If you are one of those people who look into the mirror and often wonder why they look the way they do, and why some of their facial and personality features are distinct from the people around them, it is very much possible that you have a rich ancestral history and may have inherited some of those distinct features from them. Over the period of centuries, world populations have moved to an extent that very few people can claim to have the same ancestry through-and-through; most individuals classify themselves as one-fourth this and two-thirds that. 

In order to find out your genetic and ancestral history, you may opt for genetic testing that can be done simply through a home dna test kit. DNA or Genetic Ancestry Testing, which is a branch of genetic genealogy, can help you determine your family and ancestral history and hence answer some of the questions you feel overwhelmed with. Given below are four benefits of DNA Ancestry Testing:

1. It can help you find out which region your ancestors belonged to

One of the most exciting parts of DNA ancestry testing is being able to discover which part of the world your ancestors belonged to. You may be able to find out which regions your grandparents originated from and hence allow you to deduce whether they were migrants or natives in their last known place of residence. In certain cases, advanced genetic testing also allows individuals to understand when their ancestors migrated and make sense of their migration patterns to an extent. 

2. It can help you construct a family tree

Irrespective of whether your family is interested in building a family tree from scratch, or simply wants to fill in the missing parts, a DNA ancestry test would help you better construct a family tree. If you have an existing family tree, you can use the results of your DNA ancestry test to find out any irregularities and/or confirm the particulars of your family tree. If you never had a family tree in the first place, you can use your results to construct one from scratch. 

3. It can help you find your relatives 

If you believe you have relatives in some part of the world but have no way to contact or locate them, genetic ancestry testing would be a good start for you. Ancestry tests essentially study your non-sex chromosomes and compare them with a general batch of DNA samples from all over the world to find possible matches. Genetic DNA testing has made it possible for many individuals to find long-lost siblings, family members, and even their parents.

4. It can help you make health decisions for yourself

While not all DNA ancestry tests have this feature, a few of these tests are able to correctly determine the physical traits of your ancestors which may include hair thickness, nose shapes, and even dimples. Some tests also reveal information about the health conditions of your ancestors which may include details about their increased risk of cancer, celiac diseases, or Alzheimer’s, in addition to any special genetic mutations. Hence, your result would be able to tell you if you are prone to certain diseases and push you to take health decisions accordingly.

While taking an ancestry test may seem a little silly, and even make you feel a tad bit guilty, think of it as a fun activity, rather than as a life-altering moment. While it is true that there remains a high chance of your ancestry results altering your life and your perspective especially if you discover something that you did not know previously.