23 AND ME DNA KIT - MY EXPERIENCE
23 and me is an Ancestry DNA Kit available in many countries around the world. I have always wanted to try one of these ancestry DNA kits. So for Christmas this year my husband purchased the 23 and me DNA and health kit. For years I was hesitant to purchase one of these kits. Why was I hesitant? I was hesitant mainly because of the cost. 23 and me along with some of the other DNA kits available are a bit pricey.
Does 23 and me sell your personal data?
My husband on the other hand was not thrilled with the idea of the DNA kit because of privacy concerns. Due to these privacy concerns he began researching which DNA kits which do not sell Your data. 23 and me prides themselves in offering these DNA services while also protecting your health and personal information. They do give you options to be able to opt into specific research and help with further research but you have to sign to opt in and provide your permission.
Why did my husband choose to purchase this gift for me?
My husband knew that this was something important to me he wanted to give me the opportunity to explore my ancestry. I grew up for years hearing things about my ancestors and had always been interested in genealogy . Growing up my uncle was also interested in genealogy and had given me some documentation from researching our family tree. Ever since then I have been intrigued by a past I knew nothing about and relatives I have never met.
The gift of a 23 and me experience
When I opened my Christmas gift I was shocked. My husband's hesitation to ever do one of these DNA kits made me never expect this gift. I was thrilled however to receive something as a gift that meant so much to me. Why did it mean so much to me? As I said previously I've had an interest in genealogy and exploring my family's background since I was very young. Growing up I was told a few things such as we have German ancestors and our last name was Hungarian. So going into this DNA kit experiment I knew these things to be true but I knew little else about my family history. I highly recommend giving a 23 and me kit , as a gift to others as long as they are interested in doing one. It is one of the best gifts to gain an awesome once in a lifetime experience and learn more about yourself. When you don't know what to get someone a unique experience is away better gift than almost anything.
Mailing in my DNA kit to 23 and me
About a week after Christmas I pulled out the DNA kit to complete it and mail it in. Why did I wait? I was unsure if there would be a delay in processing due to the holiday. I realized that many others also received this DNA kit for Christmas. I was a bit uncertain about sending it in to quickly with the rush of people also mailing theirs in after the holiday. I completed the kit and took it to the post office in the prepaid mailing box and dropped in a post office mailbox inside the post office after hours.
Read the instructions for the 23 and me DNA test thoroughly
When I pulled out the kit from the packaging the instructions cautioned me to read the information thoroughly. I highly recommend Reading it just as they said in the packet because there are a few things that you might not expect that are important. Such is not eating or drinking within a short time before doing the specimen. I never considered that this would affect it but after I mailed my name then I read a few complaints from customers who are unhappy that stated They were sent another kit to do over as a result of this.
How long did it take to receive my results?
Once I sent in my 23 and me DNA sample the process began. Shipping and tracking were included so they did not cost in addition to buying the kit. I also loved that 23 and me shared with me each step of the process they were currently in throughout the entire process. Once the sample arrived at the 23 and me facility it was logged and was marked in processing shortly after arrival. From start to finish they updated to let me know everything from arrival to completion which I really appreciated. I was very eager to get my results and to know when my results would be available. The time frame from start to finish was acceptable and shorter than I had initially expected. After completing my 23 and me experience I would say that I believe my testing was not really delayed at all by the holiday rush. I have spoke with a few others here in the USA who have done it different times of the year and they say they received theirs in approximately 3 - 4 weeks. My DNA results arrived from 23 and me within about 3 weeks.
What surprised me the most about my results?
For years I had been told that I was Hungarian and that my ancestors came from Hungary. I was very interested in discovering more about my ancestors and my heritage through my dna. After my results came back I was surprised that my Hungarian dna was far less than I had once believed. However, I can see where there is some Eastern European DNA in my profile but it does not specifically define it as Hungarian at all.
Here is what my report looked like
What features did I like the best?
I loved just looking at my DNA patterns and then researching more about my heritage. I think the ancestry composition was one of my favorite aspects of the testing and resources supplied. It was really cool to see a breakdown in my actual DNA profile. There were definitely a lot of surprises like the fact that I have so much French DNA, the Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry and the Central & South Asian and Siberian DNA. None of these were things I really knew anything about prior to my DNA testing. The Ashkenazi Jewish DNA was never something I knew anything about before my DNA results and the results of a sibling of mine who was also tested. This is a very interesting factor of my DNA showing a very unique piece of my heritage that I would have never known about without my DNA results. It was exciting for me to see the new Information on my past ancestors and discover more about who they were. If you are interested in Genealogy as I always have been this can be a great way to discover more for your genealogy research. I learned of relatives past and present that I had never met and I was able to learn a lot more about more of my mother’s side of the family that I had never met. I made connections and even received messages from relatives on the 23 and me App. I found a lot of people seem to use 23 and me to locate family members when they have been adopted.
Surprise 23 and me DNA results
The most fun part of my DNA results were the surprising results. No I did not learn that my parents are not my parents but I did learn some interesting things.
I discovered my sister's husband Dave is my distant cousin. He actually shares DNA with me and appears to be related to my father's cousin and get this also to my cousins on my mother's side. I have located a few cousins that are connected on both sides now. Now these are very distant relatives like 4 - 6th cousin connections but it still completely shocked and fascinated me.
Through finding the distant cousin relationship with my brother in law I also discovered that somehow my mother's side of the family has relatives that are both connected to me and to relatives on my fathers side. Example my father's cousin and my father's brother (my uncle) are connected to a cousin of mine on my mothers side.
Will siblings get the same results from their DNA?
No. Brothers and sisters may get very different DNA results due to the different types of DNA we inherited. Here is a great post that helps explain that far better than I can with my level of expertise. My sister and I are full siblings and we both got very different results including the fact that my distant cousin connection with my brother in law does not show on her end. They do not share the same DNA that him and I do.
Is the health portion of the 23 and me DNA kit worth it?
This depends entirely on what you hope to gain from your results and what your DNA shows. I have heard stories of those who found they were carriers of diseases or even went to their physician afterwards and discovered they had illnesses that they tested likely to have.
23 and me can offer some very helpful health insights
I discovered that I have an increased likelihood of developing a few health issues in the future. These warnings can help remind us to take better care of our health in these areas and also to be more aware if we develop any symptoms that might be related. I found these results to be just another good reminder to take care of my health while I’m young. Taking care of my health currently can really help prevent or assist in managing future health conditions.
23 and Me carrier status
I also learned that I am not a carrier of any genetic diseases which they tested for. Keep in mind though that these tests should not be used to treat or diagnose and symptoms should never be ignored because you did not test likely to have a disease. I know from family history that I have an increased possibility of many forms of cancer because of relatives that died from these cancers. 23 and me did not flag anything in my DNA but I realize my chances are still higher because of this family history. Definitely listen to your physician and to your own bodies over the results of these tests. I hope you found this information interesting and helpful in determining if 23 and me is for you.
Discount code link for money off your 23 and Me purchase
This is not a sponsored post but if you are interested in purchasing a DNA kit through 23 and me to try I have a link you can use that will give you a minimum of 10% off your purchase. In using this link I also earn a small gift for referral. Any use of this link is appreciated and will help me to keep SavingJoyfully.com going for years to come. Have you used 23 and me or another DNA testing kit? If so what was your experience? Did you learn anything interesting from your results? I would love to hear about your experience in the comments below.
