If you don’t believe in zodiac signs and horoscopes, you should still read this article, because the conclusions are actually based in science, not mysticism. A new study says your birth month might be indicative of health problems you’re more likely to encounter in your life.
The study, which was conducted at Columbia University and recently published in Journal of American Medical InformaticsAssociation, suggests your birthday may actually be able to predict your future. Well, your health future, at least.
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Researchers looked at the medical records of 1.7 million patients who were treated at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/CUMC between 1985 and 2013 in comparison to their birthdays. There were plenty of disease associations the team ruled out as coincidence (1,600, to be exact), but they were able to confirm 39 birthday-disease risk correlations that were already suspected. They also found 16 new ones, half of which were heart disease-related.
The reason these correlations exist seems to be related to the environment your mom was exposed to when you were born. For example, if you were born in a winter month, cases of the flu were typically more widespread, and your mother had a higher chance of being affected. Thus it makes sense that people born then have a higher risk of developing respiratory problems than people born in the summer, when respiratory-related diseases are less common.
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The researchers used special algorithms to reduce the percentage of error in their results, but that doesn’t mean the stats below are necessarily 100 percent accurate. Just because you were born in a month that boasts a lot of health risks doesn’t mean you’ll contract any of them. These correlations between birth month and health risk are not ironed out in detail yet. However, until further research clarifies them, it’s good to make note of these possible risks and do your best to stay healthy.
And P.S.: If your month has no risks listed, that doesn’t mean you’re impervious to disease and can skip yearly checkups.
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Birth month/health risk chart
January
Increased risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.
February
Increased risk of malignant lung/bronchus tumors and choking.
March
Increased risk of irregular heartbeat, heart disease and circulatory issues.
April
Risk of chest pain and heart issues.
May
No perceived risk.
June
Risk of chest pain and asthma.
July
No perceived risk.
August
Risk of eye infections.
September
Increased risk of ear infections, fever and vomiting, respiratory infections, adjustment and psychological disorders, complications in pregnancy and childbirth.
October
Increased risk of lung and respiratory infections, nearsightedness/farsightedness, viral infections, sore throat, insect bites, perineal tears during delivery, heavy periods, postpartum depression, stomach issues.
November
Increased risk of viral disease, colon issues, ADHD, difficulty getting pregnant and/or carrying to full term, pain killer dependency, vaginal issues, diarrhea, tonsillitis, learning difficulties.
December
Bruising.
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