How to Stay Your Healthiest at 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70

The most important health decision you’ll ever make might surprise you; it’s simply to take charge. Even if you’re blessed with good doctors and great genes (and you eat well, check, and exercise regularly, double check), seeing your doctor for a yearly exam and the right blood work is key -- as is knowing what tests to get and what you may be at risk for. The good news: You can be proactive. We’ve made it easy for every age.

What’s happening: You’re at your optimal health; the goal now is to keep it that way. This is the time to set yourself up for the decades to come -- start healthy eating habits, and get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise.

Biggest risks: Melanoma is one of the most common cancers in young women, so be on the lookout for any changes on your skin. Also important: STD testing and prevention, says Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., a clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at the Yale School of Medicine. Not only can STDs cause problems now, but chlamydia and gonorrhea, left untreated, can lead to infertility, too.

Key tests and vaccines: The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists recommends a Pap test every three years. The United States Preventative Service Task Force suggests that women with a family history of cancer should discuss being screened for breast-cancer susceptibility genes BRCA1 or BRCA2 after the age of 18. Starting at age 20, the American Heart Association recommends cholesterol testing every four to six years.

What’s happening: “Perimenopause can start up to 10 years before you stop having periods,” says Minkin. So don’t be surprised if you notice changes in your cycle (longer, shorter, heavier, lighter).

Biggest risks: Cancers of all kinds are the leading cause of death among women in their 40s, so stay on top of your annual checkups.

Key tests and vaccines: Continue getting your annual flu shots. Ask your doctor if you should have a mammogram. The guidelines are in flux, but the American Cancer Society says women ages 40 to 44 should have the choice to have a mammogram, and recommends them annually for those of average risk between 45 and 54. Age 40 is also when you should have a comprehensive eye exam, to check not just your vision but the overall health of your eyes, says Rebecca Taylor, M.D., clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, in Nashville. If you’re African-American, the American College of Gastroenterology recommends beginning colonoscopies at 45.

What’s happening: Welcome to menopause -- on average it kicks in at age 51, and once you’ve gone a full year without a period, you’ve officially reached that milestone. Menopause brings about a host of changes, mostly driven by shifting hormone levels. These range from bone loss and hot flashes to mood swings and depression. All are totally normal.

Biggest risks: Cancer continues to be the highest risk, but heart-disease incidence in women rises dramatically after age 55.

Key tests and vaccines: At 50, schedule your first colonoscopy (if you haven’t had one sooner because of other risk factors). Also, be sure to have annual cholesterol checks, and, if you have any risk factors for osteoporosis, get a baseline bone-density test two years after your last period. If you were born between 1945 and 1965, the CDC recommends a one-time test for hepatitis C.

Keep doing weight-bearing and strengthening exercises. They’re important for bone health and for maintaining muscle mass as you age; check with your doctor for specific recommendations that take into account any underlying conditions you may have.

Focus on sleep. Menopausal symptoms can interfere with a good night’s rest, so it’s even more crucial now to set the stage each night for relaxation -- keep your room dark and cool, banish tablets and TV, and try a calming pre-bed practice, like meditation or breathing exercises.

What’s happening: “This is still considered middle-aged by most geriatricians,” says Jan Busby-Whitehead, board chair of the Health and Aging Foundation. Our early-to-mid-70s aren’t that much different from our 60s, but there are subtle changes to our bodies that begin to happen in this decade. And they’re really different for everyone. “As you get older, your health becomes more heterogeneous,” says Busby-Whitehead.

Biggest risks: There are four concerns. Heart disease and cancers are the biggest, as they’re the leading causes of death in women 75 to 84; the other two are stroke and chronic lower-respiratory dis- ease. You may also start to feel more general wear and tear on your body, and arthritis may flare up.

Key tests and vaccines: Many of the same ones you had in your 60s will continue: bone-density and cholesterol tests, eye exams, and mammograms. If you haven’t had any colon polyps, you may consider stopping colonoscopies at age 76. Get hearing tests every year. And if you haven’t been getting the high-dose flu shot, start doing it now -- it has four times the amount of antigen.