Family Health – Following Your Roots to a Healthier You

Have you lost a loved one through a disease?

The first thing you do when you go to new doctor for a physical is filling out your family health history. Your family history can tell your doctor about potential health risks.

I was devastated when I found out my mom had cancer. I was fortunate that they found it early enough to treat. She is doing well now. She’s been five years cancer free.

We all have a piece of our past. I have my mom’s beautiful smile. I have my Dad’s 6 plus feet height. It feels great to have these traits.

You can also carry on many of your parent’s ailments. Do you know if you carry any any potential genetic health risks?

Do a bit of detective work and you’ll find yourself asking some questions that may raise some health concerns.

If you’re close member is deceased, look for copies of old medical records or some times, old personal letters and look for things that talk about their lifestyle.

If you don’t have records, look at old picture sand if possible, videos. If a picture can tell a thousand words, a video can tell a million words. Start with easy stuff like height and weights. How is their posture? Even things, like if a family member develops things like dowagers hump.

Look back for things that bring up red flags. Do you notice any injuries? Look for any visual cues that may tell you a story. Also, if a loved one, say,developed medical ailments like cancer in their early thirties. This should be taken more seriously than if they developed the cancer in their late seventies.

Draw up a simple genealogy tree and look for patterns. You can’t change genetics but you have great control over lifestyle habits.

Do what you can to minimize those health risks. You have the power. If you want things in your life to change, you have to change things in your life. Look back, ask plenty of questions and you can learn a lot from your family’s lifestyle habits.

Author: Adriel Yapana
Source: ezinearticles.com