Nancy Lugo: Finding out what 'runs in the family'

As families gather at the Thanksgiving table, you might have to avoid politics, religion, and just about everything else. But it is the perfect time to find out what’s in your family tree. Your family health history may have clues to what the future could hold, what mystery is currently ailing you, and what you can do for better health. Health is a mix of genetics, environment, and lifestyle choices.

Cancer, diabetes, heart disease, blood disorders and some rare, hard-to-diagnose problems can “run in the family.” Knowing your family health tree can tip you to early screening, treatment and lifestyle choices to thwart problems. Gather at least three generations of information, going up the tree to your grandparents and out on the branches to nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Typically, family histories are not neat and clean, with clear diagnoses like in the text books. Aunt Sallie always had a cough but was killed by a train. Cousin Ana was “never quite right” after her baby died. Uncle Charley had terrible pains in his joints that they never figured out what it was. And no one wants to talk about what happened to Aunt Betty. Then there are the breaks and blending of families, so your tree looks more like a shrub or a cactus. But these are all clues.

Heart disease risks are often partially inherited but rotund family members are more likely to have heart problems. Knowing your family history may provide the motivation to get fit, control blood pressure, and go for low-fat foods.

Knowing your family’s cancer history can help individualize your cancer screenings and if you have cancer, can sometimes guide your treatment options. For example, if you have a family history of colon cancer, you may need an earlier and more frequent screening schedule. Some breast cancers have a strong genetic root. A family history of skin cancer may inspire you to double up on sunblock.

Sometimes family history can help identify generations of problems that had not been diagnosed. Karen’s sister’s son was slow to learn to walk and talk and was in a developmentally disabled class in his school. It wasn’t until Karen’s infant son’s development was not going right that she started to look into her family tree. She found out a cousin who lived in another state was also mentally handicapped. The family tree provided important clues. Genetic tests showed that her son had Fragile X, a genetic disorder carried by women in the family. Sons who inherits the Fragile X chromosome have a cluster of problems, including lags in mental developmental. A son born to a woman carrying the Fragile X gene has a 50 percent chance of having Fragile X syndrome.

Genetics are a big deal. The Human Genome Project (genome.org), as groundbreaking as space travel, mapped over 20,000 genes in human DNA. The project provided tools to understand the genetic factors in human disease, paving the way for new strategies in disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention. We are on the cusp of a whole new world of genetic-specific care. Knowing your genetic history can unlock the clues.

Some questions to ask as you go through the family tree:

Who had heart disease, diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure or another chronic condition?

What did each late family member die of? How old were they?

Who had a physical disability? Who was mentally ill? Who was depressed?

Did anyone have cancer? A stroke?

Has anyone in the family had birth defects, learning problems, developmental disabilities?

What countries did our family come from (for clues to genetic groups)?

Free online tools can help you organize the information: www.hhs.gov/familyhistory/ and www.genome.gov/11510372

Nancy Rudner Lugo is a workplace nurse coach for HealthAction.biz. Send her your questions at [email protected]