What If Your “Age” Isn’t Your Age?
Most people think aging is a straight line: each birthday, you get one year older… end of story. But epigenetic age testing is showing us something far more empowering: your body’s biological age can look younger or older than your chronological age based on how your life has shaped you, stress, sleep, movement, nutrition, environment, and more.
In this episode of Everyday Epigenetics: Raw, Real, Relatable, Susan Robbins takes you inside the world of epigenetic age testing and makes it make sense, without fear, overwhelm, or “biohacker-only” language.
Epigenetics 101 (Without the Confusion)
Dr. Lauren Clark from TruDiagnostic starts by breaking down the basics: your genes are the hardware, but your epigenome is the software. In other words, your DNA isn’t a fixed script that controls your destiny. Your body places chemical “tags” on DNA (DNA methylation) that influence which genes get turned on or off.
Life leaves marks. And now, we can read those marks.
The Part You’ll Want to Watch on YouTube
Then Susan brings you into a real-time walkthrough of her own epigenetic age report with Jess Bonthius, medical science liaison at TruDiagnostic. Yes, Susan shares her actual results and lets you see what these reports look like and what they can reveal.
If you’ve ever avoided testing because you were afraid of what you’d find, you’ll relate to Susan’s honesty here. She talks about going through an intense season of stress, delaying her test for over a year, and still being genuinely shocked by what showed up.
Why This Isn’t About Panic, It’s About Power
One of the biggest takeaways: this isn’t a pass/fail test. It’s a snapshot, more like a roadmap.
Even when markers are “off,” the goal isn’t anxiety. It’s action. These tests can help you see where your body may need more support, recovery, inflammation balance, stress resilience, or lifestyle adjustments, so you can make smarter decisions moving forward.
And the best part? You don’t need a $40,000-per-year protocol to improve your biology. Susan and Dr. Clark emphasize that the biggest levers are still the fundamentals: movement, sleep, nutrition, and stress support, done consistently and in a way that fits you.
Listen to the Episode
If you want a clear, grounded, empowering conversation about epigenetic testing, what it is, how to interpret it, and how to use it without spiraling, this is the episode.
Press play and learn how to use your data as a tool for optimization, not fear.
Learn more about our guest Dr. Loren Clarke:
I am a board-certified pathologist and medical executve with over two decades of experience in clinical diagnostics, genomics, and healthcare leadership. My career in the diagnostics industry has centered on building and leading Medical Affairs functions to support the adoption of innovative molecular diagnostic tests.
Most recently, I served as Chief Medical Officer at DermTech, where I led clinical, scientific, and commercial initiatives to advance non-invasive genomic testing for skin cancer and cancer risk assessment. In that role, I directed clinical studies to demonstrate the validity and utility of genomic assays, partnered with government and commercial payers and health systems to drive adoption, and guided regulatory strategy in the evolving precision medicine landscape. A core part of my work was translating complex genomic science into clear, actionable information for both providers and patients.
Prior to DermTech, I was Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs in Dermatology at Myriad Genetics, where I oversaw the development and launch of novel molecular diagnostics for skin cancer and managed a Medical Affairs team responsible for provider education, evidence generation, and payer engagement. Earlier in my career, I served on the faculty at Penn State’s Hershey Medical Center as Director of the Molecular and Morphologic Research Laboratory, Associate Director of Pathology for the Skin Cancer Center, and Director of the Pathology Residency Training Program. For my contributions to education, I received multiple teaching awards, including the Faculty Exemplary Teaching Award and the Society of Distinguished Educators Clinical Teaching Excellence Award.
I have authored more than 100 peer-reviewed abstracts and manuscripts and contributed to numerous book chapters. I have delivered over 75 invited lectures worldwide, and I have been honored by organizations including the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the American Society of Dermatopathology. Today, I continue to work in supporting the development of innovative genomic diagnostics and advancing education in genomics for payers, regulators, healthcare providers, and patients.
Learn more about our guest Jessica Bonthius:
Jessica Bonthius joined TruDiagnostic as a Medical Science Liaison in July 2025, and serves as a resource to healthcare providers looking to integrate epigenetic testing into patient care. Jessica has expertise in environmental health, applied epidemiology, public health surveillance, and health communications. Before joining TruDiagnostic, Jessica served as Senior Epidemiologist and Program Coordinator for Maine CDC’s Environmental Toxicology and Epidemiology Programs. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Toxicology from the University of California, Davis, and a Masters of Public Health with a specialization in Environmental Epidemiology from Yale University.
RESOURCES:
Shownotes: https://healthyawakening.co/2026/02/16/episode111/
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Connect with Susan: https://healthyawakening.co/
Visit the website: healthyawakening.co/podcast
Find listening links here: https://healthyawakening.co/links
Connect with Susan:
- Check out Susan’s NEW E-book! Download it FREE here: https://healthyawakening.co/ebook-signup
- Contact me for your DNA testing or epigenetic coaching! To schedule a FREE consultation, send an email to susan@healthyawakening.co
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Learn More about Susan Robbins:
Susan is a retired law enforcement officer and an accomplished Certified Epigenetic Human Performance Coach with a diverse and extensive background in wellness. She began her wellness career in 2015 as a holistic health and stress management coach. Her passion for helping others led her to expand her expertise into epigenetics in 2019, where she discovered the missing piece of the health optimization puzzle: Personalized health.
As a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Certified Level 2 Apeiron Zoh Epigenetic Human Performance Coach (DNA), and Certified PH360 Coach through Precision Health Alliance, Susan has developed a unique approach to health and wellness through completely personalized health. She is the proud recipient of the 2023 Precision Health Alliance Coach of the Year award. Susan works with clients to elevate their health and overall quality of life by understanding their unique needs based on their genetic makeup, taking out the guesswork, and getting results.
