How Your Body Breaks By Decade
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. Find out what dangers could be headed your way.
The 20s: Sexual Sabotage
One of the biggest threat to your health in your 20s is your own behavior, like risky sexual encounters. In 2005, 2.1 percent of young adults aged 18 to 25 had a sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the past year, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
Women: start getting regular pap smears. Also, consider getting the new HPV vaccine (available until you're 26).
And listen up young men: You need to start taking note of changes down there, since your 20s are when testicular cancer tends to strike.
The 30s: Mitigating Your Risks
Beware, Men: Heart disease risk, shows up earlier for you. Your cancer risk is low, but establish good health habits now. You know, sleep more, eat heathier, and yeah, go to the gym. You'll also need to get a baseline cholesterol and blood pressure reading to check in on that heart.
Women: continue with pap smears, since it's still easy to catch and zap away pre-cancerous changes that could lead to cervical cancer if not detected. If you're considering pregnancy, make sure to take folic acid, and get the recommended amount of calcium (1,000 mg).
The 40s: Getting Proactive
In your 40s, eye sight is the first thing to go. It could be time for your first reading glasses. Dental issues begin cropping up now too. Don't skimp on your routine cleanings.
Women: watch out for breast cancer. Your risk will continue to rise each year. Oh, and menopause is right around the corner, so prepare for a roller coaster ride of hormonal changes.
Men: talk to your doctor about screenings for prostate and colon cancer (especially if you have a family history).
The 50s: Settling In
The number one risk in your 50s is heart disease. Cholesterol,
Watch out men: Heart-disease risk is higher for you. Plus, you've got prostate and colon cancer risk to worry about.
Say hello to menopause, ladies. It means crazy hormonal imbalances and increased risk for osteoporosis.
The 60s: Embracing Change
This decade of life often brings many big lifestyle changes, namely retirement -- which makes for more leisure time at last. But you shouldn't rest easy about your health. Chronic illness -- from diabetes to lung disease -- are headed your way this decade. Your biggest risk is still heart disease, and by this point, women, you've caught up to men. Also, at age 65, talk to your doctor about getting a pneumonia vaccine (good for life) and make sure to getyour yearly flu shots.
The 70s: Maximizing Your Quality of Life
"In your 70s, the focus generally shifts away from cancer screenings to quality of life issues," says Phil Rodgers, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine at University of Michigan. 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 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.
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