier e.g cystic fibrosis this will be identified by the test and an appropriate specialist referral will need to be booked.

New scientific studies that advance our understanding of human genetics are published every day. SelfDecode offer a subscription model because they are always adding new content and features. SelfDecode is not a one-and-done report or service!

SelfDecode regularly adds new report topics, updates current reports, and refines your personalised content. Your subscription fee also covers the updates they make to ensure accuracy and improve their models as new research comes out.

At SelfDecode, they understand that DNA is only one part of the puzzle, so they also encourage you to upload recent labs every few months and retake your Lifestyle Assessments, so you can see the real progress you're making as you implement your tailored recommendations.

They understand that subscriptions aren’t for everyone, and you’re welcome to cancel at any time to prevent your subscription from renewing. Just be sure to cancel during the current subscription period if you don’t want it to automatically renew, as they aren’t able to cancel subscriptions that have already renewed.

The turnaround time is similar to other DNA testing services.  Once you complete the online order, SelfDecode will send you an at-home DNA testing kit.  Your kit will typically take 10-15 business days for the outbound shipment to reach New Zealand.  Follow the kit instructions to provide your sample and prepare it to be returned to the lab.  Once the sample is received by the lab it will be processed in an average of 12-14 weeks.  You will be notified when your DNA sequencing results are ready to be reviewed.

Yes. Whole Genome Sequencing is not limited to autosomal testing but also fully decodes sex chromosomes and mitochondrial DNA.

In New Zealand, health insurance does not cover the cost of Whole Genome Sequencing DNA testing or health assessments.  Please check with your health insurance policy for any disclosure requirements.  Life100 will not disclose any data with insurance companies unless required to by law.

Contact shelley@life100.co.nz  and we will provide assistance.