s/o Do you change your behavior due to seemingly genetic odds?

[gardenmom5]

I think people who think those who change their eating habit for health reasons - haven't experienced it, or don't really care.  I know I struggled with my mom - who'd rather eat what she wanted than do what was required to feel better.

me - yeah, I can make the changes to feel, and function, better.

dh is very cognizant of the colon cancer risk in his family.  he changed how he eats. my 28 yo son just had polyps removed . . . .

 

mil had a paitent (she's a RN) who ate a box of chocolates. . . . she was diabetic.

[MBM]

Yes and so does tumeric.

Yes, we take turmeric but for different reasons. Great stuff.

 

I know a lab manager who takes it to lower her LDL. It’s the only thing that helped her and her two sons, who are MDs.

 

Do you have a favorite brand? Do you get the kind with bioperene?

[creekland]

Absolutely. I try to use the best information possible to make the best choices. However, my grandmother never ate right or exercised intentionally. She’s 101.

 

I think many of the older generation (she was born around 1917?) automatically ate somewhat better due to what wasn't available or in their food at the time.  My maternal grandparents lived until 88 and 94 and were farmers, so ate the traditional farm diet (often meat and potatoes with corn as a veggie).  Still, they stayed very active with their everyday life up until near the end.  I suspect that helped.  My paternal grandmother had breast cancer and survived, eventually being murdered in her 80s.  My paternal grandfather died in his mid 60s from a heart attack.  Of the four, his diet and exercise level was definitely the worst.

 

I know my parent's health hasn't been very good from their younger years (early adulthood) on - almost totally different than their parents.  They're still alive in their mid 70s, but with so many health issues to deal with.  I don't care so much when I die.  I don't want to deal with the health issues they have while alive.  If it's preventable (big if, of course), I want to know I tried.

 

Yes.  I thought everybody did.

 

I definitely know plenty who don't - my parents and sister included - but also several from school, etc. 

 

Some believe it's just not worth trying (my parents are in this group).  It's not worth the trade off to give things up even if it leads to something better.  My mom has changed now that she has a terminal cancer, but her cancer is not one believed to be caused by diet.  She's just trying to starve her cancer now by cutting sugars considerably - something she didn't do before.

 

Others don't believe it will help even if they do.  My sister is in this group.  They think studies are incorrect and use changes over time to "prove" it.

 

I'm a big "science" and "studies" person - always have been - but I'm also aware of how much better studies are now than in the past, so don't see the problem with recommendations changing over the years.  I also know stats don't apply to the individual, so don't worry about anecdotes.  Those happen.  We don't know everything yet about how/why things happen to bodies or why humans differ.  It's ongoing science (therefore changing as more is known) - and to me - fascinating.  I think we're designed (evolution and/or God - take your pick) to do well with more natural items and general movement than not, so also use that to guide most of my choices.

 

I'm just curious how the Hive feels - no judgment - pure curiosity.

 

 

Creekland, I'm confused why someone who has changed their diet for genetic reasons would drink a soda per day while trying to avoid diabetes. That seems like a major disconnect. Isn't soda known to cause or trigger type 2 diabetes? Or am I wrong? I'm asking sincerely because I love soda, but I avoid it even without diabetes in my family.

 

You're not wrong.  It's definitely something I consider a vice for myself and something I'm glad my kids have given up.  I don't do that one for my health.  I feel like I'm playing with matches by doing it TBH. 

 

So why is it part of my life?  I get tired of drinking just plain water all the time.  I've never liked coffee - detest coffee no matter how healthy its proving to be - and hadn't cared for tea either, but I think caffeine is good for our brains.  (That's debatable in studies, but I lean toward those showing it has benefits - plus - my own body is addicted to it and will get headaches if I go off of it.)  I've managed to get myself to like some teas, so use those when I can (at home), but I still don't like cold tea of any kind.  Hot tea is not always available.

 

Then, at the end, I prefer corn syrup or sugar to artificial sweeteners, so pick the full sugared ones to diet.

 

I have managed to give up all sodas that don't contain caffeine, so that's a start.  When my blood sugar numbers approach the danger point, I'll have enough motivation to give up the others and switch to all tea or water.  (I haven't seen a benefit in fruit juices, so rarely drink those.  We have an occasional alcoholic drink or red wine, but not often enough to count for much.)  For now it seems like not consuming much in other sugars and keeping up on daily movement is offsetting the soda enough.  Time will tell how long that lasts.  I'll have updated numbers in March.

[Sandwalker]

Yes, we take turmeric but for different reasons. Great stuff.

 

I know a lab manager who takes it to lower her LDL. It’s the only thing that helped her and her two sons, who are MDs.

 

Do you have a favorite brand? Do you get the kind with bioperene?

