The frequent female conditions that women are more prone to than men and maximizing a woman’s health can be the key to her success. A gynaecologist offers tips on how to avoid common female illnesses, including things you may take to prevent them; women should make an effort to have a balanced diet.
Check out this decade-by-decade guide on staying healthy now and into the future by avoiding the most prevalent illnesses.
Your early 20s
It’s simple to assume that everyone is healthy. However, this decade is when you’re creating the groundwork for your health.
Create a healthy eating routine. Limit sodium intake and add sweets while consuming various fruits, vegetables, and protein sources. Aim for daily information of 600 international units (15 mcg) of vitamin D and 1,000 mg of calcium. According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, women reach their optimum bone mass by age 30.
Find out the medical history of your family. Your doctor may determine your illness risk for the most prevalent diseases by talking to you about the health histories of your near and immediate family members.
Plan yearly wellness appointments.
This includes essential vaccines and health examinations such as blood pressure, blood glucose, and cholesterol. Beginning at age 21, the American Congress for Obstetricians advises taking a Pap test for cervical cancer screening.
Follow Life’s Simple seven recommendations from the American Heart Association. Promote heart health by keeping your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels within healthy ranges, while also getting regular exercise, eating right, controlling your weight, and quitting or avoiding smoking.
Participants in the CARDIA trial who had adhered to these recommendations from their twenties demonstrated larger whole brain volume than the typical midlifer in a 25-year follow-up brain MRI. According to research published in the journal Neurology, people in their 20s who followed these criteria had brains by middle age that, on MRI imaging, looked more than a decade younger than people who didn’t follow the rules.
Your 30s
In this decade, balancing duties to one’s family and the job is not uncommon. Self-care may become a lower priority as life becomes hectic.
Take time to rest. Your health depends on getting enough sleep. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke reports that studies reveal sleep deprivation may raise your risk for depression, diabetes, obesity, cancer, and heart disease.
Hold onto a healthy weight. The Office of Disease Prevention advises that you maintain a nutritious diet and schedule at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise five days a week, as well as two times a week of muscle-strengthening activities, to enhance your metabolism and preserve your heart and bone health.
Stress management. Stress levels may be lowered by socializing with friends and taking a pastime like yoga or reading.
Obtain health examinations. Keep checking your blood pressure. Ask your doctor for glucose and cholesterol tests if you are obese or at risk for diabetes.
Your 40s
As perimenopause starts, your body changes in your 40s.
Establishing a healthy lifestyle again
As your calorie requirements fall, you might need to consume a little less while continuing your regular workout program. Limit your fat, sugar, and refined carbohydrate intake, and commit to eating balanced meals. Exercises that involve weight-bearing and strength training are essential for maintaining bone density and muscle mass.
Start mammography screening if you haven’t. Based on your unique risk factors, talk to your doctor about how often and when you should get a mammogram. At 40, ACOG advises women to start getting yearly or biennial mammography.
Get examined. Starting at age 45, you should undergo a diabetes screening at least every three years, even if you are not at high risk. A cholesterol and blood pressure check should be part of your examination. Ask your doctor for advice on quitting if you smoke. According to a recent study, healthy non-smokers in their middle years are less likely to develop dementia than those who smoke, have diabetes, or have high blood pressure.
Study up on menopause. As you get closer to 50, perimenopause starts as your hormone levels change, and you can begin to feel the effects of menopause.
The 50s, 60s, and Beyond
While the chance of developing the most common diseases increases with age, it is in your golden years that good choices from earlier in life start to pay off.
Schedule your screenings. According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, screening for colon cancer should start at age 50, and testing for osteoporosis should be done by age 65 or sooner if you have a family history of the disease or other risk factors. It’s crucial to perform Pap screenings, diabetes and cholesterol tests, and mammograms on time.
Get the vaccinations you need. Ask your doctor about receiving pertussis and shingles vaccine after age 60, a pneumonia vaccine once you turn 65, and your annual flu shot.
Recognize your heart disease risk. A higher risk of heart disease is associated with menopause. Talk to your doctor about your risk factors, which include smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes, to safeguard your heart.
Continue eating healthfully and exercising. For strong bones, eat a diet high in calcium, and vitamin D. Ask your doctor if a supplement will help because calcium requirements rise after menopause. Regular weight-bearing and strength training may lower your falling risk while promoting bone density.
