I have an autoimmune disease and often worry that my two daughters will wind up with it - or a variation of it - someday. So I read with interest a WebMD feature on the odds of women inheriting their moms' medical conditions - and steps that can be taken to reduce one's risk. The piece focuses on four areas - breast cancer, osteoporosis, depression, and autoimmune disease - and strikes a fairly hopeful tone:
“Use genetic information to empower you, not to debilitate you,” [Susan Hahn, MS, a genetic counselor at the University of Miami School of Medicine] says. “Don’t say, ‘I’m destined to get diabetes, I might as well eat what I want.’ There are things you can do to lower your chance of getting many diseases, and early detection is important as well. Don’t use your family history as a determining factor; use it as a motivator.”
Photo by 23am.com
