Plant Your Family Health Tree

Do you know your family’s medical history? Now that scientist have completed a map of the human genome which determines how each individual cell in your body is made it’s more important than ever to learn your "medical tree."

Here are a few reasons you why you should know your family health history…

• Knowing your family’s medical history can save lives. A family medical tree can alert you to watch for early warning signs of diseases, get more frequent screening or make healthy lifestyle changes.
• As more research is released about the human genome, medical care may include genetic tests in doctors’ offices, new kinds of drugs, gene therapy, and treatments tailored to individuals genetic makeup. Knowing which health issues they may have inherited could help your family’s future generations.

Here is the how, what and where…

How you get started is first, list your closet relatives (siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles), their date of birth and major diseases. For deceased relatives, write the date and cause of death.

What else should I list? Besides cancers, heart disease and diabetes, note next to each name other major disorders, such as high blood pressure, stroke, kidney disease, anemia, miscarriages, arthritis, epilepsy, osteoporosis and ulcer. Make notes on depression, schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. If you can, include the age when the disease first started, any allergies, and health-related habits such as excessive smoking or drinking.

Where can you find this information? Check first with family members. Assure them that all information will be kept confidential if they wish. Ask for any copies of death certificates. State health departments can also provide copies.

Finally, once you compiled everything, bring your medical tree to your doctor for interpretation. Ultimately you’ll be better equipped to deal with any genetic risk you uncover. Share this information with your children and family members so they to can have a copy to climb the family health tree.

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