A New Frontier in Family Health and History – The Nation Newspaper

Heritable diseases that are passed down through the generations have been known for quite some time. For most of that time though, people had no idea why it was this way, let alone what to do about it. This all changed with the arrival of DNA sequencing from the completion of the Human Genome Project over a decade ago.

Not only do people recognize that genes can play a factor in the likelihood of contracting certain ailments, but increasingly scientists are able to pinpoint where these genes are, how they are contributing to something, and to formulate a solution.

The Importance of HealthIt is not enough that people are living longer lives if those extra years are spent in a hospital bed. What really matters is not how many years you spend on this Earth, but how many healthy years. This is why the subject of health is so important. Health can be said to be the key to a truly fulfilling life.

As we age, our body accumulates more flaws and as a result we become less vigorous over the years, generally speaking. But if we take care of our health when we are young, we can slow this process down by quite a bit. There are a good number of retirees who have done this and are reaping the benefits.

In the days of old, most knowledge people had of maintaining good health was traditions passed down over the generations. This of course is not always perfect as some traditions might not be rooted in the best of science. Some traditions might be outright harmful to family and societal health.

The health of one person can potentially affect the entire family. If someone falls ill, the whole family is wrought with worry anxiety because a loved one is in distress. If it turns out to be something major, like cancer, not only is the familys emotions dragged down, but potentially their finances as well.

The miracle of modern technology is the gift that does not stop giving. With genealogy and heritage DNA tests available to the public, families might just be able to save a members life just by knowing more of something. Through knowledge and preventative medicine, people are being empowered to take matters of life into their own hands. While this of course means that a greater degree of personal responsibility is needed, this also means that we can make better decisions on what to do with our life simply because we now know more about ourselves.

As with many things, modern technology always has the potential to lend a helping hand. In the past couple centuries, human life expectancy has actually doubled worldwide! Improved sanitation, mass vaccination and germ theory have all contributed to this rise in life expectancy.

Another truly remarkable achievement has been the dramatic drop in infant mortality. Just a few short centuries ago, two in five children did not reach the age of five. In most developed countries, this has dropped to less than one in a hundred. This has resulted in the elimination of suffering for nearly countless families worldwide.

With the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA, scientists were able to confirm that certain gene expressions contributed to the rise of certain ailments and also that some of these expressions were transmitted from parent to child. And through better understanding of these gene expressions, scientists will be able to better combat these diseases.

With the Genome Project completed, the field transformed into an information technology and was able to ride the exponential wave of IT development along with countless other fields that have been swept by the IT fairy. Now, scientists are able to attack the problem of heritable diseases with even more pinpoint precision.

DNA Kit testing has exploded in popularity in recent years. With technology making everything cheaper, DNA testing kits are now within financial reach of millions of families. Some people use this technology to satisfy certain curiosities while for others, it could very well be a lifesaver.

DNA testing kits work by sending a testing kit to your address with instructions on what they need from you, usually a large saliva sample, as well as how to get it back to them. After a certain amount of time, some documents will be mailed back to you documenting their findings.

There are some DNA testing kits that specialize in looking for heritable traits with real world consequences such as predispositions to certain heritable diseases and even certain allergies. Many of us go around our daily activities not even slightly aware that we have certain predispositions we have no control over.

This can be very helpful because a DNA test might produce information that can be applied to a real-life medical situation. If you have a high chance of contracting a certain disease than most, it might make sense to take action now that might save your life and spare your family from suffering a loss in the family.

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A New Frontier in Family Health and History - The Nation Newspaper