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I was watching ABC news and it said if you check your family history you can most likely predict what you may?

have. Like this girls father's family had almost all died of heart disease. So.. the girl started running when she figured out her father died so she could be heart healthy and reduce the risk of getting heart disease. In my family history alot of people have died from lung cancer. Is there something that can prevent you from that? (my mom does smoke, not in the car when i'm in there(anymore) but...) i wuz just wandering.

Public Comments

1. It depends, did everyone in your family smoke? Smoking in general is not healthy. Although, I would recommend you to be lung healthy. Keep your respiratory and immune system healthy. Take deep breaths for at least ten minutes each day. It is proven that it makes your lungs very healthy. Tell your mom not to smoke because its very hazardous. It does not matter weather she smokes near you or not. She lives with you, and that makes a big difference. You could perhaps develop asthma.
2. It's a case of genetics. You are more in danger of developing heart disease than someone with a family that's never had it. Of course, the reason your family continues to have heart disease could be because simply because they have a tendency to smoke, be lazy, or a number of other factors...
3. what what what??????
4. Yes there is something to be said about genetics. However, in diseases like heart disease it is only one of many risk factors. (Obesity, Diabetes, Smoking, High blood pressure, male, age,cholesterol are the chief risk factors) But what the media doesn't tell you is that it is only 1/3 of the conferred risk. If you eat right and exercise, it is likely that you can outlive the relatives who had a premature cardiac event. On the flip side, if your grandmother or your parents lived to be 90 or more, that doesn't mean you will. Again if you don't exercise and eat right, smoke, develop diabetes, gain a large amount of weight you have a 2/3 chance of dying early. Don't be alarmed at what the media says. All to often they are 20 years behind the medical knowledge. If members in your family have a cancer gene that is expressed often ( Lung cancer) smoking will certainly "initiate and then promote" a possible cancer. Scarier now is that you do not have to be a smoker to be a victim of lung cancer. To address the question you pose. Avoid tobacco smoke as often as you can. Vitamin C on a daily basis may help, however you will need to gradually increase (so you don't upset your stomach) to a dose of 500 mg three to 5 times a day. This could also increase your risk for a kidney Stone. You won't overdose on Vitamin C because it is water soluble. So take it with meals through out the day.
5. The science of genetics is really too new to accurately determine your risk of getting lung cancer. You can significantly reduce your risk by having a healthy life style (eat correctly, maintain a healthy body weight, and exercise). Do not smoke, drink alcohol only in moderation and avoid inhaling toxic substances (like asbestos, smoke from fires (like campfires or fireplaces), smoke from bbqs, marijuana and live in a clean air environment if possible. There are a few genetic tests which do predict a higher chance of some cancers (like breast cancer), but as I said the science of genetics has a long way to go before anything can be said with a high degree of certainty. You seem to be a young person; so, I suggest you continue to read and learn how to live a healthy life and keep up with the advances in disease treatment and prevention.