How Your Body Breaks By Decade
How Your Body Breaks
- How Your Body Breaks
By Judi Ketteler
How Your Body Breaks by Decade
Let's face it, a human body is a lot of maintenance -- and it only gets more complicated the older you get. Just when you think you've got it all under control, you enter into a new decade of life, and suddenly new health worries pop up. That's why it's so important to be proactive about your health, and pay close attention to what's happening in your body year after year, says Phil Rodgers, M.D., Assistant Professor,Department of Family Medicine at University of Michigan. - How Your Body Breaks
The 20s: Behaving Yourself
The biggest threat to your health in your 20s is your own behavior. "Even though physicians don't talk about it much, safety is a very important thing on a day-to-day basis," Rodgers says. It's the basics that will keep you healthy in your 20s, like wearing your seat beat, wearing bike helmets, avoiding drugs, using alcohol only in moderation, not smoking, and not engaging in risky sexual behavior. Also, immunizations tend to expire in your 20s, so don't forget to update your tetanus shot. Women should begin getting pap smears if they haven't already, and should consider getting the new HPV vaccine (available until you're 26); men should take note of any changes in their testicles, since the 20s are when testicular cancer tends to strike. - How Your Body Breaks
The 30s: Mitigating Your Risks
In your 30s, it's more important than ever to establish good health habits (getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise) and to get a baseline cholesterol and blood pressure reading. Women should continue with Pap smears, since this is the time when it's still easy to catch and zap away pre-cancerous changes that could lead to cervical cancer if not detected. Women focused on childbearing should make sure they take folic acid, and get the recommended amount of calcium (1,000 mg). "Men's cancer risk is low in the 30s, but now is the time to get a jump on managing their heart diseaserisk, since heart disease shows up earlier in men than women," Rodgers says. - How Your Body Breaks
The 40s: Getting Proactive
One of the first things you might notice in your 40s is that your eyes aren't what they used to be, and it could be time for your first reading glasses. Dental issues sometimes begin cropping up now too, so don't skimp on your routine cleanings. Your 40s are really the time to step up screenings. Women should discuss getting their first mammogram, since their breast cancer risk goes up with each passing year. And with menopause right around the corner, the 40s can be a roller coaster ride of hormonal changes. Men should talk to their doctors about screenings for prostate and colon cancer (especially if they have a family history). - How Your Body Breaks
The 50s: Settling In
The number one risk in your 50s is heart disease. "We see a big increase for men especially," says Rodgers. Both men and women need to be keeping tabs on cholesterol,blood pressure , and weight, and making the appropriate lifestyle changes. By the 50s, all men are candidates for prostate and colon cancer screenings. For women, the 50s are dominated by menopause, leaving them at increased risk for osteoporosis -- meaning that it's probably time for a bone density scan. Women should also make sure they're getting adequate calcium (1,200 mg) and doing weight-bearing exercise (like walking )three to four times a week, Rodgers says. - How Your Body Breaks
The 60s: Embracing Change
This decade of life often brings many big lifestyle changes, namely retirement -- which makes for more leisure time at last. It's true your body may have slowed down, but it's crucial to stay as active as possible and to talk to your doctor about any issues you're having, since the rate of chronic illness -- from diabetes to lung disease -- goes way up in this decade. Your biggest risk is still heart disease, and by this point, women have caught up tomen. Also, at age 65, talk to your doctor about getting a pneumonia vaccine (good for life) and make sure to get your yearly flu shots. - How Your Body Breaks
The 70s: Maximizing Your Quality of Life
"In your 70s, the focus generally shifts away from cancer screenings to quality of life issues," Rodgers says. Many treatable problems like cataracts,severe tooth decay, and arthritis pain creep up. Also both women and men with brittle bones are at risk for fractures from falls, so basic safety (especially around the house) once again becomes a big concern. The 70s are a good time to talk with your doctor about advanced care planning, specifically things like living wills and power of attorney. - How Your Body Breaks
The 80s: The Golden Years
There is no reason the 80s can't be an enjoyable decade of life! mental health issues become increasingly important in these years, however, when the rates of Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia really accelerate, Rodgers says. "Shaping care appropriate to a patient's goals is really important now," he says. In other words: you and your doctor have to decide what issues you want to treat, and how.
