I hate how doctors ignore how important genetics are for health

[Anonymous]

Not my experience at all. They google the country of my origin every time I get a new doctor, and then ask family questions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like people dismiss how important of a role genetics play in health. I am 24, but I already have diagnoses for allergies, plantar fasciitis, chronic pain, autism, sleep apnea, asthma, and high blood pressure. I don’t eat red meats, don’t drink or smoke, exercise as much as I safely can, and mostly just drink water. I have been like this throughout my whole life, and I don’t see how my habits led me to being almost crippled in my 20s

Overweight?

But this is exactly the dynamic being challenged in the post. There's an assumption that your health issues must be your fault. You must be doing something wrong.

My spouse is lean (normal BMI) and has sleep apnea. We're both normal weight and have elevated cholesterol. Some things are just not within our control, and it would be helpful if more of society recognized that instead of looking to blame health issues on the patients experiencing them.

The combination of issues listed, combined with being sensitive about doctors recommending different personal behaviors, strongly suggests obesity.

[Anonymous]

I'm skinny and work out and struggle with high cholesterol. Yeah, it doesn't feel fair but I eat a ton of fiber, and avoid sugar and high fat foods as much as I can. Your issues aren't your fault but at some point it is on you to manage them. There just isn't a magic fix it pill without side effects.

[Anonymous]

Message from middle age woman with chronic health issues to young person with chronic health issues:

Don't wear your diagnoses like a mantle. You are not your pain or conditions. Discern what brings you joy and happiness and purpose and focus on living your values. The more you focus on the good stuff, the less your chronic issues will be at the forefront of your life. Accept them, make smart choices about how you treat/handle them, and go forth and live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like people dismiss how important of a role genetics play in health. I am 24, but I already have diagnoses for allergies, plantar fasciitis, chronic pain, autism, sleep apnea, asthma, and high blood pressure. I don’t eat red meats, don’t drink or smoke, exercise as much as I safely can, and mostly just drink water. I have been like this throughout my whole life, and I don’t see how my habits led me to being almost crippled in my 20s

Overweight?

But this is exactly the dynamic being challenged in the post. There's an assumption that your health issues must be your fault. You must be doing something wrong.

My spouse is lean (normal BMI) and has sleep apnea. We're both normal weight and have elevated cholesterol. Some things are just not within our control, and it would be helpful if more of society recognized that instead of looking to blame health issues on the patients experiencing them.

The combination of issues listed, combined with being sensitive about doctors recommending different personal behaviors, strongly suggests obesity.

That Healthy at Any Size stuff has done a huge amount of damage to people. Like, yes, skinny people can also have health issues, but obesity is really damaging to the body.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it’s even more annoying when doctors ignore warnings on medication not to prescribe with 1st degree relative with xxxx. Suddenly, I feel I must review all medication I’m prescribed!

[Anonymous]

Genetics are important, but you are not helpless in managing the progression of your own diseases. All of the things you cited can absolutely be managed.

I say this as someone that inherited a specific disease that will end in circulatory failure or kidney failure. Much is outside of my control, but there are things I can do to help slow my progression or make me a better candidate for transplantation, and I’m doing them. I have family members with the BCRA gene, and they aren’t waiting around to die of breast cancer. They are getting surgeries and improving their chances of long term survival.

You’re too young to sit around waiting to die. Get some shoe inserts, ditch the high sodium high crap autism comfort foods, get an CPAP, and get moving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like people dismiss how important of a role genetics play in health. I am 24, but I already have diagnoses for allergies, plantar fasciitis, chronic pain, autism, sleep apnea, asthma, and high blood pressure. I don’t eat red meats, don’t drink or smoke, exercise as much as I safely can, and mostly just drink water. I have been like this throughout my whole life, and I don’t see how my habits led me to being almost crippled in my 20s

The OP must be one of those ME/CFS loons.

What is that?

[Anonymous]

For years, my husband had borderline high cholesterol results and even though he was not overweight and reported eating healthy, doctors continued counseling him to improve his diet. Then he had a heart attack and learned that his cholesterol levels were genetic. It was frustrating to learn because he could have gone on statins in his 30s and been much healthier in middle age. I know doctors are just following standard guidance but I wish they had trusted him when he said his diet wasn’t the issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Message from middle age woman with chronic health issues to young person with chronic health issues:

Don't wear your diagnoses like a mantle. You are not your pain or conditions. Discern what brings you joy and happiness and purpose and focus on living your values. The more you focus on the good stuff, the less your chronic issues will be at the forefront of your life. Accept them, make smart choices about how you treat/handle them, and go forth and live.

I challenge that the issues she lists (other than the chronic pain) even count as "chronic issues" in the sense that MS or diabetes or something count. I mean, asthma? I guess if it's severe, and leading to yearly hospitalizations. Allergies? Welcome to being alive. Plantar fasciitis? Again, welcome to being alive. Sleep apnea? That's your "mantle"? So, so, SO treatable. Just treat it.

If the chronic pain is "my feet hurt from plantar fasciitis" or "I get headaches sometimes", again, welcome to being alive. If it's more severe than that then I recommend a pain clinic- there are a few in the area that specialize in chronic pain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like people dismiss how important of a role genetics play in health. I am 24, but I already have diagnoses for allergies, plantar fasciitis, chronic pain, autism, sleep apnea, asthma, and high blood pressure. I don’t eat red meats, don’t drink or smoke, exercise as much as I safely can, and mostly just drink water. I have been like this throughout my whole life, and I don’t see how my habits led me to being almost crippled in my 20s

Overweight?

But this is exactly the dynamic being challenged in the post. There's an assumption that your health issues must be your fault. You must be doing something wrong.

My spouse is lean (normal BMI) and has sleep apnea. We're both normal weight and have elevated cholesterol. Some things are just not within our control, and it would be helpful if more of society recognized that instead of looking to blame health issues on the patients experiencing them.

The combination of issues listed, combined with being sensitive about doctors recommending different personal behaviors, strongly suggests obesity.

That Healthy at Any Size stuff has done a huge amount of damage to people. Like, yes, skinny people can also have health issues, but obesity is really damaging to the body.

Everybody knows that being obese is bad, ok? It shouldn’t stop us from encouraging people to make changes they can make to live a healthier lifestyle. For some people, it takes making a bunch of those changes before they even hope to correct things enough to allow for natural weight loss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like people dismiss how important of a role genetics play in health. I am 24, but I already have diagnoses for allergies, plantar fasciitis, chronic pain, autism, sleep apnea, asthma, and high blood pressure. I don’t eat red meats, don’t drink or smoke, exercise as much as I safely can, and mostly just drink water. I have been like this throughout my whole life, and I don’t see how my habits led me to being almost crippled in my 20s

The OP must be one of those ME/CFS loons.

What is that?

Chronic fatigue syndrome.

[Anonymous]

Epigenetics is what we all need to look at.

[Anonymous]

Maybe try a little glass of red wine and gently roasted lean beef.

[Anonymous]

I feel like doctors are the new teachers. So many people hating on them, often for things they have no control over.