Health in your 20s, 30s & 40s

Ageing is inevitable. Equip yourself with the best HEALTH KNOWLEDGE to age gracefully.

Water, green veggies, exercise and rest are vital when it comes to longevity. But with our busy lifestyles and the modcons we’ve come to rely on, such as fast food and online communication, we’re now more susceptible to illness than ever before. No matter what stage of life you’re in, there are age-specific issues that you may encounter. Since some are genetic, not all of them are preventable, but you can detect them early on, if you know what to look out for, and learn to manage them. wanted to and not having your mom tell you how irresponsible you are? Now is not the time to be living it up … too much. “Women are at the peak of their health in their 20s, so it’s the perfect decade to set up healthy habits to maintain your wellbeing and increase your chances of a healthy, disease- and illness-free future,” says GP Wendy Snell, who adds that sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are high on the list in people aged 19 to 24. The most common ones to look out for are chlamydia and human papillomavirus (HPV). Certain strains of HPV can cause cervical cancer, so it’s important to have screenings done.

According to Snell, one of the top health concerns for young adult women include endometriosis, a medical condition whereby tissue that normally grows inside the uterus grows outside it, causing pelvic pain and even infertility. It’s associated with menstruation. This painful illness can present symptoms from as early as age 13. Thato, 22, has been living with endometriosis since high school. “Whenever my period started I’d vomit and experience severe vertigo and excruciating cramps,” she says. This was until her family doctor examined and diagnosed her. “She suggested I begin using oral contraceptives, but I declined because I was worried that it would cause other complications I’m not comfortable with.”

It’s the most common cancer in women under 35 and has