I just use a ton of it when spicing foods, no specific brand. I usually get it in a local Asian Market, as it's cheaper. I use lots of other healthy spices and herbs when cooking, too.

[BlsdMama]

It’s definitely a thing. Alcoholism is rampant in my family. I’m not a teetotaler but I think I definitely curb even my social drinking due to awareness and fear.

[EmilyGF]

I changed my morning breakfast a decade ago when I learned that, like my very-thin Grandma before me, I had high cholesterol. It did the trick.

 

Recently, I joined WW to work on healthier eating habits and lose my belly weight (because I'm an apple) to deal with high blood sugar that runs on one side of my family. I come from a long line of apples so I need to be aware of belly fat.

 

Emily

 

 

[brehon]

Yes. My dh’s heart attack last year precipitated the changes and my family’s history if osteoporosis/arthritis and Type II diabetes cemented them. We always ate generally healthy. However, now we make an effort to have more salads and vegetables, less meat per meal.

 

I can’t say that I’m exercising more, unfortunately. Working 70-80 hours per week really bites into exercise time. Dh is doing great, though. He swims 5 days per week and has lost a lot of weight.

[Zinnia]

I choose to exercise pretty regularly. I am not a gym rat, but I do stepbets and hike, and we take active vacations on purpose.

 

My family of origin is very, very sedentary. It doesn't seem to kill them (everyone has fairly good longevity with no heart disease or diabetes), But their mental health isn't as stable as I would like for myself. All that walking helps me stave off cyclical depression. For me, it's worth it. If doesn't even make me skinny! And I get a lot of comments about fat girls walking or fat girls running. But I lovcw the clear head, so it's worth it.

[Twolittleboys]

Well, I wish I could be sure that I would be making such choices but I am not sure about my will power...

 

However, as far as I know my family's health history isn't as clear-cut. Most of my ancestors have died of cancer or heart problems/stroke. In contrast to my parents/grandparents I do not smoke. I also drink less alcohol (though maybe lately a bit more than is strictly healthy). I do have a horrible soda habit but have cut down a bit on it.

[creekland]

Most of my ancestors have died of cancer or heart problems/stroke. In contrast to my parents/grandparents I do not smoke. 

 

This seriously could help a ton.  My in-laws worked for a tobacco company and were the one ones who didn't smoke among their co-workers.  They are in their upper 80s now and the only two still alive.  It's an anecdote, but quite the sobering one, esp since some of their co-workers were a bit younger.

 

MIL has severe Alzheimers, so I'm not sure living that long has been a good thing for her.  FIL is amazing at what he can still do.  He has heart issues (quite possibly from his southern diet), but still does his own construction projects, fishing, hunting, and community service at 89 years of age.

 

If there's one piece of health advice I share with students at school, it's don't smoke.  Then it's trying to stay active throughout the day (not necessarily the gym, just general activity vs being sedentary).  Then it's diet.  I need to add getting adequate sleep as that seems to be fairly important too.

 

I find the Blue Zones studies to be very interesting due to the way certain aspects keep showing up among most of those who live a long, good, life.

 

Even so, nothing is guaranteed.  It's all giving ourselves the best odds possible and hoping we don't meet up with that unlucky accident as well.

 

Fortunately for me, I LIKE almost all the changes I've made (adding tea being the only one I have to force), so I don't feel I'm giving up a thing.  I think I've broadened my life into something better, so even if it doesn't give me extra years, it's given me better years while alive.

[Bootsie]

DH is 13 years older than I am, but jokes that he will outlive me by a decade because of family history.  His parents were both multi-pack-a-day smokers; walking into their house was like walking into a fog; his dad had a sedentary, high stress corporate job, they were alcoholics--they outlived people in my family who lived much healthier lifestyles by 30-35 years.

[amy g.]

For me, I’m old enough to see many things people did for expected health benefits backfire.

 

My dad’s girlfriend was more than 10 years younger than him, but he enjoyed Tai Chi until his death. She couldn’t keep up because her knees were damaged from “being a runnerâ€.

 

So in our family, we walk or swim for exercise only.

 

I know people who bought into the low fat movement and ensued eggs, used margarine instead of butter and basically substituted sugar for fat. I know they thought at the time that what they were doing was really the best thing possible for their health, but in retrospect, they realize that low fat may not have been the best choice for brain health and hormonal balance.

 

We eat whole foods, drink coffee and tea but not sodas of any kind. We don’t eat fast food or convenience foods. Most night, Dh and I share a bottle of local red wine We shop at the farmers market. We don’t eat sugar except for the kind that is naturally in our berries or vegetables. We have our own garden. We cook from scratch. We go to bed early and get good quality sleep. We don’t smoke.

 

We live the way that we believe is healthy and moderate and leads to a high quality of life if not actual longevity for most people with various genetic weaknesses and strengths.

Edited January 5, 2018 by amy g.