Don`t feel shocked if you come to know the fact that you could get certain health issues like cardiovascular diseases, type2 diabetes, obesity, certain types of cancers, Alzheimer Disease and autoimmune issues etc from your parents!!
It is noteworthy that these health issues could be influenced by genetic predispositions inherited from family members. Apart from this, various other factors like food intake, exercises etc could also contribute to the issues mentioned above. Therefore, we must understand the medical history of the family plus go for regular check-ups and adopt a healthy lifestyle etc to manage genetic risks.
Various important things we must do to protect us if chronic diseases run in the family are
By knowing our medical history:
It is essential that we must gather information about our family`s medical history. By this, we would be able to know about various health issues or diseases that have affected the family. This would help us to take necessary action and keep us protected from any chronic diseases etc.
By going for regular health checkups:
To monitor our health status, we must schedule regular health checkups with our healthcare provider. By this, we would be able to screen for potential risk factors. We must try to discuss the family medical history with the healthcare provider. By this, the healthcare provider would suggest screenings like blood tests, genetic testing etc.
By adopting a healthy lifestyle:
It is a must that we must adopt a healthy lifestyle to protect us from many chronic diseases etc. Here, we must consume a well balanced diet, do exercises regularly, sleep well etc. Various physical activities we could do to lower the risk of chronic diseases are walking, swimming, yoga etc. It is necessary that we must eat foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains etc.
By quitting unhealthy habits etc:
We must try to quit smoking and drinking alcohol or atleast limit them to avoid getting chronic issues like heart diseases, cancer, liver issues and respiratory disorders. To overcome these bad habits, we could seek the help of healthcare professionals, counselling services etc.
By managing chronic conditions:
We must work with our healthcare providers to manage our chronic conditions effectively if we have any chronic condition already or have more risk of getting them due to family history etc.
By staying informed:
It is necessary that we must educate ourselves about certain chronic diseases that run the family. Learning about the various risk factors and preventing them is essential. We must stay informed about the medical advancement regarding the treatment options for chronic diseases.
By seeking genetic counselling:
Genetic counselling must be sought by us if we have huge cononcerns about the chronic diseases or if the medical family history suggests high risk of medical conditions etc. In this scenario, a genetic counsellor would be able to understand the genetic risks, and would interpret genetic test results. The genetic counsellor would then provide us with guidance on various preventive measures etc. Point is that they would also discuss family planning considerations etc plus support us in taking decisions regarding genetic testing etc.