Read more: Local, Community, Medical, History, Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a great time to share family memories around the table.
But it can also be a great time to get to know more about your family's medical history.
That's why the Surgeon General has declared Thanksgiving as National Family History Day.
Dr. Philip Tweedy with the Hannibal Clinic says knowing the medical conditions that run in your family allows you to take steps to know your risk for common health issues problems like heart disease and cancer.
He advises you to speak with relatives and record details like birth and death dates, when and what type of illnesses have hit your family and the type of medical treatment your family members received.
An accurate medical history goes back three generations, including information from parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts as well as siblings.
Why is your relatives' medical history valid for you?
Dr. Tweedy said, "We certainly may inherit some things that come from our relatives, especially our first degree relatives like our parents and siblings. The genetics play a significant role in risk factors for developing various chronic illnesses as you age."
Each family member should get a copy of the family's medical history to share with their doctors regularly.
Find a link to a list of questions to ask and a way to organize the medical history information at https://familyhistory.hhs.gov/
