The best ways of looking after yourself differ drastically through the decades. Here a GP, a dietician and a personal trainer give you all the guidance you need… whatever your age.
20s
Serious illness is relatively rare in this decade so it should be spent laying the foundations for excellent lifelong health, diet and exercise habits. It is also important to be aware of key diseases that specifically affect young adults.
GP Dr Ellie Cannon says: There are some diseases that are more prevalent in this age group than any other, so personal health awareness is key.
As you become sexually active, the risk of developing cervical cancer increases, so a smear test every three years from the age of 25 is essential.
Testicular cancer is a young man’s disease and most prevalent in those aged 20 to 40. Men should check themselves monthly for lumps.
Also, don’t get sunburned – sun over-exposure early in life is one of the biggest risk factors in developing malignant melanoma, the most aggressive kind of skin cancer, later on. Take photos of any moles to keep a record if they are changing over time.
DIETICIAN Catherine Collins says: The body absorbs older bone and generates new bone material to keep our skeleton strong. However, bone density reaches its peak in this decade, after which tissue is not replaced as fast as it is broken down. So diet in your 20s is key in optimising lifetime bone health.
Maximise Vitamin D (essential for calcium absorption) levels while the sun shines, with no more than a few minutes of skin exposure to the midday rays.
Top up with a daily 25mcg Vitamin D but avoid combination supplements containing Vitamin A at 1,500mcg or more – this prevents calcium cementing to bone. Choose calcium-rich, low-fat foods such as skimmed or fortified soya milk, low-fat yogurts and tofu to seal a healthy future for your bones.
PERSONAL TRAINER Gillian Reeves says: Do between three and five moderate cardiovascular sessions of at least 30 minutes each week, and up to three sessions of strength-based exercise using weights or body weight against gravity to work the muscles.
In your 20s your joints can cope quite easily with just about anything you throw at them. Jogging is ideal – the heel impact of this activity aids formation of new healthy bone in the leg.
30s
This is the decade when you should start planning your future health, and knowing your family history is important. It is a good time to speak to your parents about conditions that may have affected relatives.
THE GP says: If there is a family history of serious illness, speak to your GP about NHS screening available to those at high risk – for example, genes for bowel cancer and risk of osteoporosis can be detected in this decade.
Quit smoking now. Studies have shown that if you give up in your early 30s, by the time you are in your 50s your risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease will be the same as a non-smoker.
As you start your own family, priorities change – so men and women need to keep an eye on weight, which is implicated in health problems later in life.
It is much easier to lose weight now rather than trying later in life when health problems may have started, and metabolism has slowed down.
THE DIETICIAN says: Studies suggest that the amount of energy our bodies burn while resting is dropping at the age of 30, and it drops by a further seven per cent with every subsequent decade – so if you carry on eating like you did in your 20s, you may start putting on weight.
Watch out for snacking – make one snack fruit, and another a small handful of nuts or low-fat yogurt as their protein can blunt the appetite.
If you are a woman planning a pregnancy, take a folic acid supplement from now until three months pregnant to reduce the risk of the baby having spina bifida.
THE PERSONAL TRAINER says: Group exercise such as spinning or circuit training will give you the benefits of cardiovascular training and strength work.
In the 30s, aerobic capacity can drop by six per cent if you don’t do anything – so keep attending the classes. Plan time in your diary to attend a class to make sure you make the time for exercise.
The class environment will also give you the chance to socialise without having to stay up all evening in the pub – as some of you used to in your 20s.
40s
Concentrate on your heart health and reducing long-term risk of having a heart attack or a stroke. If you are overweight and have a poor diet, you will start to see high cholesterol readings and high blood pressure. Those with a family history may develop full-blown heart disease, experiencing symptoms such as angina.
But by changing your lifestyle now, you can turn things around and stave off problems in decades to come.
THE GP says: Don’t become complacent about weight, nonchalantly blaming extra pounds on middle-age spread.You should be more strict about having a healthy BMI and low waist measurement than you were in your 20s, as this is the decade they start to cause illness.
Ask your GP for a fasting cholesterol test, and find out what your blood pressure is. If the results are of concern, early treatment can dramatically reduce cardiovascular risks. Women need to continue using contraception until a year after the menopause, which usually happens towards the end of this decade, as you will still be fertile. Appropriate choices might be the mini-pill or a coil, as these don’t raise oestrogen levels, which can increase risk of blood clots.
THE DIETICIAN says: Try to have two alcohol-free days weekly, and drink less than 21 units a week for men and 14 for women. The occasional small glass of wine may decrease heart-disease risk, but more is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer and liver disease.
Menopause and its hormone changes lead to increased body weight, especially an expanding waistline. Keep your BMI below 27. Downsize your portions and reduce carbohydrates such as rice, potato and pasta by a third.
THE PERSONAL TRAINER says: If you have spent the past decade slumped over a desk, pilates – an exercise system based on strength and flexibility that uses body weight as resistance – will help realign posture. In this decade, lean muscle mass decreases and body fat increases.
Women gain weight around the torso, back of arms and back. As well as feeling better, studies suggest that the risk of breast cancer reduces by up to 47 per cent and osteoporosis by 45 per cent if you continue to exercise.
January 3, 2011
