Good Risings: DNA to Empower Your Wellness Journey

welcome back now. Adrian Mina knows a thing or two about staying healthy. She's a health and wellness coach, a fitness influencer, and host of the podcast Good Risings, Level Up Latte. Living a healthy lifestyle maybe Adrian's passion, but it's also her job. She's all up to speed on the latest advancements and cutting age practices that could lead to better health, and as a trainer, it's important that she not only understands these advancements, but also that she

applies them to her own life. In this episode, Adrian shares her personal health journey after receiving her twenty three and Me test results last year. Upon learning that she was at higher risk for diabetes. Adrian took action right away and set out to make significant changes to her diet and workout routine. By sharing her story, Adrian hopes to inspire others to get a better understanding of their DNA and take action themselves. There's no time like right

now to take more control of your health. So listening as Adrian shares her journey and how a better understanding of your DNA can empower you to make changes in your own life. Good Risings. I'm Adrian Nina and this is good rising level of Latte for those of you who are joining me for the first time. I'm a health and wellness coach and fitness influencer in Los Angeles. You can find me on Instagram at well Trained Body.

In my line of work, a major aspect of being respected and also maintaining respect is to not only be aware of the advancements at the cutting edge of health and wellness, but also to apply them in my own life and in my relationship with my own body. That goes for everything from what and how we eat, to when and how we train, to how we recover, to the devices that help us do those things, and, most optimally, for any good trainer. It's never just about aesthetics. It's

about well being. It's about lifelong mobility. It's about ensuring that we can live life to the fullest as long as we have the opportunity. It's my passion and it's also my job. Information is just the beginning to permeate mainstream media about the role our genetics play in our own health. Health is in our d n A, not only its role in certain elements and diseases, but how our bodies react to different foods and certain exercises. Our genes are the coding of our body. They are the

foundation of our entire physiology, our cellular blueprint. Understanding our genes is part of understanding ourselves, and in some cases, it's the kind of information that can help us dodge the bullet of hereditary illness. For every obvious reason, I set out on a journey to get a better grasp on my own genetics. I teamed up with twenty three and Me and I want to spend this week talking about my journey, my understanding, and my perspective with you.

Twenty three and Me is one of the most popular options when it comes to getting an insight look at our genes. The entire process was incredibly easy. I went to their website and ordered the at home kit. It usually takes about three to five days to arrive. I registered my kit to my personal account, which is safe insecure. Then I spit in the tube, which actually takes a little bit more effort than I would have guests, it's

a whole lot of spit. Then when I was done, I sent it back using the prepaid return shipping label. Three weeks later, I received an email to let me know my reports were ready and my online account. I logged in and all the information was there and ready for me to delve into. Of course, there are incredible aspects of these tests outside of the context of health.

I was eager to learn more about my ancestry, and the platform lays that out in really beautiful diagrams, even traces our lineage from one generation to the next, as we move across the continents, in some cases all the way back to our very first human ancestors. It's actually really beautiful to have a deeper understanding of who we are, where we come from, and all the people who existed before us, all of them in some way responsible for

the fact that we exist. Then, of course we learn about how those people who came before us impacted us on a genetic level. What kind of things did they pass on that we should be aware of, and what kinds of things did they pass on that might just be enlightening. For example, I learned that I have an increased likelihood of developing type two diabetes. Interestingly enough, type two diabetes is the perfect example of a disease we can be genetically predisposed to, but also alter our own

outcome through diet and exercise. I'm excited to share this journey with you to express how incredibly easy it is to take action and make changes to our lives with a better understanding of our DNA. And there is no time like the present to take more control of your health. Today, I'm going to be sharing more of what I've learned about myself from participating in this process. It's fun in a few different ways. Obviously, some things I was surprised

to learn. Other things I always suspected and felt vindicated by my reports. I know my good rising to co host Brian from Grateful Grains talks a lot about how he always suspected mosquitoes preferred to bite him over literally anyone else He ended up covered in bites and everyone else would be clear. He swore he was a mosquito magnet, and it actually turned out that was a genetic trait of his. And by the way, this is something Brian

and I have in common my whole life. I've had to pile on the organic deep free repellent for my adventurous outdoors. Anytime I step outside, I'm like a buffet for mosquitoes. I knew we weren't crazy. I also learned that I'm not likely to have a photo sneeze reflex. This was especially interesting because at the time I didn't even know what a photo sneeze reflex was. Apparently certain people tend to sneeze when they're exposed to sunlight, which sounds like a very special kind of hell. So thank

goodness I dodged that bullet. Another interesting thing I learned is that I am more likely to experience motion sickness. Again, I've always wondered what I was doing wrong. Was I eating too quickly before getting into a car. Were I looking at the wrong spot on the road. Was it potentially something to do with sleep or a screen time or over exertion or is it the driver to blame.

