Welcome to ME.
- Rachel Rosana
- Mar 25, 2019
- 8 min read
***PLEASE READ***
The following blog is from my OWN point of view, and based on my own results. THIS IS NOT A PAID OR SPONSORED REVIEW. NO ONE forced me to do a DNA/health testing, I do these tests because I want to find out more about who I am. I mentioned this to my friends and family, I will mention it again here... Whatever my results turn out to be I will decide on what I want to share and what I don't. Please respect my privacy. Do not ask me for more details than what is already stated below in my blogs.
Thank you.
-Rachel R0sana
PART 1 SUMMARY:
In a previous blog which can be read HERE, I did a DNA genetic testing where I found out where I came from using an ANCESTRY kit.
Why did I do it?
Well if you don't know, I am adopted. I don't know my health background or anything about where I come from. Yes, I know where I was born, where I was adopted, how many siblings I possibly have, and my birth moms "name". I say that with quotes because there are a few versions of her name on my documents, I don't know which she currently uses, or used, and the reason I search and do these DNA kits.
The biggest surprise of my results was the percentage of being native american, and part french. I was 90% Native American from two parts of the world (central and southern)... which is a pretty big percentage, but I expected to be maybe 60% if that... but 90% was what surprised me. As for the french part, I found out I am 3% french, in the areas of Limgoes, Clermont-Ferrand and Saint-Etienne of France. I have personally never heard of them but it is interesting. I probably wouldn't go there for vacation because it is only 3% of who I am. If the percentage were greater than 10, perhaps, I would explore the area. Otherwise, my results were not shocking to me.
Overall, I did not find this particular kit to be helpful to me. I am searching for a more in depth research. If you are looking for basic information and nothing too detailed, then this kit is for you. But I feel it just did not give me the detailed information I was searching for. It gives you a huge area of possibilities of where you may have come from. Sure, they give you the history of the areas you come from, but that can be done by a simple Google search. I've recently noticed they have updated their systems and are able to expand more on your DNA, however, you have to pay extra to get access to those. I don't think it is worth the time, energy, money and hopes... which is why I went to the other DNA kit to explore not only more of my heritage... but my H E A L T H information.
PART 2: "Welcome to you."
I was at temple a few weeks ago and sitting in front of my mother and I was this woman who is one of the new members who recently joined the temple. She began speaking with my mother and I about how she did this DNA kit and found out her father she called "dad," was not her father at all. When I heard that, I remember my mouth dropped and I gasped in horror. I have heard stories from the comments on the kits, and on the news about how people are starting to find out that a few members in their family, aren't really family. Many of the stories end in tragic heartbreak, but for the woman from my temple she was rather relieved.
She had a smile on her face after she told us that she was happy at who really was her father, because it would seem he was more to a father figure to her than the person she called dad. I sat there in temple thinking, if the roles were reversed I don't know how I would feel about those results. I suppose that is what makes us all different. We all go through different journeys and paths for whatever reason that makes us who we are.
After temple, I went home and my mom and I had a serious discussion about this kit she used. The kit this woman used was 23andMe. I had a lot of mixed feelings about 23andMe. I knew that if I did that kit I would HAVE to do the health record for it, not just my heritage...because of how negative I am I immediately went to the worse possible results I could get if I were to do the health part of the kit. I thought of cancer, Alzheimer, dying young and so many other things. I saw what Alzheimer did to my grandmother.. and it killed me each time I would visit her in the nursing home. It was something I don't recommend and can't say I would want for my own mother (my adoptive mother I am speaking about here).
I thought things through for a few days, contemplating and thinking about how important it is to know about your health and what you might be predisposed to. I remember the last time I saw my primary doctor we discussed me doing 23andMe. He wasn't for it because he believed science can't possible get ALL that information from a tube of spit. There is a lot more things they need from you to be able to give you those results...and honestly, I have to agree with him on that. However, if I knew my birth family, and knew my medical history I Probably wouldn't have done this health kit to begin with. Not to mention this kit was pricier than the ANCESTRY kit. I paid a total of $83.95 for my ANCESTRY kit, that included the fastest shipping, otherwise it would have been $59.00. Keep in mind the ANCESTRY kit did NOT include medical health record, just your heritage. The total amount for 23andMe was about $223.00. Again, I got the fastest shipping possible, otherwise it would have cost me $199.00 for my Health and Ancestry.
