Episode 68 - How DNA Screening Can Guide Millennial Health Choices
How can understanding your DNA help you take control of your health, make informed family planning decisions, and lower your risk for serious disease?
In this episode of the YMyHealth Podcast, co-host Melissa Schenkman speaks with Dena Goldberg, a board-certified genetic counselor and founder of Malibu Genetics. Dena shares how her early personal experiences led her into genetics, her extensive work in hereditary cancer syndromes and connective tissue disorders, and her vision for the future of proactive, population-based genetic screening.
Gain clarity on the differences between genetic counseling and genetic testing, what Millennials should know about carrier screening, risk reduction, and early-onset cancers, and how advancements in technology are changing the landscape of genetic healthcare. Dena also emphasizes the importance of expert guidance, the role of family history, and why informed genetic testing is far more reliable than direct-to-consumer alternatives.
🎧 Tune in now to learn how genetic counseling can transform the way Millennials approach prevention, family planning, and long-term health.
Highlights:
(01:41) The childhood experience that inspired Dena’s path into genetics
(03:08) Her expertise in hereditary cancer syndromes, Ehlers-Danlos, and population screening
(08:18) Key genetic testing categories for Millennials: family planning and prevention
(11:14) Why re-testing matters as technology evolves
(15:25) The rise of early-onset cancers and their impact on screening recommendations
(20:37) Genetic counseling vs. genetic testing — and why both matter
(23:40) What to expect from saliva or blood-based genetic tests
(28:17) Supporting patients in making informed next steps after results
(29:59) Is genetic screening valuable at older ages?
(32:28) Dena’s outlook on the future of genetic counseling, women’s health, and access
Are you a millennial interested in learning more about healthcare issues specifically related to your generation? Start here: https://www.ymyhealth.com/ and follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/ymyhealth_/
*Hey listener, we’ve got a favor to ask!*
Your thoughts matter. Tell us what episodes, guests, and topics you want more of by taking our short survey.
It’s quick, easy, and helps us better serve you. Take the survey HERE.
Interested in sponsoring the YMyHealth podcast? We'd love to partner with brands and organizations that align with our mission of providing healthcare education to millennials. Contact us at ymyhealthpodcast@gmail.com for sponsorship opportunities.
Learn more about this episode's guest, Dena Goldberg, MS, CGC, and check out Malibu Genetics here:
https://www.malibugenetics.com/ourfounder and
*Become a patient here: https://www.malibugenetics.com/genetic-counseling. Dena offers a free 15-minute initial consultation, too!
Have a question about one of our podcast episodes? Email us at ymyhealthpodcast@gmail.com. We will be answering your questions in our upcoming Q&A.
Learn about YMyHealth's Founder, Melissa Schenkman here: https://www.ymyhealth.com/team/melissa-schenkman
Thanks again to our sponsor, Dr. Sarah Diekman, Director of Diekman Dysautonomia! If you’d like to learn more about our sponsor and her practice that provides care to patients with POTS and Long COVID, go to https://dysautonomiaexpert.com