You go through different stages of life as you grow older. Some of the things that you need to do to make sure you stay healthy as a senior citizen actually begin when you’re in your early twenties.
By actively seeking to take care of your health now, you can live a long and fulfilling life. Certain aspects of how you watch out for your health will change, too – depending on what your genetic history is.
For example, if you have a family history of certain types of cancers, then to protect yourself, you’ll need to get checked earlier than the age range recommended by the American Cancer Society.
Women’s Health Ages 18-29
At this age, your priorities in life are college or establishing your career and maybe developing romantic relationships. In this age group, there are several health changes you’re going to want to start making.
When you’re on the younger end of the age range, you might not be as careful with the kinds of foods that you put in your body. But it’s in this stage that you should be paying attention to your calcium intake because it can affect your bone health as early as your 30s.
You also need to make sure that you’re not skimping on sleep, that you’re eating healthy, exercising and engaging in preventative skin care. People in this age group have a tendency to ignore warnings about skin safety when they’re outside in the sun.
But it’s this age that sets the stage for wrinkles as well as changes to the cells that are caused by dangerous sun damage. This can lead to basal cell cancers or even melanoma.
You should get a baseline check from a dermatologist for any moles or spots on the skin that need to be watched or addressed. During this age range, you should make sure that you get a physical exam every year.
These are for preventative care and it’s during this stage of life that many health problems can be discovered so that your health isn’t impacted as badly as you age. You should have all the recommended health screenings like having your weight and BMI checked, disclose your history of any bad habits (such as smoking) and your doctor should make sure you’re up to date on all your immunizations.
Your mental health – such as issues with anxiety or depression should also be checked. You should keep up to date with your pap smears to prevent the risk of complications from untreated STDs or cancers.
If you’re planning to get pregnant, you should be tested for reproductive health issues, too. If you have a family history of breast cancer at young ages, then you need to be checked for that.
You should get a baseline test for your cholesterol as well as your thyroid. It’s at this age that many women unknowingly develop thyroid issues. Your thyroid can continue to produce hormones that are within range even if there’s a problem with it.
If you have a family history of hypothyroidism, you need to have the thyroid antibodies test done. If you’re overweight, you need to be tested for diabetes as well as have your blood pressure tested.
You should also get an eye exam as well as make sure you keep up with your dental exams. Your dentist can often spot health issues just from the state of your teeth and gums.
During this age, you’ll want to pay attention to things like backaches or joint pain. These can be signs that you’ll have problems with that area of your health as you grow older. At this age, you want to avoid being inactive – because that’s one of the things that can make a difference in your health.
Women’s Health in Your 30s
In this age range, most woman are trying to keep their weight stable or shed pounds, work on their skin and advance in their career as well as often trying to balance a family with their job and manage their stress levels.
Unfortunately, it’s at this age that far too many women blow off going to the doctor for their regular checkups – but now is when you really need it – especially if you have what’s known as high risk health issues.
When you’re in your 30s, there are some health issues that you want to watch out for, some things that you should start doing – and some things you should stop or avoid. You should get a blood pressure check – and if it’s above the normal range, you need to examine the factors that could be causing it to be elevated – such as an unhealthy diet or lack of exercise.
Get your cholesterol checked and get your breasts examined by your doctor at least three times in your 30s. The recommended screening is once every three years. Keep up with your dental and regular eye examines as well.
At this state in life, if you have a family history of diabetes or if you have pre-diabetes, then you should get regular fasting blood tests as well as have your A1C checked every three months.
In your thirties, you would need to get a pap smear every three years as well as for any STD risks. You should also get a regular pelvic exam. A regular skin exam is also recommended at this point.
This isn’t only to check for signs of skin cancer, but also to check for any other skin issues that could be going on. One thing that women in this age range can experience is acne or other blemishes.
The reasons for sudden skin problems in your 30s are brought on by the pressure of job, family responsibility, unhealthy diet and changing hormones. It’s at this age that you have to make sure that you baby your skin with treatments that are designed to soothe the skin and prevent wrinkles.
You have to seriously think about your exercise routine now. If you don’t have one, you really need to start one. If you get a good foundation of fitness in your 30s, it can help to prevent weight issues down the road and health problems as well.
It’s at this age that you’ll notice that your muscle mass isn’t as prevalent as it was in your teens and 20s. That’s because age causes you to lose muscle mass. You need to make sure that your exercise routine includes strength training for your muscles.
Women’s Health in Your 40s
At this age, many women are so busy that they neglect to pay as much attention to their health as they need to. Certain things shouldn’t be skipped. You need a mammogram in your 40s because it’s at this age that the screenings can routinely spot any potential problems.
Many women in their 40s don’t think that they need to have any tests done to check for Type 2 diabetes, but that’s not the case. More women than ever before are being diagnosed with pre-diabetes at this age due to changes in their lifestyles.
By now, your metabolism has slowed down, but you’re probably still eating the same way you were in your 20s and 30s. You might think that because you’re not carrying a lot of extra weight that you’re not at risk for diabetes.
But that’s not true, either. You don’t have to be obese to be diagnosed with this disease.
There are different health conditions that can make you more susceptible to the condition besides weight – such as family history, high blood pressure, or having had gestational diabetes during pregnancy.
In your 40s, you have to make sure that you’re getting the right amount of rest. At this age, most women are so busy that they have a tendency to skip getting as much sleep as they should be getting.
By doing that, you set the stage for the development of some unpleasant health conditions – such as heart disease. At this age, most women go in for an eye exam only if they wear glasses or contacts.
But you really need a complete eye exam. You should see an ophthalmologist rather than an optometrist. The difference is that the latter can do some minor testing and give also you a script for vision wear.
But an ophthalmologist can check you for early eye problems such as high eye pressure which can be an early sign of glaucoma or structural imperfections. In your 40s, some women will start to develop problems with their vision such as irritated eyes or dry eyes.
This can cause repeated infections and should be treated with preservative-free eye drops, which act as natural tears. Something that you should watch in this age range of your life is your birth control method.
There are certain birth control methods that are healthier for women to be on in their 40s than others. As you age, your risk factors with heart attacks or strokes increase, even more so if you’re a smoker.
If your birth control carries a heart attack or stroke risk you may want to consider what other options are available for you. It’s in their 40s that some women decide that they’re going to lose weight and they get involved with whatever the latest trendy diet is.
But the problem with trendy diets is that they’re usually fad diets and they’re extremely unhealthy for you at any age – but especially as you grow older. You need the nutrients from a healthy eating plan to help preserve your bone health as well as your muscle mass.
Women’s Health in Your 50s
In their 50s is when many women experience many life changes and they also go through psychological changes – including being more at risk for the development of depression.
You should have a screening done to check any related symptoms that you might be having. Some of the more common depression symptoms that are often missed are insomnia, mood swings, fatigue, not having the desire to do things you used to enjoy and not being interested in intimate relations.
The reason that this happens is because while there are many physical changes going on during this time, many women start to think about their age. This can cause an emotional struggle to begin.
You might start to question things such as your partnership or the career that you’ve had for decades. You might begin to wonder if this is all there is to life. Some women begin to feel like they’ve missed out on life, or that they’ve wasted their time.
They lose their sense of purpose. At this age, most women find themselves looking back on their lives and grieving the loss of their youth. They begin to reexamine their priorities and they start looking for something that has a lasting meaning.
Many women struggle with thoughts of aging and began to fear health problems or begin to feel like the clock is ticking on the time they have left. This is all a natural part of growing older and most women experience this.
Your mental and emotional health is something that should be discussed with your doctor so that you can see that you’re not alone. At this age, you’ll be starting menopause and the changes in hormones can bring on mood changes.
For this reason, you need to make your doctor aware so that he or she can check to see if you’re in menopause. At this age, it’s more important than ever that you keep up with your mammograms as well as making sure you’re tested for things like ovarian cancer.
Beginning when you turn 50, you should also get tested for colon cancer – especially if you’re high risk. You should also fight back against the myth that the 50s means you’re bound to gain weight.
If you eat healthy and make sure that you exercise regularly, you don’t have to give in to weight gain – regardless of your age. At this stage, you should keep up with your health by having your regular physical exam as well as extra screenings for your age such as for your heart.
Women’s Health in Your 60s and Beyond
By the time you reach your 60s and beyond, there are some things that you can do that will work to keep you healthy but there are also some things you need to avoid. At this age, you should get your bones tested.
What this test does is it checks for osteoporosis, which can cause problems if you have a fall. The loss of bone density can make it easy to break a bone – especially after menopause.
You should still keep up with your regular checkups – including your eye exam as well as a hearing test. Though you should still get a colonoscopy in your 60s, once you hit about 75, some doctors say that you don’t need to have these tests done any more because health studies have shown that they’re not as effective in helping you avoid getting colon cancer.
If you’ve had a history of healthy pap smears, once you get into your mid 60s, you can stop having them. During your 60s and beyond, you can start to experience some changes in your intestinal tract and you’ll start to have more trouble with constipation.
You should make sure that your diet is filled with plenty of fiber rich foods. At this age, you may need to start taking vitamins or supplements to make sure that you’re getting the nutrients that your body needs.
Many women over the age of 60 can have a vitamin B12 deficiency and this can lead to some serious health problems – including cancer. You need to be exercising using cardiovascular routines to keep your health up and your bones strong.
Not only can you help your joints, but you can lessen the risk of developing serious conditions. At this age, a common problem can be leaking urine. You can talk to your doctor about the problem to see if you need a bladder tuck.
Less invasive methods are using incontinence products or practicing exercises that strengthen the pelvic muscles. It’s important in your 60s and beyond that you make sure you keep your brain challenged to prevent cognitive decline.
Take a class, learn a new language, do crossword puzzles, play games, or take up a hobby or sport. The more you exercise your brain, the stronger it will become and that means fewer problems with mental capacity in your golden years.
