You may have noticed that doctors often ask about diseases that affected your mother, father, and other family members. In fact, your family's medical history can often be essential information for you and your doctor. Every week, in various newspapers and magazines, we read about research that connects diseases to the genes that are passed down from our parents and their ancestors. In years past, we have suspected that diseases that affected our parents and siblings were more likely to affect our own health and that of our children. Current research actually is examining the human chromosome and finding direct links between specific diseases and genes that are passed from generation to generation.

Your family's medical history can often be essential information for you and your doctor

How will these new discoveries affect our health in the future? Using microsurgery techniques, it will be possible to repair genes in individuals with a high risk of serious disease. We will be able to prevent or eliminate some diseases because of genetic intervention. This type of genetic engineering has great promise for improving our overall health. However, it is important that we explore the ethical questions of genetic manipulation in order to prevent such techniques from being used for the wrong reasons.

In the meantime, our family history can provide valuable clues for our own future health risk. For example, in a family with a history of heart disease, family members should exercise regularly, have a low-fat diet, and avoid smoking, even in the absence of individual symptoms. Choosing a healthier lifestyle, in this situation, could prevent some of the serious consequences of a heart disease gene that you might have inherited. (Even if you didn't inherit a heart disease gene, a healthier lifestyle will make you feel great.)

In addition, if you are aware of a disease in your family, you are more likely to be aware of the early symptoms. The earlier a disease is diagnosed, the better the chances for successful treatment.

In summary, pay attention to your family's medical history. Your family's history will give you the clues necessary to find and correct potential problems before they become serious and allow you to be as healthy as possible.