In the first episode of the Genetic Counselor and You series, Past-President of the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC), Erica Ramos, MS, CGC, sits down with current President of NSGC, Amy Sturm, MS, CGC, LGC, to discuss who genetic counselors are and why you might see one. Join Erica and Amy as they discuss what genetic counselors do and don't do, the benefits of integrating a genetic counselor into your healthcare team.  For materials mentioned in this episode, visit aboutgeneticcounselors.com and the following webpages:  ​Who Are Genetic Counselors? Genetic Counselors Help Families Unlock Keys to Their Health Genetic Counselors: Who We Are, What We Do and Where We’re Going 

What is a Genetic Counselor?

Brought to you by the National Society of Genetic Counselors, Genetic Counselors and You answers your genetic health questions, by genetic counselors. For more information about genetic counselors, including who they are and why you might see one, visit aboutgeneticcounselors.com.

Health & Fitness

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) estimated last year that around 1 in 10 Americans has diabetes. And since November is a time when we often get together with relatives, some of you may be wondering, “How worried should I be about Diabetes based on my family history?” This episode will help to answer some of those questions. In this episode, we invited Dr. Toni Pollin to share her thoughts. Dr. Pollin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition and in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where she also leads a PhD/MS Track in Human Genetics.  She is a board-certified genetic counselor and has a PhD in human genetics.  For over 20 years, she has studied the genetic factors and their interaction with lifestyle, pharmaceutical, and environmental factors in  type 2 diabetes and related cardiometabolic traits as well as conducted translational studies in how to identify, diagnosed, and promote individualized therapy for highly genetic diabetes subtypes known as monogenic diabetes.  Her work has been funded by the American Heart Association and several NIH institutes, and she has authored or co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications.

How Does Family History Impact My Risk for Diabetes?

According to the American Cancer Society, other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men.  In fact, 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. (ACS) What factors increase my risk for prostate cancer? Family history? What can I do? In this episode, we invited Joy Larsen Haidle, a board-certified genetic counselor, to share her thoughts. Joy is leader in cancer genetic counseling who has authored several practice guidelines and published articles on topics such as Lynch syndrome, a disease that increases one’s risk for cancers, particularly of the colon and rectum; and juvenile polyposis, a disorder characterized by polyps in the gastrointestinal tract. She also was on this podcast 2 years ago! A past president of National Society of Genetic Counselor, Joy is a genetic counselor at North Memorial Health Cancer Center in Robbinsdale, Minn. NOTE: Please note that during this podcast the use of the word "male" is used to refer to cisgeneder males Resources For more information on the topics discussed in this episode, visit https://www.aboutgeneticcounselors.org/ and the following webpages:   Prostate Cancer: Do I need genetic testing?  I Want to See a Genetic Counselor: How Do I Make That Happen?  https://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/about/key-statistics.html  NCCN Prostate Cancer Early Detection v2.2021 (Accessed 8/23/21) 

Do My Genes Impact my Risk for Prostate Cancer?

With areas opening back up across the country and world, many are looking forward to going outside during the summer. After being stuck at home during lockdown, many might be thinking more about their “summer body” and wondering whether a DNA test can optimize their nutritional health. In this episode, we talk with Jill West, a Registered Dietician Nutritionist, to share her thoughts. Jill has over 25 years of experience as a registered dietitian nutritionist, and has her own private practice Jill West Nutrition Consulting serving clients throughout the US. Prior to starting her own practice, she published the book, 400 Moms, about helping busy parents feed their kids. She has worked in several major medical centers including Joslin Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco Medical Center and University of California, Davis Health System.

My Nutrition, My Genes

The COVID-19 pandemic, racial uprisings, and the resulting economic recession have impacted many people’s mental health. One study suggests that ~4 in 10 adults in the U.S. have reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder, up from ~1 in 10 adults before the pandemic (https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/the-implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use/). How do genetic and environmental factors impact our mental health? What should we do to maintain our mental health, especially during this time? In this episode, we invited Ramona Moldovan PhD, a genetic counselor and clinical psychologist, to share her thoughts in honor of  mental health awareness month. For more information on the topics discussed in this episode, visit https://www.aboutgeneticcounselors.org/ and the following webpages:   Family Ties: The Impact of Genetics on Your Mental Health 

How Genetics and the COVID-19 Pandemic Impact Mental Health

Information about the COVID-19 vaccines is rapidly emerging. Suddenly, we’re hearing terms like mRNA and DNA everywhere. For some of us, we haven’t thought about these concepts since high school biology… and now we have to make health decisions based on these concepts, which brings up questions. How exactly do these COVID-19 mRNA vaccines work? How risky are they, and can they change our DNA? In this episode we speak to a genetic counselor, a specialist in genetics, to make sense of what’s going on around us. As always, we suggest ways help you navigate and apply things in your life.    For more information on the topics discussed in this episode, visit https://www.aboutgeneticcounselors.org/ and the following webpages:   “COVID-19 Vaccines Can’t Alter Your DNA, Here’s Why” by Victoria Forster in Forbes:  https://www.forbes.com/sites/victoriaforster/2021/01/11/covid-19-vaccines-cant-alter-your-dna-heres-why/?sh=26ff7a3d2491 “How Do the COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines Work?” by Ellen Matloff in Forbes:  https://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenmatloff/2020/11/21/the-covid-19-vaccines-that-genomics-built/?sh=152d6a075cdb  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Understanding mRNA Vaccines:  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html    You can reach special guest, Lydia Higgs at: lkhiggs@carilionclinic.org 

What is a Genetic Counselor?

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