You Can't Fight Your Genes

Once upon a time, my mother had a very good friend. He was a health nut. He ran before running was a thing. He ate right. Did everything right, but his genetics made him predisposed to high cholesterol and hard disease. He took the medication he needed.  He exercised.  He ate right.   And unfortunately he still died relatively young. Can't fight genetics 

It is obvious when you look at me where I came from. I have my mother's body shape. Yes I've got old lady boobs,  a belly that continues to grow  and tree trunk legs. My eyes squint when I smile like my mother. 

Where I look like my father is on my face. I have the wrinkles that he had on his forehead.  And, lucky me,   I have all the other skin related issues that he had.  I'm guessing that I'll develop other issues like he did.  Because, you can't fight your genes.

I know my family's medical history. Both my parents had high blood pressure.  About 15 years ago, my doctor found that my blood pressure  was quite high. No surprise there.  So I went on  blood pressure medication. I took in and was also able to lose some weight. (Something I still need to do, as a good chunk of what I lost has come back and it's harder and harder every day to drop a pound.) I became more active. I still have to take blood pressure medication but I take half the dose that I used to. Now I  take it 3 days a week instead of every day. Genetics predisposed me to high blood pressure. I need to use medication to lower it.  I need to do what I can to help keep it control 

At my last physical,  the physician's assistant said he was a little concerned about my cholesterol. This again  is no surprise.   Both my parents, and I believe their parents, had high cholesterol. He had me wait 6 months and then I went in for more blood work. Guess what? 

I don't have to tell you do I? I am going to start cholesterol medication.   I tried to eat better and exercise more, but....I will continue what I have been doing  because my cholesterol is high. I will  try to eat better.  I will keep exercising.  But it's not going to be enough.  It doesn't mean I should abandon good practices.  But high cholesterol  runs in my family and medication will help me. Taking medication to lower my cholesterol while also trying to do what I can physically do to help lower it makes sense. You do both. You do what you need to do when you need to do it 

So remember you can't fight your genes.  They've made you who you are.  And you can't change that.  You may be predisposed to one thing, I may be disposed of something else. Take care of yourself and take medication if needed . Listen to your body and listen to your doctor. It just makes it sense.