ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

23andMe

23andme is like a special test that can tell you a lot about your self. You might know that you have different hair than your friend or that you like different foods, but there are other things about you that you can't see, like what genes you have in your body. Genes are like tiny instructions that tell your body what to do, like how tall you will be, what color your eyes will be, and if you might have some health problems.

At 23andme, they take a little bit of your spit (saliva), which is really easy to do! Then they use a special machine to look at your genes and see what they can tell about you. It's kind of like putting together a puzzle, but with a lot more pieces! They can tell you where your family comes from, like if your ancestors are from Europe or Africa or Asia. They can also give you information about your health, like if you might be more likely to have certain diseases or if you have some special ways to help your body stay healthy.

It's important to remember that no matter what 23andme tells you about your genes, it doesn't mean that you will definitely have health problems or that you can't do anything about it. It just gives you some extra information that you can use to take good care of yourself and talk to your doctor about.

In summary, 23andme is a test that looks at your genes, which are like tiny instructions in your body, to tell you where your family comes from and give you some information about your health.
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