{"id":6065,"date":"2017-11-25T19:52:27","date_gmt":"2017-11-26T00:52:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medisafeapp.wpengine.com\/it-runs-in-the-family-holiday-health-history\/"},"modified":"2022-11-21T10:46:38","modified_gmt":"2022-11-21T15:46:38","slug":"it-runs-in-the-family-holiday-health-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medisafeapp.com\/es\/it-runs-in-the-family-holiday-health-history\/","title":{"rendered":"It Runs in the Family – Holiday Health History"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s Family Health History Day! With Thanksgiving underway, there is never a better time to talk to your family about their medical history. It may seem like a daunting subject, but when left untouched it may leave your family members open to medical risk – and frankly may also give relatives a chance to vent about their aches and pains.<\/span>
\nYour family history is one of the strongest influences of understanding your risk for conditions, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and many others. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), America\u2019s leading authority on disease, studies show that while 96% of Americans agree that knowing their family history is important, only a third have actually taken a look and gathered their family history. <\/span>
\nKnowing your family history can help you and your doctor determine which screenings and tests are most applicable to you for preventative and interventional care. These screenings can be vital. \u00a0As is the case with many diseases, the earlier it\u2019s caught, the better it can be treated. Family history can also help determine which lifestyle changes or behaviors may be most beneficial for you in preventing or managing a disease. <\/span>
\nScreenings and medical history isn\u2019t only helpful for adults. Children also benefit! This is particularly valuable in the face of certain <\/span>medical myths <\/span><\/i>such as the fact that Type 2 diabetes only affects adults. In reality over <\/span>3,700 young adult<\/span><\/a>s under the age of 20 are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in the US alone. Understanding family predispositions can help reduce a child or teen\u2019s risk of developing the disease.<\/span>
\nWhile having chronic diseases in your family history in no way guarantees developing the same disease, there are conditions which are more heavily influenced not only by genes, but also by behavior and lifestyle that can be shared among close family members. Simply put, for your doctor to be more informed and conduct the best preventative screenings possible, is paramount. It\u2019s easiest of course, if you know it yourself!<\/span>
\nSo take some time this holiday season to understand your family medical history including: <\/span><\/p>\n