Vim & Vigor - Fall 2019 - PARRISH - 31

The Brain Connection

Most of us know that if we have family members with mental health
issues, we are at higher risk for those issues as well.
"We get a lot from our parents-intelligence, resilience and humor,
and also anxiety and depression," Pinkerton says.
Understanding the mental health conditions your mother has had
throughout her life will help you better understand the conditions you
might encounter and give you a leg up on treating them if they arise.
For example, if you discover your mom went through frequent periods of low mood and crying during your childhood but didn't seek
help, you might be quicker to spot signs of depression in yourself and
get help early.
It also matters if your mom ends up with a neurological disorder,
such as Alzheimer's disease or dementia.
"You might not care about those things when you're young, but
there are some patterns of heritability for Alzheimer's and certain
types of dementia," Pinkerton says. "And, again, this means there are
lifestyle changes you can make to decrease your risk."
Those lifestyle changes are the same ones mentioned for preventing cancer: Maintain a healthy weight, eat healthy foods, manage
stress, limit alcohol and quit smoking.
With the combination of knowledge of your mom's health history
and commitment to good habits, you-and your daughters-can live
your healthiest lives. ■

Nearly 1 in 4 women
suffer with anxiety

How to Talk About
Health with Mom
Maybe yours is the kind of family where conversations
about menopause, menstruation and mental health
are easily broached. If so, congratulations! If not, that's
OK. Our experts have some tips for how to ask your
mom about health without ruffling too many feathers.
3 Tip 1: Ask when the family is together.
"Try having a discussion about your family's health
risks. Starting the conversation can be difficult but is
so essential," says Parrish Medical Group's Christina
Caito, DO, an OB-GYN specialist at Parrish Healthcare
Center in Port St. John.
If it doesn't feel appropriate to start a conversation about health during a big family gathering, try a
phone call after you've spent quality time together.
3 Tip 2: Blame it on your doctor. Dr. Caito
understands that having these kinds of conversations
can be uncomfortable.
"Letting your mom know that your doctor is
requesting more information about the family's health
history may make her more willing to talk," she says.
3 Tip 3: Make the conversation about more
than just diagnoses. Research shows that a person
who has healthy, intimate relationships and who is living
with purpose is more likely to live longer than someone who lacks those things. When you approach your
mother or grandmother-or your daughter, for that
matter-ask her what has brought fulfillment in her life.
"Having such an essential conversation will allow
you to learn so much about your mother," Dr. Caito
says. "Don't miss out on being able to connect with
her. It goes beyond the diagnoses. Learn about her
hobbies, what inspires her."

in a given year.

Women are twice as
likely as men to be

TOOL

diagnosed with

Managing Your
Health Info Is Easy

Have you ever dealt
with a mental health

MyHealth Portal is your convenient
24/7 online resource for managing your
health information with Parrish Medical
Group. Visit parrishmedgroup.com/
myhealthportal or call 321-268-6446
for help with your self-enrollment.

depression.

issue?

FALL 2019

http://www.parrishmedgroup.com/myhealthportal http://www.parrishmedgroup.com/myhealthportal

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2019 - PARRISH

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