Things We Only Inherit From Our Mom

Are you social? You get it from your mom!

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There are some personality traits in particular that are inherited from the mother. For example, one of the main personality traits determined by the genetic material of the mother is extraversion...how outgoing you are and whether you are an introvert or extrovert! How social you are and outgoing you are and how you determine and engage in social interactions is all down to the mother's side.

Your hair color will turn out to match your moms!

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Hair color is another aspect of our appearance that is determined by the mother's genes. The color of our hair is determined by the presence of melanin, this is what gives it the color and whether our hair will be dark or light. But, this is determined by the mother's side. So the color of a baby's hair will largely be determined by what color hair the mother has, depending on the recessive and dominant genes.

Weird one! Your body's response to caffeine

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Have you ever wondered why some people can slurp four cups of coffee before they start their day, while others can't even dream of touching the stuff because it makes them anxious or shaky? While this is because of everybody's body response being different, it may also have a lot to do with genetics. Genes passed down from parents may determine how well you take coffee - or how well you don't!

Does your mum look young? You WILL too!

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The aging process we go through is very much determined by the genetic material of our mother. When it comes to aging, the process can be slowed down by a combination of looking after your health, physically and mentally. But the process is also determined genetically. If you want to know how you will age, take a look at your mother as this is how our ageing is determined.

Your Sleeping Patterns Will Match

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Sleeping patterns aren't just a result of habit or whether you decided you prefer your enjoy sleeping on your side rather than your back. Even these are a result of our genetic makeup. And our sleep habits are inherited solely from our mothers. This can incorporate things such as how many hours you need to sleep, your favorite sleep position, and all things sleep related!

Frizzy hair? Blame mom!

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Similarly, if you want to know where your hair texture came from, it is your mother. The genetic material of the mother determines what hair texture you will have which also influences whether your hair will be straight, curly or wavy, etc. For example, if a mother has dry or brittle hair, the chances are this will be passed down to the child. Similarly, if she has smooth hair, it;'s more than likely they will inherit this.

Body shape is inherited from momma!

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Body shape of course is influenced by environmental factors as well as genetics. But genetics has an overwhelming influence on body shape, and it comes from the mother's side. Fat distribution is inherited from the mother's DNA, and so the shape of our body and where we carry fat will likely mimic our mother. For example, where we carry more weight, whether we're a pear shape or an hourglass shape etc.

Intelligence

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Intelligence as a whole is determined by the genetic material of both parents. But certain aspects of intelligence are inherited from different sides. However, it is more likely inherited from the mother because the intelligence genes are located within the X chromosome. The woman carries two x chromosomes meaning that it is more likely that intelligence genes are passed from this side rather than the father who only has one X and one Y.

Sense of taste

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A person's sense of taste and their taste preferences have also been linked more with the genetic DNA of the mother rather than the father. And so food preferences of the mother are more likely to be replicated in the child. Studies have shown that the food preferences usually mimic that of the mother. This can influence your preference for salt, sour, spice, and sweet.

Emotional intelligence

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Studies about genetics have suggested that emotional intelligence is something that is largely determined by the genetic material of the mother. Some emotional intelligence is learned, of course, however, it is also largely predetermined through genetics. How somebody responds to situations, their level of empathy, and how they relate to others is something we get from the mother's side.

Height, on the small side

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Height is not something that comes solely from the mother or father. Yet, the tall gene is passed from the father and the small gene is passed from the mother. And so depending on your height, you will know which side you inherited your height from. There's an evolutionary reason for this. The male gene is programmed to grow as big and strong as possible for survival. The mother's gene is programmed to repress growth and use the nutrients as effectively as possible.

Fingerprint pattern

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The pattern of the fingerprint is influenced by maternal genetics. The general pattern type of your fingerprint will be determined by the pattern type of your mother. It will be the same as the maternal gene. Yet, of course, every fingerprint pattern is unique and the actual individual details are personal and will not replicate neither the mother or the father.

