Daily HealthBeat Tip

Something to talk about at Thanksgiving

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

On Thanksgiving, the family comes over, and folks go over what everybody is doing � including who's come down with what, and whether Uncle Joe or Aunt Mary used to have the same condition.

That's not just family stories � that's valuable medical information. And Thanksgiving is a great opportunity to gather it all up and write it all down. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Muin Khoury:

"Knowing your family health history may help you and your health care professional reduce your risk of developing future health problems. For example, if a disease runs in your family, you may have the most to gain from lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise, and screening tests." (14 seconds)

To make the job easier, HHS offers a free Web-based computer tool called My Family Health Portrait. And for encouragement, it's calling today National Family History Day � as well as Thanksgiving.

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: November 23, 2005

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