Ever glance around the dinner table during the holidays and realize how many generations are present? It’s a beautiful feeling.
It’s also the perfect time to learn more about your family’s history — specifically your family’s medical history. But, as many young and inquisitive Black generations have learned, it can be difficult to get Grandmother and Granddad to talk about their ailments or the conditions their parents and grandparents may have died from.
Knowing these things about your family, though, can help prevent developing certain diseases.
Here’s how to talk to your loved ones this Christmas about family health history:
1. Make a list.
Before you get to dinner, make a family tree of everyone who will be attending dinner — including half siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles. Write down everyone’s age and any health conditions you already know about for each person. If any relatives have passed away, write down the cause of their death and age.
2. Ask parents for details.
Your parents have a wealth of information and they may be easier to talk to initially. Show your parents the list you’ve created and ask for details about the conditions each relative is living with — especially when they were diagnosed and why.
3. Dig deeper.
After dinner, try sparking a conversation with each relative when you have a moment alone. While talking, ask about their health in a compassionate way. Then, sneak into the conversation how you’re looking to learn more about your family history to learn more about your health.
4. Talk to your physician.
Next time you visit the doctor, tell him or her what you’ve learned about your family during the holiday and ask how this history pertains to your current health or any conditions you may be struggling with.
Why is it important to know my family medical history?
A family medical history can identify people with a higher-than-usual chance of having common disorders, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, certain cancers and diabetes. A family history also can provide information about the risk of rarer conditions caused by mutations in a single gene, such as cystic fibrosis and sickle cell disease.
Knowing one’s family medical history allows a person to take steps to reduce his or her risk. For people with an increased risk of certain cancers, health care professionals may recommend more frequent screening (such as mammography or colonoscopy) starting at an earlier age. Health care providers may also encourage regular checkups or testing for people with a medical condition that runs in their family. Additionally, lifestyle changes such as adopting a healthier diet, getting regular exercise and quitting smoking help many people lower their chances of developing heart disease and other common illnesses.
(Source: National Institutes
of Health)
