Here’s a healthy chat to have over Thanksgiving, courtesy of the surgeon general

There’s a lot to talk about when families get together around the Thanksgiving table -- and the U.S. surgeon general has one more topic to suggest.

Surgeon Gen. Regina Benjamin is urging families to take advantage of the holiday gathering to discuss their medical histories and identify potential health risks. This South Florida Sun Sentinel story profiles the initiative and one family that thinks this is sound advice. “Your doctor may not do a complete family history,” says Lisa Marton, whose medical history puts her at high risk for breast cancer.

Don’t know how to get started? Here are a list of questions to ask and more information from the Family Health History Initiative and an online tool to create your own record.

So this Thanksgiving you’ll have something more to say than just “pass the gravy, please.”