If you want to know more about the secrets that are hidden within your DNA, there are several different companies that can help you to do that. The Genetic Disease Foundation has launched a new website, called KnowYourGenes.org, that is a great resource for people wanting to understand more about their genetic inheritance.
You may have heard about several commercial companies that will sell you a home DNA kit. These kits require a person to provide a small sample of their DNA, which will then be tested by the company that they purchased the kit from. Some want a sample of cheek cells, or a small amount of blood, and one provides you with a spittoon which you are directed to fill with your saliva. Usually, what happens next is that you can log into the website for that company, and learn more about what was found in your DNA.
In general, this type of genetic testing can provide a consumer with certain kinds of information. It can tell you what kinds of genetically heritable diseases you might be at risk for, or that you might potentially pass on to one or more of your children. You also usually are able to learn more about your genetic ancestry, and these websites often have some means set up that allows customers to connect with other customers who they might be related to, based on the similarities in their DNA.
It is debatable as to whether or not these kinds of home DNA kits are actually valuable. Some have questioned how accurate these tests are. Others have pointed out that even if someone learns from one of these kits that he or she is at risk for developing a certain disease, it often does not inspire that person to make any of the lifestyle changes that could, potentially, prevent that disease from developing in the first place.
The Know Your Genes website has been put together by the Genetic Disease Foundation. In other words, this is not yet another website from a company that wants to sell you something. Their website provides you with information that can help you determine if you should have genetic testing done.
There are three parts to this website, and each one is specific to a group of people who are seeking to learn more about their genes for a particular reason. One section has information for people who are planning to have children. Another section helps people who want to know more about their medical family history. The third section has a lot of great information about the different types of genetic testing, as well as details about the limitations of genetic testing.
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