If you’ve ever been curious about what made you the way you are, perhaps DNA ancestry and genetic testing has crossed your mind at some point. After all, your genes are what primarily connect you to your parents, and to all the people that belong to your bloodline.
Physical characteristics are often what make these connections obvious. However, people from a single bloodline can also be connected through the manifestation of health problems.
Hence, a DNA testing kit for ancestry is no longer just a useful tool for studying consanguinity. It’s also a great way for you to better understand the health risks that you might face and possibly pass on to your children.
What Can You Expect From Genetic Testing?
Although genetic testing has its limitations, its health benefits can be a lifesaver. Aside from learning about the good traits that you’ve inherited from your mother and father, it also helps you make sense of your health troubles.
Listed below are some of the reasons why DNA tests can help you deal with health risks better:
Benefit From Early Detection
Sometimes, no matter how much effort you put into keeping yourself healthy, you simply will not be able to run away from the curse of genetics. Fortunately, genetic testing can afford you some time to plan the best way to face inherited health issues.
Oftentimes, people’s serious diseases only get diagnosed when it’s already too late. genetic testing can give you a clear idea of the diseases that you could inherit and can help you trace where they are in your genes.
If you’re already feeling the symptoms of any of those diseases, it would be easier for you to get properly diagnosed on your next doctor’s appointment. Most people are treated due to early detection, something that incredibly minimizes your suffering.
Avoid Further Check-ups
Even if you can describe your symptoms perfectly well, unfortunately, there are times when you still will not be able to get an accurate diagnosis from your doctor. Upon the first visit, they’ll often give you a treatment plan, and when it doesn’t work, you’ll be forced to come back.
A DNA test can take away that hassle by revealing the possible things that you could be dealing with. When your doctor knows what your health predispositions are based on your DNA, it will help them rule out other possibilities immediately.
Determine Which Treatments Are The Most Effective For You
In connection with the second point, once your doctor is able to correctly pinpoint your issue, they’ll also have a clearer idea about your possible treatment options. Your genetic testing will help them figure out which types of medications and what dosages would work best for you.
The results will also help them adjust accordingly if their first treatment plan didn’t go as expected. Although your DNA cannot give your doctor all the answers, it will at least help them save time by skipping on options that clearly doesn’t work for your specific condition.
Find Out If You’re A Carrier
People inherit two copies of a gene, one from each parent. This gene can either be dominant or recessive. Having one or two copies of a dominant gene means that you’ll manifest this particular trait. On the other hand, you’ll need two copies of a recessive gene for it to show up on you.
When you’re a carrier, it means that you have one copy of the dominant and the recessive gene. Let’s say that this gene is for a particular disease. You may not be suffering from such a disease, but you may pass it on to your offspring if you are going to have a child with someone who has that disease or is also a carrier like yourself.
Having this information allows you to know how you can properly take care of your children if they ever inherit the disease. This can also help you prioritize which type of mate you should choose so you can be sure that your offspring will be healthy.
Conclusion: Your DNA Can Reveal How Prone You Are to Health Issues
Your DNA contains the information that would explain why you look and behave the way you do. It also explains why you’re predisposed to certain health issues, and why your children might inherit some traits from you even if you don’t display those traits.
Genetic testing isn’t just a means to confirm familial ties. It’s also a powerful tool for discovering any health problems that you might have. Once you know what’s in your DNA, it will be easier for you to learn how you can take better care of your body so you can have a healthier life.
