Creating a Family Medical Tree
Many people today are taking a more proactive role in evaluating their lives and identifying unhealthy habits, physical ailments or emotional trends that may indicate or trigger future diseases or illnesses we may experience later in life. Because so many diseases we suffer from in our elder years have links to our genetic make-up, many doctors are recommending that families develop a family medical tree that summarizes the illnesses, diseases and causes of deaths of family members through several generations. This information can help your physician identify trends that could lead to future problems for you, your spouse or your children.
Health Magazine has an excellent article in their November 2007 issues that describes how you can gather this information from your family and even provides a form that can help you gather information that a doctor may find useful. Details like whether your aunts, uncles or grandparents ever suffered from breast or colon cancer, depression, diabetes or heart disease will help doctors understand if you too will be at risk for these things. It can also help your doctor know what to keep a look out for in your annual physical exams.
Take a look and consider putting together your own medical family tree. It could provide a world of information for your family.