Everyone has a smidge of Irish in them in March. But for me this is always a time to think fondly of my Irish heritage and how a large part of my family left troubling situations in their homeland and came to this country with a dream of a better life. As time marches on I can see the struggles that had to be overcome, the successes and failures that happened along the way, and how my family lineage has changed over time. Each generation picks up these successes and failures and builds upon them in their own way. Like all good Irish I love a good story, and to me these family journeys are what make the best of stories.
Our bodies also tell a historical story. Each of our parents leave a genetic thumbprint on us and their parents left one on them. Just like our family histories, we cannot erase these thumbprints. We must pick up both the good and the bad and write our own story. There are parts we will not be able to take out, but we can edit how they are told.
For example, I inherited red hair and green eyes from the Irish side of my family. I also inherited fair skin, which makes me more susceptible to sun damage and skin cancer. I can embrace these physical traits but work towards not succumbing to the negative side by practicing proper sun protection. I cannot change the fact that I cannot stay in the sun and not burn like my Indian husband. I can however limit my risks. This is just one example of the many ways our genetics starts a story and how we then can influence how it is told. I hope you will enjoy our other blog post later this month on how genetics effects our health and wellness.
Take some time this March to celebrate your family heritage and make your wellness plan for staying on top of your genetic risks.
May the Luck of the Irish be with you all!