Monday Health & Wellness

Do You Know Your Family’s Health Story?

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized there are things I wish I knew.

One of those things is my family’s health history.

I know arthritis runs on both my German and Japanese sides of the family. My grandmothers had it. My parents had it. My siblings have dealt with it. Because of that, my daughters know it runs in our family too.

But there are still so many things I don’t know.

My mother passed away from a cerebral hemorrhage. Looking back now, I wish I had asked more questions while she was still here. At the time, I never imagined that one day those answers might matter to me… or to my children.

After my mother passed, I cared for my father, so I became much more familiar with his health journey. That experience taught me something important.

Our family health history is part of our own health story.

It isn’t about living in fear.

It’s about being informed.

Your doctor can only work with the information you share. If heart disease, stroke, diabetes, certain cancers, high blood pressure, or other conditions run in your family, that information may help guide screenings, conversations, and decisions about your health.

I’ve also realized something else.

I’ve been documenting my own health journey.

Every appointment.
Every test.
Every diagnosis.
Every question.
Every victory.

At first, I started keeping records because I needed to remember everything that was happening.

Now I realize I’m also creating a health history that may someday help my daughters understand their own health.

That gives my note-taking a whole new purpose.

If your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or siblings are still living, ask questions while you can.

What health conditions run in your family?

How old were they when they were diagnosed?

What treatments helped them?

Those conversations may become some of the most valuable ones you’ll ever have.

We spend a lot of time collecting family photographs.

Maybe it’s time we also preserve our family’s health story.

Blessings from Flava in Her Tower.

Lady Flava Wellness 🌻