Immune system development

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The immune system is a vital part of our body and our health, it is what keeps us healthy and allows us to fight off viruses, bacteria etc. The majority of the immune system is inherited from the mother. The genetic DNA of the maternal gene will influence the immune system of the child. Similarly, from birth, the mother's immune system is passed to the baby through the placenta to keep them healthy and well.

Skin tone

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Skin color is polygenic, which means that it is determined by how many different genes combine together. So in a way, skin tone is random. But, studies imply that the majority of the influence comes from the DNA of the parents. And so it is more likely for the skin tone of the child to be reflected by the mother. However, of course, there is certainly a combination of both parents!

Blood type

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Blood type is something that is like most genetics, inherited from a combination of both parents. The child inherits two different alleles and so the blood type can be a combination of the mother and father. Yet scientific research does suggest that in the majority of cases, the blood type of the mother is passed down to the offspring. Despite it being a combination, the mother's blood type is more common to be continued by the child.

Metabolism

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Metabolism is something that affects a vast range of aspects to do with our general health. The metabolism is largely credited to being determined by the mother, due to the majority of metabolic traits being linked to the mitochondria which is solely passed down from the mother. And so a mother's metabolism will often be similar to the child, which can also affect things such as weight.

Teeth problems

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Dental issues and the risk of certain dental problems are influenced by maternal genetics. A lot of dental health is more to do with how we treat our teeth, our diet, and our general dental hygiene practices. But other aspects such as the structure of teeth in the mouth, or how the teeth will grow and develop are influenced by the mother's DNA.

Red-green color blindness

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Red and green color blindness is inherited from the mother's genes. It is an X-linked recessive pattern. This essentially means males can inherit it much easier because they can carry the gene and be affected whereas a woman can be a carrier and not be affected by the gene. Not all color blindness is inherited by the mother, but the green-red color blindness gene is from the woman's DNA.

Bad Vision

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Our vision is another trait that is solely determined by the genetic DNA of the maternal genes. Vision and vision problems are inherited and so blurred sight, short-sightedness long-sightedness, and other varieties of sight conditions are inherited from the female side. If your mother needs glasses it is likely but not certain that you would need glasses at some point too.

Varicose veins

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Varicose veins are a predisposition that is solely inherited from the mother. Varicose veins are enlarged, twisted, or swollen veins and they have a very distinct look as they are often a lot more visible through the skin than ordinary veins. They are also more common in women and apparent in the X chromosome, meaning that it is more common for women to develop them.

Autoimmune diseases

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Autoimmune disease is a very complex group of disorders in which the body attacks its own healthy cells. They are very serious and can be extremely dangerous. Autoimmune diseases still have a lot to be understood, yet it is known that they come predominantly (but not exclusively) from the genetic material of the mother. The female genes have a stronger link to the HLA gene which is linked with autoimmune diseases.

Weight issues

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The weight of a child is largely determined by the weight of the mother and their genetics. The maternal gene for weight is much more significant that the paternal gene. Again, while weight can be controlled, genetics do play a major factor. And weight factors are usually attributed to coming from the mother's side which will largely determine the child's natural weight.

Migraines

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Migraines are a predisposition that is solely inherited from the mother. Migraines can vary in severity and they come in different kinds. Migraines are not affected or passed down by the male gene, and so migraines always come from the genetic material of the woman. It does not necessarily mean that is always inherited, however, it is likely to be.

Mental health issues

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Some mental health conditions are inherited solely from the mother's DNA. For example, some mental health conditions come from the mitochondria. Neuroticism is a trait solely inherited by women as it derives from the mitochondrial DNA. And so this incorporates things such as anxiety, stress, and levels of sadness. Mood swings are also something that can be linked to this genetic trait. And so these mental health issues which come from this gene are solely inherited from the mother.

Sense of direction

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A sense of direction is something that we inherit from our mother. Sometimes our sense of direction can be improved or practiced. But our natural ability is what determined if we have a good sense of direction, our natural navigation, and homing skills, this cannot be learned. This natural sense of direction comes directly from the genetics of our mother.

