Future-proof your face Your 30S THE DECADE & OPTIMISE PREPARE TO…

So your face has a few more lines than it used to, your hairline has some silver intruders and your list of responsibilities is rising. But arm yourself with some essential skills and you’ll enjoy your best decade yet.

Support your fertility

If you’re looking to start a family now or later, these are 1 things that could help. Eat a balanced diet

‘It’s important to consume enough complex carbs,’ notes nutritional therapist Melanie Brown, who points to research indicating that they promote ovulation. ‘You need good fats for fertilisation, and quality protein provides 2 the building blocks to eggs.’ Mind your movement

Little and often is key. ‘Exercising too intensely for too long can increase levels of cortisol, which can be a barrier to conceiving,’ says Brown. Plus, ‘Sitting can reduce blood flow to the ovaries and uterus, so stand as much as possible.’ 3 Reconnect with yourself

The anxiety of trying to get pregnant could mean you lose touch with what makes you happy, says fertility expert Emma Cannon (emmacannon.co.uk). Emotional support and physical approaches such as acupuncture, she says, can help to change your neural pathways, enabling you to shift away from fear and towards joy.

Skin cell turnover starts to slow down in your 30s. ‘Skin can’t defend itself from the environment as well as it used to,’ says dermatologist Dr Joshua Zeichner. ‘Collagen and elastin weaken, and fine lines appear.’ Retinol products, such as

(launching 18th March), can stimulate collagen production, increasing cell turnover. Help cells retain moisture with hyaluronic acid; try

Nutrient to know: healthy fats

You know, the kind found in olive oil, avocado, nuts, mackerel and anchovies. They’re hallmarks of the Mediterranean diet, which studies suggest can reduce your risk of heart disease. Your risk shoots up in your 40s, so taking pre-emptive steps will improve your powers of prevention in the next decade. For supplements, try cod liver oil.

THE CHECK-UP

Heart attacks aren’t just for men in middle-to-later age. ‘Women aren’t immune to heart and circulatory disease – in fact, almost as many women as men are living with it in the UK,’ says Professor Chris Gale of the University of Leeds, who is a spokesperson for the British Heart Foundation. ‘If anyone in your family has suffered heart failure under the age of 50, raise that with your GP, no matter what your age.’ Regardless of family history, getting a cholesterol and blood pressure check before you turn 40 is advised.

Whatever you do, don’t panic

As the responsibilities start to bite in your 30s, you’re more vulnerable than ever to anxiety-based mental health problems, such as panic attacks. Use our expert-backed timeline to dial down the intensity:

WHAT’S HAPPENING? A panic attack occurs when the mind makes a negative interpretation of normal events. If you’re set a challenging deadline, for example, the hypothalamus activates the pituitary and adrenal glands, causing stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) to flood the system: the fight-or-flight response. The result? Accelerated heart rate, shallow breaths and trembling. YOUR DEFENCE A US study found that refocusing the mind on simple tasks can calm you down. The solution can be as mundane as counting tiles on the ceiling.

WHAT’S HAPPENING? Adrenaline has a half-life of three minutes, so initial panic soon passes – breathing normalises and heart rate falls. Cortisol, however, sticks around for longer. It can take two hours for more chronic feelings of stress to subside. YOUR DEFENCE Take a 10-minute break and divert your attention to what’s around you, even if it’s just a neighbour taking bins out. Cortisol levels fall and you can return to the task at hand on a more even keel.

WHAT’S HAPPENING? Anxiety can easily extend beyond a specific stimulus and its chronic form can leave your hypothalamus in a state of constant agitation. It’ll keep releasing adrenaline and cortisol and, with levels set to surge at any point, the simplest upset can burst the dam. YOUR DEFENCE In severe cases, doctors may prescribe anti-anxiety drugs and beta blockers to steady the heart rate. Omega-3 fatty acids in oily fish can curb adrenal activation and there are cortisol-slashing B vitamins in legumes, meat and eggs. And going for a run produces mood-boosting endorphins while using up extra adrenaline.