How Heart Attack and Other Four Star-Rated Topics Relate to My DNA, Part 2

by Andrew Meyer on April 24, 2008

23andMe’s Gene Journal let’s you see how your DNA data “relates to ongoing research in health and physical traits”.

They provide their own 1-4 star rating beside each Gene Journal topic letting users know how much research backs each specific topic and how much the general scientific community has accepted the research.

For instance, Heart Attack has a four star rating.

Whereas other topics might have a one star, two star or three star ratings.

23andMe provides a more detailed rating explanation:

23andme ratings

Before I look at my Gene Journal topics D-H, I should note that 23andMe makes it very clear that their service is “Intended for research and educational purposes. Not for diagnostic use”.

I’m pretty sure most of us who signed-up with 23andMe understood this fully before we shelled out $1000. But, we are curious consumers and enjoy the chance to learn a little more about ourselves no matter how young and immature the personal genomics space is.

Ok, let’s look at four star-rated topics D-H in my Gene Journal (Check out Part 1 for topics A-C).

Earwax Type

earwax type

Is wet earwax sexier than dry earwax (I have wet earwax)? Is earwax sexy at all?

wet earwax

After reading a little bit about the benefits of earwax I’m starting to see it through a more sexy tint. Why? Because stopping dust and shampoo from entering my inner ear is sexy.

Also, earwax might contain natural antibiotics to keep bacterial pirates from pillaging! Awesome. Earwax is getting sexier by the minute.


Eye Color

eye color

My eye color has been referred to as “Hazel” throughout my life, which is a variation of brown. I guess my eyes can’t decide if they want to scatter or absorb light.

HIV/AIDS Infection

hiv aids infection

I really enjoy all the extra warnings and cautions attached to this one.

Pre-HIV this isn’t very relevant. I don’t see anyone changing their behavior based on which of the genotypes they have above. Post-HIV, I guess it might give you some sort of optimism to have Genotype DD rather than my II.

Heart Attack

heart attack

Lifestyle, lifestyle, lifestyle.

You find Part 1 with topics A-C here. And, you can find more of my ‘My Genome’ posts here.

 Subscribe to ‘My Genome’ posts only

Tagged as: 23andme, gene journal

  • Crazy... I thought everyone had dry earwax. learned something new.
  • Supposedly, wet earwax predominates in Africa and Europe, but dry earwax predominates in East Asia.
  • Yes, I also tought that everyone has dry earwax only and it somebody has wet earwax then its a disease. Seems that it was my misconception. And this is a news to me that wax saves us from bacterial infection.
  • Obviously, we wax our tables and cars in order to protect the surface. That is exactly one of the functions of earwax. Because a waxy surface repels water, by beading up so the water will not adhere. Another protective function of earwax is preventing infection, that's why we shouldn't just ram Q-tips in our ears in every attempt to clean it for not all of them fit very well and will gradually pack the wax back against your eardrum, just like loading a cannon by tamping down the black powder. But I never knew the other info about earwax until now that I've stumbled upon what you shared here. Another benefit in praise of earwax!
  • Thanks for that very informative post. I can use those information for my research about certain diseases.
  • ear wax can helps us by protecting our eardrums, it prevent to much soundwaves to hit directly to our eardrums
  • like the part one and your other blogs, this post of yours is so interesting, from the title up to t he content this post of yours contains fruitful knowledge which can be used for future reference, health plans now a days are really must have.
  • i had read some of your post along the way, as always your post are really great and pretty informative too. im sure i can use this for future references
  • Very interesting. So before we look at the residues of earwax in our Q-tips dirtily, we should consider how important it could be, not only in preventing water from entering our ears, but as well as its contributions in figuring diseases out through DNA.
  • Never thought of earwax had plenty of use i always thought that having earwax is really disgusting, now i can say it isn't it can help me prevent too much water to come inside my ears during a boat race or when i am boating, pretty cool post
  • Janice
    great post
  • nvaleo
    having a general checkup is a good idea especially now a days that there are lots of harmful disease, prevention is better than cure.
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