Many may be turned off by these prices, trust me I was as well which is why it took me a while to want to do the kit. But after the discussion about this woman's results from my temple I knew that I had to do this test, not just for my moms (adoptive mother) piece of mind, but my own.
I ordered the kit on March 10th, and sent it in the very next day. They received it 2 days later in their lab. I remember walking to my local post office near my house and thinking how brave I was to do this test and how I need to take this seriously. I didn't think I would take it like a joke, but what I mean is that whatever it says read, talk about it and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I thought that well, I am a curvy plump Native American girl trying to survive this horrible dark world...therefore, it is MY time to take these results and make a change within myself... one way or another. I also knew that I would eventually share my results with my doctor. I wanted to him to have a copy of results and that way, even if he didn't necessarily believe that was my 100% medical record, it was something we could watch out for. I will say I have been through a few things with my health and have done massive amounts of tests the average person wouldn't usually do.. and they screened me for just about everything. At my tender age of twenty-eight, they haven't found anything out of the normal. (knock on wood)
My Results:
East Asian & Native American - 87.9%
European - 8.7%
Sub-Saharan African - 1.6%
Unassigned - 1.8% (there was no data available - they explain: "There is a wide range of human diversity out there, and sometimes our algorithm can't pinpoint a region of your DNA to a specific population. Bear with us as our data and resources continue to expand. We expect the amount of unassigned ancestry our customers see to decrease.")
As I had in my last one, the surprises I found was that I am NO in way FRENCH. There was no france gene in me. However, after further reading and understanding my 23andme results, it would seem that ANCESTRY did not dig deep enough in their study, only on the surface research. Whereas, 23andme went below the surface and went to every percentage possible. Which is what I was looking for and wanted in a DNA test... So thank you 23andme. But I think the reason they thought perhaps I may have ancestors in france but 23andme was not able to provide that information.
To sum up - the surprises -
I am part Nigerian (0.2%) Even if it is the smallest percent, 23andme was able to provide that incredible information!
I didn't necessarily come from France.
My ancestors were known to be the people in Africa who were the Hunters and Gathers. Which is nice to know.. that my people provided for their people.
Some of the other results they found that I thought were interesting and worth sharing:
Thoughts: Everything here is TRUE. I am not into sweets as much as I love salty foods. I love pretzels, popcorn, I put salt and pepper on everything.
and
Thoughts: Singing... uh. I sing for myself.. no one else. Asparagus.. I don't even know how I would explain that smell. Bitter Taste, well I am picky with my food and don't like bitter or sour foods. I don't have dimples, or a cleft chin. As for Cilantro.. uh? I guess? I haven't really thought about that one. I am not a fan or a fan of it... but I certainly won't reach for it on any given day.
Comparing Both Results: ANCESTRY & 23andme
ANCESTRY:
23andme:
My map: The colors are where my ancestors are from. Interesting fact! My ancestors started to migrate in Asia (peach pinkish color) - in China area. down to Alaska, through the west coast of the United States and town to South America - to finally where I was born - Paraguay, South America (light yellow area on the bottom left).
Final Thoughts:
I've decided to NOT share my health results. I may have shared with some but I do not want to share here.
I will say is that I did find 3 things that are areas of concern, as I looked further into my health records of 23andme I found potentially 1 thing I can change in my life, and the other 2 well --- one of them won't necessarily happen at all, it just meant that someone in my ancestry in the early stages may have had it, but there is no trace in me personally. The other, well I may bring to the attention of my doctor to watch. But both can be managed and carefully watched.
I am grateful for this experience. I understand there is negativity surrounds these DNA tests, and how the government can trace you and what not. I say, do these test at YOUR OWN RISK. Do it because YOU want to know, not because someone forced you. If you are an adoptee, like myself... DO IT! You will find some interesting things out! If you are not adopted... hm, I would probably pass.
Overall, the health results you take with a grain of salt. It shows your past, not necessarily you today. But it really depends on the person doing the test. I will say my health results are great considering what others have gotten. I am blessed that my ancestors and birth family are healthy. As for my ancestry, well it confirmed a few things for me, I am Native American, and European. I loved the experience, was worth the money for me and I am happy I did it.
Comments