My daughter gave her husband this new DNA test for his birthday. Each of our 23 pairs of chromosomes is unique – and for the first time in history, we can learn from them – amazing.
Now we all want to have our personal DNA unlocked by 23andMe. Why?
First, it is interesting. We’ll discover our lineage, going back centuries.
Second, it will give us important information about our health – strengths and susceptibilities.
We’ll get a report on possible genetic health conditions, medications to which we might react poorly and inherited conditions we might pass on.
Here are the basics:
- Go to 23andMe and order the testing kit. This is basically a test tube in a mailing box, for $99. Note: You cannot send in a sample from New York State, since technically the test is not legal in NY because it is considered a lab procedure – gotta love the bureaucrats. Find a friend with an address outside of NY.
- Spit into a vial (you need about half a vial of spit) which you then cap and send off to the lab.
- Create an online profile – you fill out a pretty long form, and you give them some info about yourself for your dashboard. Maybe I am paranoid or overly protective about my health data, but I am going to use my middle name, not my full name. No need to have EVERYBODY know my health business.
- Approximately 4-6 weeks later, you get an email letting you know that your results are ready.
- Log into your dashboard, and see your ancestry.
- The % of your DNA that originated in different parts of the world over 500 years ago, so pre-colonial times and oceanic travel.
- Your health predispositions – heritable diseases for which you have markers, drug response, etc.
- Your traits – likelihood of having curly vs. straight hair, likelihood of eye color, etc. and a lot more fun stuff.
- Information is regularly updated as 23andMe learns more and refines their methodology
You can make your profile public or private – totally up to you. I’ll go with private.
Leave a comment
