Getting Ahead of My Hereditary Traits and Health

This post has been sponsored by Rogaine®. All opinions are my own.

Getting Ahead of My Hereditary Traits and Health

(Throwback of my mimi and grandpa, mom and brother!)

My oh my, how I love my family. My grandmother is the kindest person you’ll ever meet. She is independent and knows how to get a job done. My mom is also kind, and funny, and my best friend. My dad knows how to work hard and have a good time. He celebrates life and I love that about him. I feel like I’ve been lucky to inherit so many wonderful things from my family: kindness, a good work ethic, and a carefree spirit. However, there are also a few things that run in my family that I wouldn’t be happy to inherit: heart disease, slow metabolism and hereditary hair loss.

(My Mom & Mimi)

Although I can’t pick and choose what I health conditions I may inherit from my family, I can take steps to be in my best health and lessen the effects of any hereditary health conditions I may encounter!

Getting a Head Start on My Hereditary Health

Heart Disease 

Heart disease runs on both sides of my family, so I’m cognizant of always trying to take good care of my heart health. I exercise regularly, with a nice mix of cardiovascular activities and weight training, drink plenty of water, and aim to eat a diet rich in fruits, veggies and lean meats. I’m not perfect, but the better care I can take of my body, the better off I’ll be if I’m faced with heart issues in the future.

(My Mom & Dad…My Dad still has all of that hair!)

Slow Metabolism 

On my dad’s side of the family, everyone has a fast metabolism, but on my mom’s side, everyone has a slow metabolism. So far, I’ve been lucky to have a somewhat fast metabolism, but I’ve always been concerned with a slowing metabolism, especially as I age. In comes that diet and exercise again! When I was around 17 or 18, I started to become aware of my health. I was never super active in sports, but I knew if I wanted to be healthy, I needed to be active. That’s when my love of fitness began! Luckily being conscious of my fitness and nutrition for heart health goes hand in hand with combating a slowing metabolism.

Hereditary Hair Loss

My mother has always had thin hair, for as long as she can remember. However, as she has aged, her hair has become even thinner. Hereditary hair loss can come from either your father’s side or your mother’s side of the family. My grandmother’s hair is still pretty thick, so I would assume my mother’s hair loss came from her father (who began losing his hair early in life too). I also have thin, fine hair like my mom, so I worry about what the future may hold for my hair. Hereditary hair loss can start to show signs in your 30s – that sounds young, but I found out that among women who experience hair thinning, most of them (76%) start to notice it after they are 30. What to watch out for? Thinning hair, a wider part or more visible scalp and/or an increase in shedding (they say if you find you are losing more than 150 hairs a day, that is a sign of hereditary hair loss). I already take steps to avoid breakage as much as possible, like using a wide-tooth comb and avoiding tying my hair up, after I started to notice an increase in shedding. The thought of hair loss is scary to me, I need my hair! The good news is that it is treatable.

My mom recently started using Women’s Rogaine 5% Minoxidil Foam to see if it would help with her own hereditary hair loss. I’ve of course heard of Rogaine for years, but I wasn’t quite sure how it worked. The minoxidil included in Women’s Rogaine is the first topical ingredient FDA-approved to regrow hair—and is clinically proven to regrow up to 25% more hair in 3 months with continued / ongoing use every day. It’s best to apply to a non-porous surface, and then when it’s applied to the scalp, Rogaine reactivates hair follicles and stimulates new growth. So, it isn’t an overnight process, but one that is worth the wait. She has only been using Women’s Rogaine 5% Minoxidil Foam for a couple of months, so we haven’t seen big results yet (as it takes 3-4 months to begin to see results) but we’re hopeful! If it works well for her, I feel better knowing I can get ahead of my hereditary hair loss with Women’s Rogaine! I may even decide to be proactive and begin using Rogaine sooner rather than later if this shedding keeps up!

Although many of my family members are already being faced with the hereditary health conditions that run in our family, I’m always encouraging them to take steps to combat those health issues. I’m hoping my proactive head start will benefit me in the long run! How are you getting ahead of your possible hereditary health conditions?

– Brooke