Whether you’ve always known about them or a new issue has recently come to the fore, genetic health conditions can feel like tough pills to swallow. After all, health is difficult enough without knowing that you’re already predisposed to issues.
In reality, though, letting genetics get you down is the wrong way to go about things. Just because a condition is prevalent in your family doesn’t mean that you’re inevitably going to get it. It does, however, mean that unlike others who spend their lives fighting against unknowns, you have a little insider knowledge to better keep your health on the straight and narrow. Here, we’re going to consider the best ways to put that insight to good use.
Talk about the risk factors
The fact that you know you’re predisposed to health conditions, whatever those look like, means that you never need to miss early indicators of a problem. Rather, talking to diagnosed individuals in your family can give a first-hand reliable account of what to look out for at any given time. By keeping those warning signs in mind, you’re poised to spot a genetic condition as soon as it arises, preventing escalating problems, and perhaps even saving your life in a way that someone who isn’t keeping an eye out may be unable to do.
Get checked more regularly
Many of us are guilty of skipping recommended health checks including hearing and sight tests, mammograms, and more. But, whether hearing loss or breast cancer runs in your family, being predisposed to a condition makes it far more likely that you’ll attend regular checkups for that problem. Again, this can be invaluable for helping you to catch an issue early and, in the case of genetic cancers especially, is a proactive step that could save your life. What’s more, attending regular checks for any potential condition can provide real peace of mind, saving you from having to spend hours on Google winding yourself up if you think something’s wrong. Instead, you’ll already know that you’re good to go and as healthy as can be thanks to all that increased medical oversight.
Know what you can do
Knowing about certain conditions within your family can also help you to take proactive steps to prevent the same from happening to you. Obviously this isn’t always going to be possible, but things like increasing your activity levels or making an effort to eat healthy food can at least help to delay/reduce the onset of many health conditions. Knowing that you’re at significant risk can also help you to actively avoid further risk factors or negative lifestyle choices like smoking and drinking, leaving you healthier overall, and hopefully keeping even genetics at bay.
It isn’t easy to feel like you’re fighting an already losing battle, but a history of family illness really needn’t make that the case. Simply implement these pointers, and you may soon find that you’re able to turn what can feel like a curse into a far healthier, happier lifestyle.
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