"All in all, the 30s are a very positive time for health, but it's also the time you have to start developing excellent habits as an investment in the future," says Dr. Debra DeJoseph, medical director of The Women's Health Institute at University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio.
This quote gives me hope! I think as we age, we often think of how it's "too late" to start healthy habits and that the damage is done. This doctor points out that it isn't so!
Here are the 6 mistakes they mention in the article! (And of course my comments!)
1. You don't think about your muscle mass.
Apparently, even if you're active you lose muscle mass as you age! About 4 years ago I started lifting and I'm so glad I have made it a habit. I think it is something I will really pat myself on the back for when I am like 60!!!
2. You ignore a metabolism slow down.
Honestly, I have not noticed a metabolism slow down yet. This is still one of those things where I say to myself, "Oh as long as I stay active this won't happen to me!" But obviously, that is not true. I'm still living in a dream world on this one!
3. You miscalculate fertility.
I have never paid attention to my fertility because I am not having kids. However, I do think it's crazy that fertility starts to decline drastically in your 30s! It seems like these days that's not enough time for a lot of women to have kids. What if you don't get married until you're in your 30s and then want a few child-free years with your spouse for whatever reason?
4. You don't make time to see the doctor.
I do see the gyno every year but I probably should go to my primary care physician soon and get screened for those silent problems like high blood pressure and cholesterol.
5. You treat your skin like you're still a teenager.
I'm going to tell you a secret. While I do wear sunscreen at the beach, pool, and things like that, I don't wear it while I run. I get a nice base tan that way but I know that is still sun damage. I need to do better.
6. You light up.
Not only have I never smoked, but I try everything I can to not even be exposed to secondhand smoke because I think it is disgusting!
Do you have any of these health mistake covered?
Any you need to work on?
Do you worry about your fertility?
Any you need to work on?
Do you worry about your fertility?
Wow, those have never been on my list. I have a slew of doctors I see every year to make sure I'm healthy, including a dermatologist. I never got a terrible sunburn, but I'm so incredibly fair that even my dermatologist remarked on that. I want to make sure everything is ticking properly as I age.
ReplyDeleteI have gotten burned before. Not really growing up. I only ever got tan when I was a kid. But if I would go to the beach or pool or something NOW and not have sunscreen on, I would get so burnt! So I wear SPF 50 or higher. But for some reason if I RUN I don't get burned at all. I started wearing a visor last year to protect my face. I could do better.
DeleteI've never focused on my fertility either, but I can't imagine having kids in my 20s. I was so intensely focused on grad school and my career during my early/mid-20s and then so busy with my job in my late 20s I don't see where I would fit having kids in on top of work, running, catering to Cecil's even whim, etc. The women who are able to juggle it all are amazing. A friend of mine from grad school had two kids in her early 20s and still manages a career, running/lifting, being a great wife, etc. I'm in awe of her time management skills. Maybe she's able to manage it because she doesn't have a demanding cat :)
ReplyDeleteThis year was the first time I really paid attention to the results from my physical! When the doctor was reading through my blood work results I tried to really understand what they meant beyond "everything looks good." I guess the older we get the less invincible we feel.
Hahaha yes this women that do it all clearly don't have cats! ;) I suppose it's just priorities and what is important to you? Clearly there are many more important things to me than having children, plus the desire isn't there so it's not that I want my life how it is MORE than I want to have children... I just don't want to have children at all! One thing I am thankful for is that I am sure of my decision. It is such a big decision that it would suck to have to waver on it either way.
DeleteYes, I feel less invincible as I get older as well!
I so wish I would have paid attention to sun screen earlier in my life! I never really paid attention to my fertility because I knew in my early 20's I didn't want kids; however I am so glad my wonderful doctor paid attention to the fact that I was very irregular w/ my cycle and immediately did a hormone panel (which showed low estrogen) and a bone density test (which showed normal and is repeated every 5 years). In my 30's is when I finally quit drinking so much soda. It's pretty ridiculous how much I would consume in one day. I am very glad to have given up that addiction!
ReplyDeleteDo you have any side effects from having low estrogen?
DeleteThat is why I take the low dose pill so I have a normal(ish) level now. I feel a lot better on the pill than off it.
DeleteWow, #6 surprises me. I had to read it twice to make sure I was taking the "light up" correctly. It just seems like women today (whether they are in their 30's or not) should obviously know how dangerous smoking is. I am totally baffled when I see a young lady smoking!
ReplyDeleteYah I know, I don't understand why anyone smokes, other than they are addicted and it's really hard to stop!
DeleteThese are interesting; thanks for sharing them! I'm really good about sunscreen, being a ginger and all, but I'm not great about seeing the doctor. And smoking... why do people still do that?!
ReplyDeleteI have no clue. I feel like less people smoke now, but I may just think that because you're really not allowed to smoke many places in public anymore so we just don't see it???
DeleteSunscreen... I need to be a lot better about that. I have had some sun damage before and have odd shaped dark spots from that. So yes, that's a constant reminder, but I still like a nice tan! Sun damage on my face too - especially noticeable because I don't wear any foundation ever.
ReplyDeleteI had no interest in having kids until I was 34, but luckily I didn't have a problem getting pregnant. It's a struggle for so many though! I wish everyone who wants children had the same luck.
Oh I wish that for people too!
DeleteI shouldn't wear flip flops. I walk barefoot at home a lot. What do you think of that? I hear so many conflicting reports about that!
ReplyDeleteOk Megan, We need to slow you down a bit and cover you in sunscreen, ASAP! I don't know why, but I take the sunscreen thing very seriously. Do you wear moisturizer with spf daily? do I sound like your mother yet?
ReplyDeleteThe one thing I worry about, is how much soda I drank when I was younger, and what that will do to my bones.
I think sunscreen is a good thing to take seriously!!! :) I do not moisturize with SPF. Can you do that and then put makeup on top?
DeleteMaybe your lifting will help counteract the whole soda thing from your childhood!?
Yes, you can wear make up on top of moisturizer. And some makeup already has spf. I don't know what type of make up you wear, but there are several options, depending on what your skin type and what you wear.
DeleteAveeno has a CC cream, that is a light tinted moisturizer with spf.
Covergirl also has a tinted moisturizer with spf.
If you wear powder, Neutrogena has powder with SPF.
I am not paid by any sunscreen companies to sell you any of their products, I'm just a concerned citizen.
LOL I appreciate your concern and your passion. I don't want to look old so I want to protect my face. Oh, and cancer.
DeleteI don't wear sunscreen unless I'm going to be out in the sun for over 30 minutes. I just think that people have gotten crazy about it for no reason; I've never been a sunbather and truly avoid the sun most of the time, so I think I'm okay. I like a little vitamin D!
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy how quickly fertility declines. I just don't understand. It really shows something about evolution vs. human ingenuity. We're living longer and putting off childbirth longer because we aren't slaves to nature anymore. It's kind of cool and weird at the same time.
My metabolism has slowed down, for sure. I hate to think I'll have to do MORE than I do now to stay this fit as each year adds up...
Yeah the times I am really anal about it is when I know I am going to be out in direct sunlight, like at the pool or the beach or something. The funny thing is, even if I put SPF 50+ on at those places, I still get a tan! But I don't get burnt, so that is at least something.
DeleteThe fertility thing IS interesting! I am wondering if our evolution will ever catch up to the fact that some women don't want to have kids until their late 30s or early 40s?