Researchers have found that experiences as a child and adolescent will affect your offspring by altering DNA on/off switches:

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/10/30/how-your-experiences-change-your-sperm-and-eggs.html

This correlates highly with the Chinese idea of “prenatal qi“.  This inherited qi is based on the quality of both the egg and sperm and many customs are integrated historically into the culture to promote good health and behavior prior to conception.

Homeopathy also has a theory of inherited genetic or behavioral traits called a “miasm”.  When naturopathic or homeopathic doctors prescribe medication, we often ask about family history to determine which miasm may be affecting your current state of health.

Holistic medicine, both Eastern and Western, have treatment methods and ideology that may be viewed by some as unscientific or archaic, but it may only be a matter of time before science catches up.