Turns out it's quite possible it's genetic. I'll say. One of the most surprising things I learned about is that I'm more likely to be able to match a musical pitch. I actually can't seem to save my life, but that might be a result of the instrument and not my sense of pitch. So it definitely made me consider whether I might be able to pick up a piano or guitar.

Friends of mine also loved learning more about things like whether or not they're more likely to dislike cilantro or have a fear of heights, or what ear wax type they'll have, and even what their ice cream flavor preferences. It really is crazy to see how much of who we are is written in our genes. While all of these little bits of information about my health were really fun to learn about, I also learned several more serious things about my health. Scientists are still trying to understand

how genetics play a role in our health. It's just one part of a person's health or a manifestation of traits. Everyone's environment is really important too. Like I mentioned, I have an increased likelihood to develop type two diabetes. Again, the wonderful thing about knowing that is that it fortifies ways I can double down on my health, to avoid refine carbs at its sugars and seed oils, and to keep my cardiovascular fitness in check. Not that that's never

really been a question for me. I also have an increased flihood to weigh more than the average person, which of course exacerbates all kinds of different conditions and elements. It makes me wonder if my career choice was in any way a result of my own intuition. Knowing what I might potentially have in store if I went down the wrong road. I also learned about my chronic kidney disease, a p O L one related. Again, this is simply

something to be aware of. Kidney health goes hand in hand with what we're putting into our bodies, what we're eating, what we're drinking, environmental toxins, and medication. My report helped me set a baseline for a more personalized bonus plan for myself. For example, the fact that I'm likely to consume more caffeine than most has led to my careful

consideration of my daily intake. The fact that I'm likely intolerant to lactose has given me more watchful eye in relation to how I'm feeling after eating or drinking dairy. Like I said, genes are just one factor and outcome. Even if two people have the same genetic disposition, their health can still differ drastically if they have different lifestyles. Unequal access to medical care is another problem that exists all around the country, where some communities have far better

resources than others. Those who live in disadvantaged areas are often at a higher risk for poor health. This is an issue that needs to be addressed so that everyone has a fair chance at living a healthy life. Today I'm jumping in on taking accountability for our health and wellness, and of course i am. This is my literal job. There are really innumerable excuses people find not to do the work, and it's not like they don't make sense.

Oftentimes it's so easy to avoid digging in on the work that needs to be done because our excuses are so relevant. Right, we really do face in surmountable odds. Sometimes we're too busy, we have too many obligations. Work comes first, kids come first. Maybe it's that we just feel so far away from our goals. It's hard to imagine getting started in the first place. I've worked with hundreds of people from all kinds of walks of life,

from first timers all the way to professional athletes. I can tell you the first step is learning to ignore those voices in our head and just making it happen every single day. We're flooded in the media with one size fits all solutions, and they don't work for every individual, but there's a baseline. We develop a plan and we

stick to it. Like I mentioned earlier, our genetic profile can have a big impact on how our bodies respond to the application of different health and wellness endeavors, so understanding our genetics can be a big part of developing that plan. We use this information to better understand our bodies and what we can do to stay healthy. We've certainly all heard the adage knowledge is power, and in regards to our health and wellness, this couldn't be more

true for me. Knowing more about my genetic profile allowed me to be much more focused in my wellness journey. Finding out about my increased likelihood to develop chronic kidney disease was the most alarming for me. With a bit of research, I learned that it's actually something that is quite common in adults in the US. While I was relieved that only one variant was detected, meaning that I'm not at an increased risk, it's still put that important

level of awareness in me again. Knowing this makes me want to prioritize taking better care of my kidneys by being cautious of my food and beverage intake. It's not that I'm being reactive, It's that I'm now equipped with how I can be proactive of the same can be said for people with an increased likelihood for heart disease, siliacs disease, high cholesterol, and even Alzheimer's. And all of these cases, diet and exercise are known to play a

direct role in outcome. If we can change our lifestyle early enough, with follow through with action, we could potentially avoid the ailments altogether. I want to expand a bit on something I mentioned earlier about access to health care and marginalized communities. Again, marginalized communities lack access to quality health care, and this often results in poorer health outcomes and a greater risk for certain diseases. So when we

get the valuable time with a health care professional. It's important we are able to discuss health with our doctors more specifically. I'm sure it's pretty obvious how having genetic reports can help people in these communities take control of their health. They provide information about their for certain conditions. This knowledge gives people the ability to have more informed, personalized conversations with health care providers, which will ultimately benefit

