Common Sense Health: Family history makes for a good story

By Diana Gifford-Jones on December 27, 2025.

How many of us can recall our grandfathers leaning back in a favourite chair, saying, “Let me tell you something you should remember.” What followed was usually a story that had grown larger with time, about hardship, happenstance, or a decision made when the stakes were high.

On the other hand, if your grandmother was anything like one of mine, the stories amounted to a different kind of education. Hers were stories that began with confidence and ended in laughter. “I never worried,” she’d say, before describing in detail how she worried about everything. Funny at the time. Instructive in retrospect.

At the turn of a new year, when families gather and time loosens its grip just a little, stories come out naturally. It’s a great time of year to be paying closer attention, and perhaps asking for, the stories we haven’t heard.

I’m talking about the stories buried in the family tree.

Norman Cousins, the longtime editor of The Saturday Review, remarked, “History is a vast early warning system.” It is as true for kings and queens as for each one of us. Royal families once reshaped nations through ignorance of genetic disease. And when inherited risks for disease go unrecognized in our own families, we are missing the chance to avoid them and to change the life course for ourselves and those who follow.

Factual stories are important in the family tree. You may ask, “Could you remind me, how did Uncle Frank die?” To which the response might be, “Oh, a heart attack.” Followed by, “No, it was a stroke.” And that correction matters. A lot.

Family history remains one of the most powerful predictors of future health problems. Long before genetic tests and predictive algorithms, doctors relied on family stories to identify patterns – heart disease, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune conditions, mental health challenges. And here’s the truth: even today, many people walk into a doctor’s office with no idea of their family medical history.

That’s a mistake. Studies show that people who know their family health history are more likely to get screened earlier, take preventive steps, and give their doctors the information needed to make better decisions. Knowledge doesn’t guarantee good health, but ignorance almost guarantees missed opportunities.

Children and grandchildren benefit the most. Understanding health patterns in the family gives them power. “Your grandfather ignored high blood pressure for years, and that’s what caught up with him.” Knowledge becomes the motivation needed for prevention.

But many families avoid these conversations. They feel awkward. It’s too personal. Or people assume “someone else knows.” And then the memories fade. Details disappear. And before long, no one remembers who had what, or when.

It need not feel like a medical interrogation. The conversation can start with the spark of a story. “What do you remember about how your father’s health changed as he got older?” “I remember great-Aunt so-and-so, but whatever happened to her?”

If you are the source of family knowledge, use the holidays to share what you know. Laughter about good memories can be interspersed with important details about family health history and advice to avoid preventable problems.

If you are the recipient of the stories, let them unfold. Then write things down.

As we edge into a new year, people love to make resolutions: eat better, exercise more, stress less. Fine goals, all of them. But here’s another one to consider: resolve to preserve the family story.

How many heart attacks, strokes, or cancers could be delayed – or prevented – if warning signs are recognized earlier? We’ll never know. But it’s worth a good story.

This column offers opinions on health and wellness, not personal medical advice. Visit http://www.docgiff.com to learn more. For comments, diana@docgiff.com. Follow on Instagram @diana_gifford_jones

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