Making your health a top priority is important whether you’re in your 20s, 40s or 60s. Use these tips to help you stay healthy for many years to come.

Your 20s

    • Cervical cancer. Get a Pap smear or combination Pap smear and human papillomavirus (HPV) test every three to five years until the age of 65. To reduce the risk of HPV infection, limit your number of sexual partners and consistently practise protected sex.
    • Say “no” to tanning beds. They can increase your odds of getting melanoma (the deadliest form of skin cancer) by 75%. Also, avoid direct exposure to the sun between 10 am and 4 pm and use sunscreen when you’re outdoors.
    • Get screened for chlamydia and gonorrhoea infections if you’re sexually active.
    • If pregnancy is a possibility, take a daily supplement containing 0.4 to 0.8 mg of folic acid.

Your 30s

    • Breast cancer. Ask your doctor whether you need a mammogram.
    • Weights. Most women begin to lose muscle mass after age 30. Strength training can prevent muscle loss and build bone density to avoid osteoporosis.
    • Unwind. Juggling the responsibilities of a mom, wife and employee often increases stress. Chronic stress affects almost every system in your body making it harder to fight off diseases. Curb stress by doing breathing exercises and other relaxation activities.

Your 40s

    • Maintain a healthy weight. As you get older, your metabolism slows down, making it difficult to maintain the weight you had in our 20s and 30s. Making healthy food choices and staying active every day can help jumpstart your metabolism and keep off unwanted kilograms.

Your 50s and older

    • Hormone therapy. Ask your doctor if hormone therapy is best for you. Taking hormones may help in some ways but can increase your chances of developing uterine cancer, breast cancer, heart disease, blood clots and stroke.
    • Colon cancer. Between the ages of 50 and 75, have screening tests for colorectal cancer. If you’re between the ages of 76 and 85, ask your doctor if screening is still necessary.
    • Lung cancer. Talk to your doctor about being screened for lung cancer if you’re between the ages of 55 and 80, smoke or have quit smoking within the past 15 years.
    • Osteoporosis (bone thinning). Have a screening test at age 65. If you’re younger than 65 and at high risk for bone fractures, you should also be screened.
    • Vitamin D. If you’re 65 or older and have a history of falls or mobility problems, ask your doctor about taking a vitamin D supplement.
    • Aspirin. If you’re 55 or older, ask your doctor if you should take aspirin to prevent strokes.
    • If you are 60 or older, get a shot to prevent shingles and one for pneumonia.

All ages

    • Annual check-ups are a must. With the aid of your doctor, you can create a personalised health plan to help you stay healthy for many years to come.

 

Sources

 

www.cdc.gov/family/checkup
www.mdanderson.org
www.wellness.uci.edu/toolkit
www.womenshealth.gov