Did you know that just like eye color, or height, some health conditions are genetic.

Knowing your family's health history can help you avoid both heart disease and stroke - the number one and number four causes of death in America.

Heart disease can be passed down from one family member to another.

Nebraska Heart Institute Cardiologist, Rebecca Rundlett says
if you have a family history, the best thing is discuss it with your healthcare provider, so you can do proper screening.

"They should be aware," Dr. Rundlett said.

"They should seek counsel from their doctor of healthcare provider, whether they should have cholesterol checks done early. They should always follow the recommendations for everyone, which is: know what your blood pressure is, know what your blood sugar is, know what your cholesterol is," she added.

Dr. Rundlett says to help you determine if you are at risk of heart disease, look at your parent's health history, aunts, uncles and even grand parents.