Blood clotting disorders

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The risk of certain kinds of blood clotting disorders is something that can be solely influenced by our maternal genetics. Blood clots can be hereditary, and this particular genetic disorder is inherited from the female DNA. One of the most common of these disorders is gene mutations (Factor L Leiden and prothrombin). If blood clots are on the female side it is more likely they will be inherited.

Endometriosis risks

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The likelihood of developing endometriosis is something that is only inherited from the mother. It is a complex series of epigenetics and a lot is still not yet understood or discovered about the genetics of endometriosis or what actually causes it. However, studies do show that it is more likely that it is inherited from the mother rather than from the paternal genetics.

Pain threshold

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Our pain threshold and our pain sensitivity are something that is inherited solely from the mother's genetics. This includes how we feel pain and how we manage to deal with pain. If a pain threshold is high it means that somebody can handle a lot of pain and that they will cope better or not feel pain so acutely as somebody with a low pain threshold would do.

Iron absorption

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Iron absorption is influenced by the maternal genes. Iron absorption is how our body manages to absorb iron and then utilize it. Iron is highly important for physical and mental health. And so how your body absorbs and uses the iron is totally dependent on the genetic makeup of the mother. Any iron disorders are solely inherited by the maternal DNA.

Birth weight

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The birth weight of a baby is much more to do with genetics than you probably considered. Of course, environmental factors such as the health of the mother during pregnancy, diet, and whether the baby was early are all huge factors. But genetics also play a huge part and the birth weight is also genetically determined according to the mother's genetic make-up.

Mitochondrial DNA

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Mitochondrial DNA is a kind of genetic material that is only found within the mitochondria. This kind of DNA is only inherited by the mother. This kind of DNA it is responsible for providing the energy for the cell which is vital to how our cells function. None of this important genetic material is inherited from the father's side. Similarly, there can be lots of defects within the mitochondria, which can only be passed on from the mother.

Insomnia

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Most people suffer from that dreaded 'tossing and turning' at night, or go through a stage of not being able to sleep very well. The stresses and pressures of normal life these days mean people are getting less sleep than they should. But did you know you could actually inherit insomnia? Only on the maternal side can insomnia be passed down, and that can be because mothers with insomnia can make their children not sleep as well when being raised.

Surprising things you don't realize you inherit from your parents! Infidelity

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Full disclosure: you can't just excuse your own cheating by saying 'it's not my fault, it's my genes' because it's not as black and white as that! You still have the choice to cheat or not, no matter what your genes say about you, but some studies have suggested that some genetic makeups passed down can make it more or less likely that that person will be unfaithful!

Being a good or bad driver

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Studies have also shown that it's possible to be influenced through your genes as to whether you're good or bad behind the wheel! Some people have certain genes which make them worse at driving than others with a different set of genes. This can be because of a protein in the brain which helps with memory and physical response - so less of this protein can mean less of a reaction time to driving.

A fear of the dentist

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This one has a lot to do with parents passing on their own fears down to their children! If you had just one parent who had been afraid of the dentist growing up, it's likely that's been passed down to you, too - especially if they took you with them for their own appointments when you were younger! It's also suggested that it's more likely Dad rather than Mom will pass on this fear.

Facial expressions you use

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It's also been suggested that, as well as inheriting your facial features and shape from your parents, it's also possible to inherit the way in which those features are moved and used. There have been studies into people born blind who had no way of seeing those features on their parents faces, yet still made the same movement as Mom and Dad with their expressions!

Your opinion on exercise

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Most people know that dopamine is a feel good hormone that's released during a good, solid workout - and a lot of active people seek out this 'high' by exercising all the time. It's possible that some people don't produce dopamine as quickly as others, thanks to certain genetic traits that are passed down. This could mean certain genes result in those people not being as excited about exercise, or getting as much of that 'feel good' result!

