Have we the power to change our medical destiny?
Have we the power to change our medical destiny? is a question that deserves an answer.
About body and genetic inheritance.
We are used to the fact that we are more or less like our parents or grandparent. This is due to genetic inheritance.
Genetic inheritance shows how genetic information is passed from one generation to another.
We get from our predecessors not just the physical appearance but also the more complex characteristic related to body functionality. That is why we have a predisposition to certain ills regarding the possible mutation of genetic material from our ancestors.
Digging deep into our genetic inheritance helps us to answer the question: Have we the power to change our medical destiny?
About genes, genomes, and genetic information
DNA is the molecule that contains the genetic code and is part of each cell in the body.
A gene is a segment of DNA that provides the cell with instructions for making a specific protein, which then carries out a particular function in your body.
The sum of an organism’s DNA is called the genome and is the carrier of all information needed for the organism to develop and function.
Human body uniqueness
Each body contains a copy of the biological mother genome and a copy of the biological father genome. Some of the traits of each individual are controlled by a single gene but some of them are affected by multiple genes and that is why each body is unique.
99.9% of human DNA has the same genes arranged in the same order but the 0.01% is enough to change the shape, quantity, where, and how a protein is made.
This protein individualizes some of the body traits and also influences the risk of developing diseases and the response to medication.
Interaction of the body with environmental factors
Each human body in its own uniqueness reacts in its own way exposed to lifestyle and environmental factors.
We have seen so many cases of persons who have a very healthy lifestyle and end up having very serious medical issues as well as many other which don’t pay much attention to diet or physical activities and still leave a long and healthy life.
Treating this group like the exception that straightens the rule it is to be said that for the vast majority of the human population lifestyle and the environment has a major impact on development and health.
The way we live defines how our genetic inheritance work.
Medical family tree and its importance
Medical family history also calls a medical family tree is a record of illnesses and the medical condition of previous generations. It can be useful to:
- assess the risk to develop certain diseases.
- the risk to pass a medical condition to the next generation even is not present in the actual one
- identifying conditions that wouldn’t be taken into account otherwise
- spot necessity to get a specific genetic test
- undertaken treatment or change the habits and lifestyle to prevent possible illnesses
The ideal would be the medical family tree to include at least 3 generations including parents, grandparents, siblings, uncles, aunties, and cousins.
Mayo clinic recommends trying to compile the following information:
- Sex
- Date of birth
- Ethnicity
- Medical conditions
- Mental health conditions, including alcoholism or other substance abuse
- Pregnancy complications, including miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects, or infertility
- Age when each condition was diagnosed
- Lifestyle habits, including diet, exercise, and tobacco use
- For deceased relatives, age at the time of death and cause of death
A medical practitioner should review and interpret the data to get a full understanding of it
Importance of medical diaries
Medical diaries are a way of collecting health information, a record of a person’s health kept by himself.
Throughout his life, a person could change the general practitioner doctor several times Could attend different clinics, and take different treatments or procedures and investigations in many places.
All of them have their own records but is not always possible to transfer them to the same place.
Having medical diaries could compensate for this and help in many other situations.
Basic information to include should be as follow:
- Your name, birth date, blood type, and emergency contact information
- Date of last medical check
- Dates and results of tests and screenings
- Major illnesses and surgeries, with dates
- A list of your medicines and supplements, the dosages, and how long you’ve taken them
- Any allergies
- Any chronic diseases
- Any history of illnesses in your family
From <https://medlineplus.gov/personalhealthrecords.html>
More complete is that journals more useful can be for doctors next generation of the family, and researchers.
Being able to identify when the first symptom of an illness appears can tell a lot about the age of a medical condition.
So is probably a good idea to mention even a migraine, a change in bowel habits, a lack of rest as well as any type of pain duration, intensity, and painkiller to which react.
Any changes in the skin and nail levels would be great to mention.
A new era in treatments is opened by genome research.
First genetics and later genomes are the two branches of research on the characteristic of living organisms which opens a new and very promising era for the treatment of many medical conditions with more individualized treatment.
The rare diseases are now understood and many types of cancer get appropriate treatment.
The future look promising in controlling many medical conditions and this makes us say:
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