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A Family "Health" Tree ... Thanksgiving Gatherings Can Be A Good Time To Find Out What Health Problems You Should -- And Shouldn't -- Worry About. BY KAREN SHIDELER - 268-6674 or [log in to unmask] SOURCE: The Wichita Eagle / Kansas.com, KS WWWeb: http://tinyurl.com/6okkw Posted on Tue, Nov. 23, 2004 My grandfathers bequeathed me high cholesterol, Parkinson's disease and heart problems. My grandmothers added cancer and dementia. My parents chipped in skin cancer. And knowing all that, I have begun to unearth my own medical history. I still need to fill in some blanks, so on Thursday, while family members are visiting, I hope we'll be asking some questions beyond "How were the roads?" and "What did you mean by that?" Earlier this month, U.S. health officials suggested we use Thanksgiving as an occasion to share not only fellowship but medical information. Thousands of diseases have a genetic component -- they "run in the family." Some of them, like Huntington's disease and sickle cell anemia, can't be influenced by behavior, but how you live can have an effect on others. If you have a family history of heart disease, for example, you can improve your chances of not getting it by keeping your blood pressure under control, exercising regularly, keeping your weight in check and not smoking. The U.S. Health and Human Services Department offers free information about putting together a family health tree on its Web site and through the mail. But you can start right now: Use the form on this page, adapting it for your own family. Or put your name at the top of a sheet of paper. Under your name, write your birth date. Then list any of your major illnesses, birth defects, allergies, vision or hearing problems, emotional or behavioral problems, such as depression or alcoholism, and chronic health problems, such as diabetes or asthma. Do the same for your parents and your grandparents. Add your children and grandchildren. Then start in on other blood relatives -- aunts, uncles and cousins. Include dates and causes of death, if you know them. Note, too, at what age conditions occurred. My grandfather's heart problems came when he was in his mid-90s, which isn't worrisome to me. But if you discover that it's common for women on your mother's side to die in their early 60s, it's worth paying attention. Now you know what you still need to find out. Once you've constructed your family medical history, take it with you the next time you visit your doctor. It will help both of you decide what tests you should have, what conditions to watch for and what you can do to avoid disease. A caution: Your detective work will require some sensitivity. An uncle's treatment for mental illness might not be what everyone wants to talk about at the Thanksgiving dinner table -- or anywhere else. But if you explain your purpose -- and offer to share copies of what you find out -- you might come away with some delightful family stories as well as the information you need. NOW YOU KNOW - FAMILY HEALTH TREE RESOURCES The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has a Web site devoted to creating a medical history for your family: http://www.hhs.gov/familyhistory For a free printed copy of the government's version, call the Federal Citizen Information Center at (888) 878-3256 or write to My Family Health Portrait, Pueblo, CO 81009. Your doctor's office may have similar material available. Call to find out. Some Web sites offer additional information about constructing a family health tree, including more questions to ask and documents to look at. Try http://genealogy.about.com/library/authors/ucbishop7a.htm or http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/HQ/01707.html Reach Karen Shideler at 268-6674 or [log in to unmask] SOURCE: The Wichita Eagle / Kansas.com, KS WWWeb: http://tinyurl.com/6okkw * * * Murray Charters <[log in to unmask]> Please place this address in your address book Please purge all others Web site: Parkinsons Resources on the WWWeb http://www.geocities.com/murraycharters ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn