How Knowing Your Child’s Genetics Can Make Parenting Easier with Dr. Erika Gray

Episode Highlights With Dr. Erika Gray

• Important perspective about genetics and how to use this information for the biggest advantage
• The nuance when it comes to children and genes 
• Genes do not exist in isolation and why focusing on one gene is not helpful
• How understanding genetics helped her teens (and mine)
• What COMT is and how this comes into play with influencing our worldview
• Fast COMT break down dopamine and norepinephrine faster (linked to moving around, not sitting still, etc.)
• How this understanding of genetics can relate directly to how we parent 
• Yet another reason protein is so important, especially for kids and teens 
• Genes related to serotonin and dopamine and neurotransmitters
• We have 2-5 lbs of bacteria in our gut, and there is a gene called FUT2 that ties to lower levels of bifidobacteria, and this can be linked to anxiety, longevity, and more
• Understanding choline genes and why this is a game changer for so many people, and this is critical for pregnancy and brain development 
• Some caveat around MTHFR and why we might be overdoing our response to this
• Serotonin-related genes to look at if you get your kids' genes tested
• What BDNF genes can tell you
• MC4R is a snacking gene, and how to understand this
• Bitter taste receptor genes and how these can make kids more picky

Resources We Mention

• My Toolbox Genomics - Use code wellnessmama for a discount
• Kion Aminos