The Importance of a Family Medical History

If you are reading this blog, you must read this very informational news report afterwards. It’s an online article put out by The Wall Street Journal, The Life-Saving Secrets in Your Family Tree.

In this article, you learn that keeping record of your family history’s health can be much more useful than a genetic test can. Doctors are actually encouraging people to research their family’s medical history to determine whether there is a probability of a person coming down with a particular disease or disorder.

The article also discusses some great ways you can start gathering information about your family tree’s medical history. It also gives suggestions about how you should bring the information you gather with you to doctor’s appointments so your doctor can be aware and keep an eye on possible signs of familial illness and/or order tests for you. Your doctor may even advise you to get a genetic test to pinpoint whether you have inherited the genetic marker for a particular disease that runs in your family. Without the information you provided, you and your doctor may have never even thought of looking for it, which means you could someday suffer from an otherwise preventable disease.

If you never had a good enough reason to start a family tree other than just knowing where your ancestors came from, this is it. Your ancestors may give you clues into your future health, if you are willing to look for them. Don’t ignore what you can help by researching your family’s health.

(Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/herry/3228640890/)

July 1st, 2009 by Marcelina Hardy | Posted in Family Trees | (0)