Your procrastination levels

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Procrastination can actually be something you can thank mom and dad for (if that makes you feel better for reading this instead of doing what you should be doing). Some studies have shown that procrastination in certain people can be all thanks to their genetics, and it's also been shown that people with a larger amygdala (where the brain processes emotions, passed down through genetics) are more likely to avoid doing tasks.

Your popularity

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This one is more true of a teenage male than anybody else, and it's all to do with something called the 5HT2A serotonin-receptor. If you have the right kind of this receptor, it likely results in you being a more popular person, due to the type of personality traits it can bring out (rule-breaking and rebellious). And who passes down this receptor? Your folks!

Whether you have a sweet tooth

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Are you someone constantly battling the urge to eat 10 donuts in one go, or are you someone who will always choose savory over sweet? It's very likely you inherited a sweet tooth from your parents if you have one, and this is down to a gene called FGF21 depending on which variation you have, which can result in either sweet or savory cravings!

Your opinion on bitter food

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Bitter food is definitely very decisive, but most people will agree bitter food is an acquired taste. If you can cope with dark chocolate as opposed to milk, and earth veg like Kale, you're obviously a bitter food lover. And this can be because you have a certain variation of the gene TAS2R38, which results in less sensitive taste buds - and you can thank your parents for that!

Risk-taking

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Some people are risk-takers while others would never dream of doing anything like snowboarding or surfing. Which camp you fall into can all depend on genetics. A study done into skiers and skateboarders in particular showed that the variation of a particular gene could play a part in taking risks. People with a certain variation of this gene were more likely to opt for the steeper slopes - and it's suggested they can't feel dopamine as easily as others, so need to take bigger risks to get that high!

How optimistic you are

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It might actually be possible to also inherit optimism from your parents, too. Studies have been done into a gene which associates with the brain's oxytocin receptors (responsible for feelings of love) and the variations of this gene which can be inherited from parents. It's been shown that there are variations in this gene between people who are optimistic and people less so!

How much empathy you have

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The same oxytocin receptors may also have something to do with empathy you feel for others. There's a certain variation of the gene passed down that can determine whether you have a greater ability to deal with stress and to also show empathy for other people. This gene is actually a very popular one, as it's believed half the population actually has it.

Whether you sneeze at natural light

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Do you always have those moments where you're squinting at the sun streaming through the windows because it's giving you the sniffles, or you sneeze as soon as you step outside into bright light? Yeah, you might have to thank your parents for that, too. There's actually a name for this - Autosomal Dominant Compelling Helioopthalmic Outburst Syndrome - and it's likely it's inherited.

Your ability to trust

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Most people can have trust issues down to their parents relationship growing up, or how their childhood progressed, but you normally relate this to environmental factors rather than genetics. Well actually, some studies have suggested that 'trust issues' could be genetic in certain people, following a study done comparing identical twins with non-identical twins.

Whether you're a morning person

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There have also been studies into DNA and genetics that suggest your ancestry could also play a part in whether you're an early bird or a night owl. This could have a lot to do with your natural body clock, and how the way your 'clock' runs has been inherited from your family genes. Certain genetic variations might be able to predict where your clock falls in relation to morning/night energy levels.

How sweaty you are!

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We don't mean after a hefty workout, but more how prone you are to general sweating compared to others. Some people sweat non-stop even when they're not working out. The condition called hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) can actually run in the family, which means it also runs the risk of being inherited! It can even come down to where

you sweat the most on your body being inherited, too.

Your musical talent

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It's one of those annoying things when some people are naturally gifted singers and can take to any instruments while you sound like a bag of cats. There are some studies, though, that suggest your parents could have something to do with whether you have the voice of an angel or not. Genetic makeup could make the difference to the kind of rhythm or pitch you have.

And your taste in music, too

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We don't just mean the music your parents were playing in the car when you grew up, either! Genetics may actually have something to do with this, too. Genes might actually help influence the type of music you're most likely to enjoy. This is most prevalent in certain genres, too, like classical music or pop music. People who enjoy classical music might have actually inherited that from their parents.