Essential Health Tips for Women of Every Age (20s – 50s+)

Aging isn’t always easy, but your health is not something that needs to be overly complicated or confusing.

Chronic disease and other health risks naturally increase as we get older, but with enough awareness and the right information, you can stay as healthy as possible at every stage of your life as a woman.

Speaking of Life Stages…

Before we delve into some essential health tips, let’s touch on the different life stages that women go through.

These life stages are mainly linked to your reproductive cycle, starting with monthly menstruation all the way through to menopause.

Women will experience various symptoms during each stage and these hormonal fluctuations and changes are often linked to specific health changes and concerns.

Naturally, genetics and lifestyle also play a critical role in your overall health and wellbeing, but in the case of women, these life stages do matter too.

Knowing what to be aware of during each life stage can help you prepare for the changes your body and mind will undergo.

Essential Health & Wellness Tips for Women Based on Their Age

Here are the tips you will want to save based on your current age bracket:

20s: The Proactive Era

Most women in their 20s are healthy, which means you mainly need to focus on being proactive about your health and wellbeing.

• Get the HPV Vaccine. According to the MD Anderson Cancer Center, HPV is present in over 99% of cervical cancer cases, so this is a good age to get the vaccine.
• Quit smoking. The sooner you can stop smoking, the better. Not only will cigarettes make you look older than you really are, but they will eventually lead to more serious health problems later in life.
• Protect your skin. Overexposure to direct sunlight or tanning beds can increase your risk of developing skin cancer, which is a devastating disease to navigate. Make a habit of applying sunscreen every day, even if it’s cloudy outside. Wearing protective clothing in harsh conditions also helps.
• Understand your macro and micronutrients. What you put into your body can make a massive difference to your health in your 20s. A healthy diet starts with understanding which macro and micronutrients are most beneficial and creating meals around that. Protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates are the most important macronutrients, while vitamins C, B, iron, and omega are essential micronutrients.
• Don’t skip the pap smear. Once you reach the age of 20, it’s recommended that you book a pap smear once every two to three years depending on your family history. These exams are not always comfortable, but they could help you avoid some serious health concerns.

30s: The Child-Bearing Era

While not all women choose to have children, a large percentage do. And this life-changing decision can often be linked to a few health concerns such as high blood pressure, depression, diabetes, and anemia.

• Prioritize your mental health. Regardless of whether you have children or not, your mental health should be one of your top priorities after the age of 30. This is mainly when life is super busy and you tend to experience life and career challenges. Making time to relax and do the things you love is essential if you want to strike the right balance. And if a bath and a yoga session are not quite cutting it anymore, it might be time to see a mental healthcare professional about therapy and medications that can help you better navigate anxiety and depression.
• Increase your pap smear frequency. Where women in their 20s only need a pap smear every two to three years, once you’re over the age of 30, you may want to increase the frequency to one to two years. These exams should include tests for HPV.
• Add more protein to the mix. Once you reach the age of 40, you will begin to experience a decrease in muscle and bone mass as well as strength, which is why it helps to increase your intake of protein, calcium and vitamin D after the age of 30.
• Lift some weights. Another way to counteract the loss of bone and muscle mass is to lift more weights. Not only will this make you stronger, but it will keep you fit and at a healthy weight, which can also help you avoid certain health concerns such as cancer.
• Fight oxidative damage. We are exposed to free radicals every day, which can lead to oxidative damage in the body. Oxidative stress has been linked to anxiety, depression, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and more. To help your body better deal with external elements, you can increase your intake of foods that are rich in antioxidants, including blueberries, strawberries, black rice, green tea, and kidney beans.

40s: The Bone Health Era

Once you reach the age of 40, your bone health really comes into the spotlight. It’s at this age that you may start experiencing joint pain and other concerns such as gout and arthritis. Your risk of stroke, diabetes, and heart disease will also increase.

• Keep going with the weights. To help your bones stay as healthy as possible, keep going with the weight training regime that you adopted in your 30s. Haven’t done any weight training in a while or ever? This is a great time to get started.
• Maintain a healthy weight. As you get older, your metabolism naturally slows down and your hormones start to change, so you need to be more mindful about what you eat and drink. Overeating becomes more common after the age of 40 due to thyroid changes. Adopting a balanced eating plan that will allow you to maintain a healthy weight will help you avoid an array of concerning health issues now and later in life.
• Review your vitamin regime. As much as you’re going to need to make some changes to your eating habits, it’s also important to make sure that you’re getting enough of the right vitamins and minerals. After the age of 40, your body will very likely need more calcium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A and C.
• Avoid inflammation triggers. Because your bone and joint health is changing, you want to make sure that your consuming fewer foods and drinks that can lead to pain and inflammation. Red meat and alcohol can be major inflammation triggers.
• Schedule a mammogram. Now that you’re 40+, it’s essential to schedule a mammogram once a year. It’s not the most pleasant exam, but it can mean the difference between living with breast cancer and catching it early enough.

50s+: The Menopause Era

The average woman will encounter menopause after the age of 52, which brings a number of health changes with it. In general, overall health risks will also start to increase after the age of 50, so making the health of your body and mind a priority is critical.

• See your doctor regularly. Where you may have only seen your general practitioner once or twice a year earlier in life, now is the time to schedule appointments more regularly. This will ensure your doctor can run necessary tests more often based on your age and family history and adjust your medication where it’s warranted.
• Diet is everything. Your nutrition has never been more important. What you eat will affect your hormones, your weight, and your overall health, so now is the time to get stricter about your meals as well as your vitamin and supplement regime.
• Get your colon checked. Once you reach the age of 50, colon cancer risks increase, which is why screening needs to become an annual occurrence. Various exams are available, so chat with your doctor about the options.
• Get enough sleep. Your ‘beauty’ sleep has never been more important even though hot flashes can make this more difficult. Now is the time to develop a new bedtime routine. Rearrange your bedroom, make sure you’re sleeping at a comfortable temperature, and go to bed a little earlier to give your body and mind time to settle.
• Don’t stop moving. You may not be as fit as you used to but this doesn’t mean you should stop moving your body – it’s what it’s made for. Find new ways to enjoy exercise. You can even turn it into a group activity if you find your motivation dwindling. Exercise is whatever you want it to be as long as you keep moving regularly.

As you can see, a woman’s health changes at every stage of life, but there are some basic habits that you can implement at any age to stay as healthy and happy as possible for the rest of your life. The sooner you make your health a priority, the better.