Asthma

a condition in which your airways narrow and swell and may produce extra mucus.

Cancer

a disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body.

Diabetes

your body doesn't make enough insulin or can't use it as well as it should.

Environmental Factors

nvironmental factors, as related to genetics, refers to exposures to substances (such as pesticides or industrial waste) where we live or work, behaviors (such as smoking or poor diet) that can increase an individual's risk of disease or stressful situations (such as racism).

Family Health History

a record of the diseases and health conditions in your family.

Family Tree

a diagram showing the relationships between people in several generations of a family; a genealogical tree.

Gene

a unit of heredity which is transferred from a parent to offspring and is held to determine some characteristic of the offspring."proteins coded directly by genes"

Genealogy

is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members.

Genetics

the science of genes and how traits are passed on from one generation to the next.

Heart Disease

A type of disease that affects the heart or blood vessels.

High Cholesterol

increase your chance of getting heart disease, stroke, and other problems.

Heredity

the passing on of physical or mental characteristics genetically from one generation to another.

Hypertension

when the pressure in your blood vessels is too high (140/90 mmHg or higher)

Maiden Name

the surname that a married woman used from birth, prior to its being legally changed at marriage.

Maternal

relating to a mother, especially during pregnancy or shortly after childbirth.

Medical History

information about allergies, illnesses, surgeries, immunizations, and results of physical exams and tests.

Obesity

a chronic complex disease defined by excessive fat deposits that can impair health.

Osteoporosis

a bone disease that develops when bone mineral density and bone mass decreases, or when the structure and strength of bone changes

Paternal

Of or pertaining to one's father, his genes, his relatives, or his side of a family.

Predisposition

a liability or tendency to suffer from a particular condition, hold a particular attitude, or act in a particular way.

Preventive Care

Preventive healthcare, or prophylaxis, is the application of healthcare measures to prevent diseases. Disease and disability are affected by environmental factors, genetic predisposition, disease agents, and lifestyle choices, and are dynamic processes that begin before individuals realize they are affected.

Stroke

occurs when something blocks blood supply to part of the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts.