When it comes to DNA testing kits, I have tested a few of them. Some for ancestral DNA, some for health related reasons.
With SelfDecode, the company specializes in wellness reports and genetic predispositions, so I figured it would be worth giving a try!
Now the last time I have ran one was a company that was more hospital-based and doing extended testing around a decade ago.
With the SelfDecode Health DNA Test Kit, I liked the idea of having something more professional with a layout that is much more easier to read.
The test is about $99 and pretty much, like other DNA testing, you spit into a vial (making sure you haven’t eaten anything) and then you mix it up with the solution in the vial, put it in a bag and it comes with a box with postage paid and you mail it out.
Now despite having done this around at the end of July, I have been checking each week to find out how long it takes and the company does say 6-8 weeks. I was able to check it out by the second week of September. So, definitely know in advance to give it at least 8 weeks and keep checking the website.
As mentioned, I wanted this primarily to check my health and see what selfdecode site would have to say about my health. And interesting results.
Here are a few things that I am willing to share with you. You will get the following indications in green, yellow or red. Red is more likely.
So, let’s take a look at the following.
While I never had suffered sinus congestions in my young or my young adult life, I did start having issues with it, within the last decade. Sometimes so bad that I have to go home for work. But the likelihood is in the middle, so, I’ll focus what is in red.
As for caffeine-related anxiety, as many of you know, I review a lot of coffee, but I also have something that most people don’t get with coffee and that is a really delayed reaction of caffeine. Sometimes I can drink coffee in the morning and it will kick in at night while I’m sleeping and I can’t sleep.
But do I suffer from caffeine-related anxiety, I don’t know, because I drink coffee and can have anxiety with or without it.
Well, insomnia is something that I do suffer from.
I have discussed this on my vlogs or podcasts even when I was younger, a day before an event, I can’t sleep. I have a mind that overthinks, sometimes I have dreams of working as my brain is trying to process and solve things and it sucks. I do have to sleep with prescribed sleeping medication in order to get sleep. Because when I don’t, my blood sugar and blood pressure go up. So far, those in red have been quite accurate for me.
When I was younger, I would suffer from acne, but I figured that all teenagers faced that. Haven’t really suffered from it since graduating from college though.
As for lactose intolerance, I thought that was something all Asians tend to experience. But it is true, I am severely lactose intolerant to most dairy, so I have to drink lactose-free milk. Although, pizza doesn’t disturb me as much.
So, other things in red. Genetically, I am predisposed to being overweight. I see that happening if I don’t take care of myself.
Now interesting that I am more likely to have tinnitus (ringing in the ears). I know people who suffer it badly, and I worried about this myself because as a photographer for a lot of celebrities, especially music acts and having to be front stage right next to the speakers. After years of concerts, yes…I will have tinnitus once in a blue moon. Mostly when I am in laying in bed about to sleep and it lasts for less than a minute.
Another is eczema, which I was shocked to see because I have been fighting eczema since I was a kid.
But as I went through each, I saw a lot of things that I did have, and some I don’t have. For example, migraines. In my whole life, I never suffered from a non-sinus related migraine and sinus-related migraine, maybe 2 or 3 times in my life. But that’s about it.
I do get my blood checked regularly to know if I am deficient in any vitamins and also to check for any issues with my liver or other areas.
If anything, I do feel that SelfDecode is useful, as some people can find out if there is something that can be fixed, maybe through supplements, exercise or therapy.
I do like how you can break things down by category, may it be brain, heart & blood vessels, hormones, gut health, diet and nutrition, sleep, bone joint & muscles, metabolic health, immune function & inflammation, kidneys & urinary tract, respiratory health, reproductive health, blood, skin, pain and fatigue and more.
This is much better than the previous one I have utilized because you can narrow things down. And I also feel the graphic interface helps a lot as well, especially with the information on what people can do to help limit certain situations or learning more about what causes it. And then you can generate a PDF.
I do believe that the more people who take part in SelfDecode, as with genealogy, the better the results become. In fact, when you download the report PDF’s, it will tell you that it’s based on the latest scientific studies and that they are not perfect and will change as models improve. And that results might be more accurate for some ethnic groups than others. And not everyone with risk variants will develop a health condition.
For example, my mother suffers from varicose veins since she was in her 40s, but none of us in the family do. Granted, it is in the family but it doesn’t mean we will all have that problem.
And also an emphasis that health is a combination of genetics, lifestyle and environmental factors. So, changing one’s lifestyle can lower risks.
But overall, I’m pleased with SelfDecode DNA Test Kit. I know they are planning to get into genealogical but for the purpose of wellness reports and genetic predispositions, I believe SelfDecode is on the right path and I like what I see. Just remember, you may need to wait the full eight weeks to get your results.