their health, wellness, and disease management overall. Additionally, knowing our genetics can help us to make informed decisions about things like family planning. For example, if we know we are at increased risk for a certain disease, how can that impact our children so that they can be treated early if necessary. Ultimately, genetics is a powerful tool in our arsenal that can help us better understand our bodies and

make informed decisions about our health. As it relates to marginalized communities, genetic testing can empower people to take control of their health and well being just by knowing the right questions to ask. I know first hand it's better to walk into a doctor's office with a grasp on your needs and a little bit of extra knowledge about the state of your own health. Learning about my genetics

was one way I took hold of that power. Getting a grasp on our code, the things that are literally written in our genetics, is the first step at taking control of our destiny. It's the first step in implementing a plan. It's the very first step in accepting accountability for our own health. I believe there's an incredible connection between our minds and our bodies, one that we've only

just begun to comprehend. Intuition is one of those aspects of the human experience that the strictly science minded crowd tends to scoff at. In my case, I consider my career in the field of health, my journey and fitness, and I reflect on what I discovered when I looked at my jeans, the fact that I have in an increased likelihood for weight gain, type two diabetes, and kidney disease.

I can't help but consider whether there was some subconscious mechanism in me that picked up on my inherited threats within This is strictly anecdotal, but consider the idea that our entire genetic code is built into nearly every cell of our bodies. It is possible that we one day discover our bodies are more in tune with what's happening within us than we are presently aware. Like every facet of science, these sorts of hypothetical thoughts and theories are

what eventually lead to new discoveries. I'm obviously not a scientist. I don't know that answer, but what I will tell you is that for a very, very long time, I've been driven by something within to focus on health and well being. I've been driven to reach my utmost potential, and this lifestyle also happens to be the kryptonite to

those lurking elements within. It's both validating and eye opening, as I know so many out there are disconnected from themselves, their intuition, their bodies, their knee eats, down to every aspect of their own well being. Health is in your DNA. I like to take some time today to consider the state of being. Oftentimes, when we exist in a state of being on autopilot, sort of subconsciously drifting through life, filling and reacting, it's difficult to engage with the present moment.

It can be difficult to push pause and reflect. The state of existence is a survival mechanism. It's built into us as a result of hundreds of thousands of years of evolution. Of course, there are still places in the world today, even in America, where actual survival is something we have to be worried about. Safety is one of the key factors in our ability to grow physically, mentally, even spiritually. But let's assume for the purpose of today's

conversation that we're generally safe. We're not imperil. Our minds often still perceived the world at large as a perilous play. It can lead to all kinds of psychological elements, from anxiety to chronic stress, to depression to burnout, and all of those things are directly related to our physical well being. Again,

our minds and bodies are intrinsically connected. There's so much that can be said here, but in trying to stick with the topic of the day, I'd like to draw that thoughts back to how survival mode stops us from connecting with our bodies. It's ironic innocence because our subconscious desire to survive is actually stopping us from being healthy, from living a life of fullness and longevity and cultivating awareness.

We can interpret those subconscious spirals the fair based thinking and inject the moment with things like present gratitude, present positive self talk, and in doing so, we literally reprogram the way our conscious minds react to our subconscious negative thought loops. The reason this is so important is that, in re engaging with presents, were more suited to be able to introspectively evaluate our own state of being, both physically and mentally. We're able to lovingly examine what aspects

of our health needs attention. We're able to consider the idea that not engaging in a more healthier lifestyle could end up being more costly in the long run, not only costly as a result of doctors bills, but also in our ability to keep up with our loved ones and our ability to experience all the world has to offer with an active body, and in the end, to experience this life for as long and as well as

we have the potential to. All kinds of things can disconnect us from our bodies physical abuse, sexual abuse, bullying, fear of every kind. Like hermit crabs, we retreat, We enter a state of survival to protect ourselves, and of course, people of marginalized communities are especially susceptible to these kinds of threats. The challenge now is to consider whether those threats have dissipated. If they haven't, the very first priority should be to find a way to create safety for

yourself by whatever means available. And once we feel safe, the real work of reawakening our potential begins again. There are all kinds of things we can do to begin that journey of health and wellness. Me and my fellow host of Good Risings talk about it. Daily diet and daily exercise our paramount and our well being, as is mindfulness. But building those things upon a foundation of knowledge is

like building our house on stone instead of sand. Instead of following along with fat diets that don't fit your body's needs, find out what your body actually needs. And by the way, I've encouraged members of my own family to do their own genetic screening. If any of you have family members of generations past like I do, you'll

