When should you have your first mammogram?

When should you start being concerned about osteoporosis?

It's never too early to know the answers to health questions like these so that you can know how -- and when -- to act. We've created a decade-by-decade guide to health issues to keep an eye out for, medical screenings to have, and nutritional supplements to take.

Start with these recommendations when you're in your 20s and continue down the list as you reach your golden years.

Your 20s and 30s
Keep an eye on these health issues:
• Your weight. It's good to maintain a stable weight going forward. Putting on too much of it can put you at greater risk for developing ailments such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
• Your skin. Skin cancer is on the rise in 20- and 30-something women. It's not just sun worshippers and light-complexioned people at risk -- everyday exposure can increase melanoma risk, even in those with darker complexions. Keep an eye out for enlarging moles and unusual skin changes.
• Your bones. Bone density reaches a pinnacle in your late teens and begins to decline in your 30s. By the mid-30s, women lose bone mass at a rate of about 1.5% annually until menopause. Now is the time to take bone-loss prevention measures such as doing weight-bearing exercise and eating more calcium-rich foods.
A good habit to start now is getting annual checkups. Ask your doctor for these screenings:
• Blood pressure check. Get one at least every 2 years to keep type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol in check.
• Baseline cholesterol screening. Get a screening so that your doctor can keep track of your "good" and "bad" cholesterol levels. Repeat every 5 years. Do so more frequently if cholesterol levels are on the high side.
• Breast exam. Give yourself monthly self-exams as well, and report any strange lumps, bumps or disfigurations to your doctor.
• Pelvic exam and Pap smear. You should have your first Pap test (a good screening for cervical cancer) within 3 years of being sexually active or by age 21. After age 30, you may be able to have Pap smears every 2 to 3 years instead of annually if you have had 3 normal, consecutive Pap test results and aren't at high risk for cervical cancer.
• Skin check. Your doctor should check for moles or abnormal skin markings every 3 years -- or more often if your family has a history of skin cancer.
• Adult immunizations. Tetanus and diphtheria immunizations need to be repeated every 10 years to maintain immunity.
• Thyroid test. Because this metabolism-controlling gland can start going haywire as you age, have your first test at age 35 and continue every 5 years thereafter.
• Dental exams. Visit your dentist twice a year for teeth and gum cleanings.
• Baseline eye exam. See an optometrist for a vision test at least once in your 20s and twice in your 30s.
Make sure you're getting enough of these nutrients:
• Folic acid. This is a key ingredient if you're trying to get pregnant because it safeguards against spinal cord defects in developing fetuses. Aim for 400 micrograms of folic acid daily from a combination of a vitamin supplement and folate-enriched foods (leafy greens like spinach and broccoli, and folate-fortified breads, pastas, cereals and rice).
• "Carnivore" minerals. If you're a vegetarian, pregnant or breast-feeding, you may need more calcium, iron, zinc and vitamins D and B13 that comes from meat, dairy and animal products. Women who plan to become pregnant should take prenatal supplements. Vegetarians should also take a daily vitamin supplement and eat plenty of beans and legumes.

Your 40s and 50s
Keep an eye on these health issues:
• Your hormones. You may experience signs of "perimenopause," the interval when your body starts transitioning into menopause. This time can last anywhere from 2 to 8 years. As your reproductive hormone levels fall and rise, you may see changes in your menstrual cycles, sleep patterns, daily moods and sex drive.
• Your blood pressure. It's common for your blood pressure to start rising now, but you can keep it low through diet, exercise and medication.
• Your bones. Although women tend to lose bone mass after menopause, the National Women's Health Network recommends that a woman not be tested for osteoporosis before the age of 65 unless she's at risk due to health status or family history.
Besides the regular exams you started in your 20s and 30s, ask your doctor about these screenings:
• Blood sugar test. To check for signs of diabetes, have a fasting blood sugar test starting at age 45 and then once every 3 years.
• Mammograms. Have your first mammogram at age 40, and check with your doctor about how often to have one afterward. She may recommend an annual mammogram if you have a family history of breast cancer. Women in their 50s should have regular mammograms every 1 to 2 years.
• Colonoscopy. This test for colon cancer starts at age 50 and is performed every 10 years — or more often if you have risk factors.
• Rectal exam. This is another colon cancer test that starts at age 50 but is performed every 5 to 10 years.
• Skin check. Up this exam to once a year starting in your 40s.
• Regular eye exam. Get your vision checked every 2 to 4 years until age 65.
• Adult immunizations. Get a flu shot every year.
Make sure you're getting enough of these nutrients:
• Soy. One to 2 daily servings can alleviate many perimenopausal symptoms in women. Good sources are soy milk, tofu, soybeans and edamame.
• Calcium and vitamin D. To slow bones' calcium loss, make sure you're getting enough of these 2 minerals. Eat 60 grams of protein per day (more plant-based instead of animal-based foods), and take a calcium supplement with vitamin D. Cut down on diet sodas — they decrease bone density.

Your 60s and beyond
Keep an eye on your general health. They don't call these the golden years for nothing. If you eat right, keep on exercising with light weights and steady cardio, and stay on track with regular medical checkups, you'll be healthy and happy for many years to come.
Ask your doctor for these screenings -- some are new, others are updates of tests you've regularly taken:
• Bone density test. Osteoporosis is common in many women older than 65, so it's wise to have this done in order to determine if you need to strengthen your bones through exercise and medication.
• Pelvic exams and Pap smear exam. You need to do these regularly until you are 65 to 70 and have had 3 normal Pap tests within the last 10 years.
• Regular eye exam. Eye diseases such as glaucoma are common with aging, so get your eyes checked every 1 to 2 years after age 65.
• Hearing test. Hearing loss also becomes more common, so have this test done every 3 years or as soon as you notice signs of hearing loss.
• Adult immunizations. Starting at age 65, you should get a pneumococcal vaccine to protect against pneumonia.
Make sure you're getting enough of these nutrients:
• Vitamin B12. Up to 30% of older adults get atrophic gastritis, a condition that causes damage to the stomach's gastric cells, reduces the body's ability to absorb Vitamin B12 and often leads to anemia. Get extra doses of this vitamin, either through a supplement or by increasing your daily intake of protein-rich foods such as meat, dairy products and eggs by 10%.

Reprinted from revolutionhealth.com