Gene Tests For Ancestry Can Spark Family Squabbles

Make Time For A Sauna Break

Meredith Rizzo/NPR My Grandmother Was Italian. Why Aren't My Genes? It’s part of the human experience to wonder where we came from. Who preceded us? Now, it’s easy to explore one’s ancestry from home with genetic testing kits that come in the mail. But how good are they?    NPR’s Gisele Grayson (right) and her mom, Carmen (left), decided to check and ordered tests from two companies. Gisele’s Italian grandmother’s genetic influence somehow got missed. Mom and daughter consulted noted geneticist Dr. Aravinda Chakravarti for help. The science for analyzing one's genome is pretty good overall, he says, but the ways companies look at the genes leave lots of room for interpretation. So, he says, these tests "would be most accurate at the level of continental origins” and decline in accuracy as you zero in on specific countries and locations.    Gregory Holt/The New England Journal of Medicine When A Tattoo Means Life Or Death A 70-year-old man was unconscious and alone when he arrived at University of Miami Hospital last summer. "Originally, we were told he was intoxicated," says Dr. Gregory Holt, an emergency room doctor, "but he didn't wake up." And then there was the matter of the prominent tattoo across his chest that read "Do Not Resuscitate." The man’s signature was tattooed at the end.   What should the doctors have done?   NPR’s Rebecca Hersher reports on the ethical discussion that ensued about how patients, their families and doctors could better deal with end-of-life wishes.   bortonia/Getty Images Saunas Are A Hot Trend That Might Help Your Health There’s nothing quite like the feeling of baking yourself in a broiling sauna on a cold winter day. And, Shots contributor Katherine Hobson writes, there’s quite a bit of research that shows there are health benefits, such as a lower risk of heart disease, associated with regular sauna use. Heat and relaxation are both important factors, one Finnish researcher told her. Heart rate increases with full-body heat exposure and that helps improve cardiac output. Don’t skip exercise and rely on the sauna to do all the work. But wouldn’t it be nice to add a sauna break when you’re done working out? Your Shots editor, Scott Hensley   You received this message because you're subscribed to our Health emails. |  Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy | NPR 1111 N. CAPITOL ST. NE WASHINGTON DC 20002