find out it takes some extra convincing. That said, every single family member that I've approached and spoken to about twenty three and me have been as motivated by what they learned as I was, and it's been the impetus for major major lifestyle changes to We're approaching the end of our conversation on genetics based health. We've delved into the empowering aspects of getting to know our ancestral roots

in more detail. We explore inherit traits my conspiracy theory that mosquitoes do prefer to bite me and that I might very well just be a secret musical genius. We dope into my personal health specific results, my increased likelihood of type two diabetes, kidney disease, and weight gain, and

how lifestyle changes impact those outcomes. We discussed the fact that marginalized communities are less likely to have access to good medical care, and that approaching conversations with doctors equipped with knowledge of oneself sets us up for success long term. We got a little more metaphysical with some thoughts on the mind body connection, and we're wrapping it up by honing in on more important aspects of the conversation, which is taking action. I think it's pretty clear how personal

this experience has been for me. Like I said in the beginning, it's my job to find cutting edge aspects of the health and wellness industry, and I wouldn't be sharing this information with you or my own family if I didn't wholeheartedly believe in the power the genetic reports offer in motivating you to take back control of your health. Twenty three and Me is all about real science, real data, and genetic insights that can help make it easier for us to take action in our own journey of health.

Over twelve million people have used the service. Seventy of those people reported making healthier choices after receiving their results. Of those people reported eating healthier diets, fifty one percent of those people reported setting healthier goals, and forty of those people reported increasing exercise. I think we all know firsthand how difficult it can be to get motivated or

to motivate someone who's just not interested in health. Out of twelve million people, almost nine point four million reported making healthier choices after receiving their reports, but they seventy six percent to assess rate. I actually don't know if anything or anyone has been quite that successful at motivating people to take their health more seriously. But I think

that's because it's tailored specifically to you. It's your d n A. Although it doesn't change the fundamentals of fitness and nutrition, having your genetics report is empowering to re prioritize certain aspects of a healthy routine like I did, so if you need a little extra nudge, this might

be the way to get it done again. The tests can discern detailed ancestry interesting traits, genetic risks related to health, which includes a full gamin of elements and carrier status is not just the ones I mentioned personally, also pharmacogenetics, and you can also receive a wellness report which analyzes things like alcohol flush reaction, caffeine consumption, muscle composition, exercise, sleep,

and much more. And like we've been discussing all week, this information is not only useful in making informed decisions about our health and wellness, but it can also be a lot of fun. It's a great conversation piece, something interesting to share within your family and alongside family members. You can even link your profiles to see which genes you inherited. I actually think it's the perfect gift idea too. To clarify, the carrier reports are for those of you

out there thinking about starting a family. This report allows you to discover if you're a carrier for genetic variants linked to certain inherited health conditions. It's the kind of thing that can sometimes be passed onto children, especially if it's a trait that shared within a partner. That's a set of over forty reports, which include cystic fibrosis, sickle

cell anemia, tay sex disease, and more. Like I mentioned earlier, one of the most helpful aspects of this entire experience was that I am now able to have more informed conversations with my healthcare providers. If any of you have ever felt like you were being talked at rather than talked with when speaking to a healthcare provider, learning more about your unique genetic makeup can allow you to change

this feeling and take control back in these conversations. Furthermore, twenty three and ME customers can find a genetic counselor in their local area if they would like to speak with someone further about their reports. Now, I know that some people feel worried about sharing their DNA, but let me tell you, twenty three and ME really eliminated any

potential concerns that I may have had. Because your data is encrypted, protected and totally under your control, you decide what you want to know and what you want to share. Wrapping it up today, I just want to say that I am so happy that I decided to embark on this journey and discovering my genetics over a year ago because our DNA truly is amazing and we all deserve to be able to access, understand, and benefit from the endless, interesting and diverse things our genetics can tell us. This

is the cutting edge of health. It's a future we all have in store information everyone will one day have, and it will change how we interact with healthcare and empowering us to take control of our own personal wellness. Thank you for joining me on Good Risings. You can find us on Instagram at good Risings and I'm Adrianina and you can find me there too at Well Trained Body.

If you liked my story, you should check out what Samantha Convey shares about how women can empower themselves by learning about their genetics, both in understanding the past and arming themselves with knowledge for a better feature. You can find her episode in the spit feed, on the I Heart Radio app or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Good Risings is presented by Cavalry Audio and that's it

on another dope show. Did this episode inspire you to take a closer look at your health history, your genetic makeup who new DNA could reveal so much about our past, while also holding the keys to certain health insights that may impact our future. I continue to be inspired by these stories, and I hope you do as well. Catch you next time. Listen to Spit, an original podcast from I Heart Radio and twenty three in the on the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Four