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Do you know your family's medical history? I am from the island of Jamaica and having a family medical history or even creating one, was never talked about when I was growing up. When a family member was ill, especially if it was cancer – like it was contagious- there were whispers, no one asked questions, but you felt the fear within everyone around you. It was palpable.
My Father had an ailment commonly known as ‘STOPPAGE of water’ erroneously associated with prostate cancer, but what was actually urinary retention, but due to the type of medical treatment he received back then in Jamaica, it certainly developed into prostate cancer. And, my Mother had ovarian cancer.
Stoppage of water is a curable illness. Ovarian cancers if not detected early, the survival rate drops to 15 to 20 percent if the cancer spreads. All this prevention is dependent on having a family medical history and it is becoming more and more urgent, especial as more and more diseases are found to have genetic links or are just the product of lifestyle.
There are several chronic diseases in the world that have genetic links like diabetes, stroke, mental illness, alcoholism, arthritis – especially as we age, allergies and high blood pressure.
Unfortunately, time is not on our side, as hereditary diseases are a crisis potentially affecting everyone listening to this Podcast, reading this web page and also in the world.
I’ll like to talk about the threat of high blood pressure, the medical community’s reaction, or inaction, and also indicate an easy solution that help you deal with the threat of hereditary diseases.
If a member of your family had ovarian cancer, as my Mother did, yours and my risk factor increases by some 20 to 40 percent. As I am of African hereditary my risk factors increase even more, and even more my sensitivity to salt. Luckily for me I was diagnosed early, before it had wrecked its silent passage through any of my organs, with high blood pressure in the early 1990s because I was so overcome with grief from my Mother’s death.
But you say - my doctor is the greatest, he has provided early detection and has prescribed medications that have my high blood pressure under control. In essence the medical community has put us at an even greater risk, accentuating the problem. Myself as well as others I know and can factually state that the treatment of high blood pressure has created additional health risk to our lives.
This I am attesting to since I experienced many life-threatening situations and side effects too numerous to talk about here. But have shared with you throughout this website, how I was able to achieve normal blood pressure measurements through my diet and complementary therapeutic treatments that can be part of your lifestyle going forward.
This chronic disease is silent, can be complicated and so deadly. Part of the problem lies in we not knowing our families' health history which is of extreme importance. What’s even more daunting is your doctor may have a meager amount of information on you from you not having a family medical history, and not realizing the detriment to your health the lack of information this can cause.
There are doctors, of course, who do take into account hereditary factors, but there are still unfortunately a good portion of doctors whose medical files are lacking on our individual risk factors.
So what can we as individuals do in making sure there’s better accounting of our medical history in order to receive a quick and proper diagnoses and treatment?
To be part of the solution and help in the completion of your family medical history tree you’ll list all medical conditions contracted by close relatives, especially parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. Do make important notation about each relative such as age, height, weight, habits…for instance are they or was a smoker, and any medical conditions they contracted.
I want to further highlight how detailed each relative’s information should be. For instance,
Know that the time invested in recording a detailed medical family tree is an investment into your health’s future. The knowledge you gain about your family’s medical history may help you prevent your own future problems and possibly save your life.
Going forward I’ll be listing past and upcoming monthly challenges that you can participate in that will benefit the whole human body, but to me most importantly your health – ‘Without Health There’s No Enjoyment Of Wealth’.
**TBA - To be announced.
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