03 Sep 23 and Me Genetic Testing: Is It Worth It?
Am I the only one that gets REALLY excited about test results + labs to get an inside look of your body? I’m not the only one, right? I hope not, because it’s SO important to understand your body + how it works. Genetic testing, like 23 and me, is included! If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that when I work with clients, I’m working with their bio-individuality. There are many things in the world of “health + wellness” that makes it seem like nutrition + diet is a one size fits all idea. When it’s not……..
So, it’s important to understand your body and see how you are beautifully unique. I decided to finally pull the trigger on 23 + Me and look more into my genetics. My experience was smooth….
- You order the test.
- The test gets shipped to you and all you have to do is spit (kinda a lot) into a vial and ship it back out. Don’t worry, all the packaging is done for you – so it’s SUPER easy and fast.
- Wait 6-8 weeks for the results (Yes, that’s a bit long, but I’m impatient :P)
- You’ll get results back in your account about your ancestry (which is REALLY cool to see) and some health risk factors.
The health risk factors that are tested by 23 + Me are your risk factors for Parkinson’s, Alzheimers, age-related eye degeneration, blood clot risk, risk of iron overload, and a lung/liver disease disease.
You also find out about your genetics + how it relates to your genetic weight, lactose intolerance (this is actually really common), alcohol flushing, caffeine consumption, deep sleeper, and muscle composition.
Now trust me when I say that there is SO much more you can learn from your genetics outside of what they tell you, but you can download your raw data from the test and take it to other places to learn MORE about yourself.
When you download your raw data, you can upload it to certain websites like Genetic Genie, which is where I learned about my methylation process + detoxification process and then I used CodeGen.Eu to read more into my genes.
What I learned about myself
During my time with getting the 23+me done, I’ve found that I do have a homozygous MTHFR gene mutation, which means some of my detoxification pathways do not work as well + I can’t turn folic acid into the methylated usable form of folate, which can lead easily to nutrient deficiencies. (You’d be REALLY surprised how many foods and supplements have folic acid added into it. No, you don’t want folic acid. You want folate) Good thing, I’ve been taking care of my body and taking the methylated forms of folate already + eating real wholesome foods. I’m so glad that I do know this though, as now I know that my children have some type of mutation as well (since they get one gene from their mom + one from their dad).
A podcast episode is coming soon where we talk all about the MTHFR gene mutation if you are interested in learning about it as well. Almost half the population has some type of mutation in this gene + there are things that you can do + change to help support your body!
I’ve also found out from my genes that I don’t metabolize coffee very well + I’ve linked to an increase in anxiety when I drink regular coffee often. I also don’t metabolize common pain relief medications well either, like ibuprofen, so I have more of an increased risk of stomach bleeding when taking these medications.
Since breast cancer runs in my family, I’ve found genes that increase my risk of breast cancer and even, multiple sclerosis! Crazy, right? I saw that my risk of asthma when exposed to smoke increases 3x the normal (which actually happened when I was younger + my parents smoked) + even now I can’t be around smoke because it bothers my lungs.
I like to think of it though as the gun can be loaded, but that doesn’t mean the trigger is going to be pulled. ESPECIALLY since I control as much as I can in my environment. What I eat + the quality of what I eat, my sleep habits, my exercise habits, reducing environmental chemicals as much as I can, which can range from my beauty products to cookware.
P.S. I do have a gene that shows that I have no body odor – most likely from my Asian genes. I’ve never had to wear deodorant – WIN!
So, while all of this may sound REALLY scary, especially having a higher risk in certain diseases. It does NOT mean that it’s going to be happen, but I’m very aware of how my body is set up now that I can properly take care of it to reduce my risk for what I’m at a “higher risk” to get.
It’s SO IMPORTANT to know + understand your body + I truly believe everyone should be aware and in the know of the body that they live in.
The 23+me test is only $200 and it’s a great Christmas gift to ask for. 😉
