Your 30's: No More Excuses..Now You're Really An Adult

Unique Health Problems and Biological Changes in Your 30's

You’ve finally realised that you’re NOT COMPLETELY INVINCIBLE after all. I don’t like saying I told you so, after our last article about your 20’s. It is okay, no gloating is allowed here. Let’s look at what the 30’s hold for you.

For Him and Her

You’re thinking ‘I am only 30’. Stop thinking this way and start thinking about your health and wellbeing. This is the time to take screening tests for certain diseases so you can prevent them or catch them early. Here is a list of things to get tested with your doctor get the ball rolling.

Prediabetes and Diabetes. Because obesity is on the rise globally and our sugar consumption is through the roof, prediabetes and diabetes are definitely waiting for their chances to settle in. This is much more pronounced among men and women who have weight problems. Click here to read more about diabetes and some great tips for preventing it or how you can handle diabetes once you have it.

Blood pressure. Stop delaying and get your blood pressure checked by your doctor. Alternatively, there are many digital devices that allow you to measure your own blood pressure. You can start learning how to use one and monitor your own blood pressure regularly.Your target blood pressure should be equal to or less than 120 for systolic and 80 for diastolic. Keeping an eye on your blood pressure will allow you to identify any possible future cardiovascular problems early on. Just like with diabetes, exercise and diet are mainstays in your quest for a healthy cardiovascular system.
Lipid and cholesterol levels. On your lab results there are two numbers you should be paying particular attention to, triglycerides and HDL levels (high density lipoproteins). Your triglyceride levels should be low while your HDL levels should be high. If your blood tests show this picture, you’re doing well and you can keep up the great work. On the other hand, if your numbers are the opposite, its time to start making changes to a healthier diet and lifestyle.Have this test taken at least once every five years, and preferably every couple of years. Factors that can increase the frequency of testing are your weight, poor diet, your family history (for heart problems) and if you already have heart disease. For a precise interpretation of your results, consult your healthcare practitioner.
Skin cancer screening. Consult a dermatologist for this. Have your skin inspected. If you frequently get sunburnt while at the beach, then you should definitely take this one seriously. Any unusual marks and moles should be checked out and followed up with a skin biopsy if required. Early detection of skin cancer earns huge plus points during treatment.Skin cancer is the most common cancer troubling New Zealanders. It’s also the most expensive, costing the health system approximately $57 million. The deaths from melanoma, a common skin cancer, were close to the number of deaths from road accidents from 2000 to 2009. Yes, melanoma kills that many despite today’s medical advancements.

Try aging “naturally” instead of “cosmetically”. Your physiological capacity decreases by one percent from 30 years onwards. Your body’s optimal enzyme production also begins to decline from the age of 27. Wrinkles begin to show themselves, your desire and ability to lose weight may wane and wound healing slows down.

The aging process is natural and unavoidable. But you can assist your body to remain fit and healthy longer by putting only healthy food and drinks into your body. Minerals are also vital to keep your remaining enzymes active. The only problem is that adequate minerals are no longer in the soil and therefore our food, so a mineral supplement is essential. Australian and New Zealand soils are also well know to be particularly deficient in the minerals selenium and iodine. Have a lifestyle review. Sit down and list all the foods you normally eat, the things that stress you out and any bad habits. Identify areas you can improve on. Get rid of negative vices like sugary foods. Stop smoking and drinking alcohol for the nth time! Stress overload. Getting married, having kids or deciding to go down to one income will pile up stress in your body. Learning to get rid of it (the stress, not your family) or keeping it to a minimum can make the difference between a panic attack and mild episodes of stress. Talk to your parents, they’ve been through this themselves and may be able to support you. Here are some stress management tips. Other physiologic changes you might have overlooked. Bone loss starts in your 30s, so weight bearing exercise like running or walking are paramount for maintaining your bone density. The other key to healthy bones is minerals such as magnesium, calcium, boron, potassium, chromium and copper plus others. Minerals again? Yes their importance to your health cannot be underestimated. In addition, your metabolism slows down especially if you adopt a sedentary lifestyle where you are sitting all day long. Hey, why not get yourself one of those ‘standing’ desks at work and while you’re at it, try cycling or walking to work.

For Her

Tick, tock goes your biological clock. Talk about a real life nagger huh? Your biological clock can really whip up some anxiety for you when it comes to having children. It’s a decision you’re going to have to make before your childbearing years are over. The percentage of women who delay childbearing is increasing. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics the average childbearing age for a woman was 30 years old in 2007. This has risen from a median age of 25 years in 1971. This rate has likely risen further in the last 7 years. It is becoming more and more common for women to put off having children until later in life. However many experts still argue that the optimal time for a woman to bear children is from 20 to 35. Of course, it isn’t only the woman’s age we should be worried about. There are several other factors we need to consider like Mr. Good Enough (err, I mean Mr. Right). On the other hand, there are other options like in vitro fertilisation and surrogacy if time is running out to find Mr. Right. Median Age of Australian Mothers

Getting pregnant in your 30s and beyond makes your pregnancy more susceptible to complications like pre-eclampsia, stillbirth, miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy. The chances of having a caesarean section also increase, though more and more women are choosing a C-section rather than a natural birth anyway. The best piece of advice I can give you is to be in the best possible state of health BEFORE you get pregnant regardless of whether you choose an early or late pregnancy.

For Him

Don’t laugh at your partner’s biological clock. Your (male) fertility started to decline back when you were 25 years old. Fertility experts have estimated that it takes twice as much effort and time for a 40 year old to get his partner pregnant compared to a 25 year old. So making sure you’re in tip top health before conception is just as important for you as it is for her.

If you were like every other 20 year old, thinking you were invincible and not taking care of yourself. Now is the time to change that and get some good healthy habits in place. There are two great reasons for this; to help your body stay healthy into older age and to pass on healthy habits to your children. As you may remember from when you were a child, children quickly lose respect for their parents if they do not practice what they preach. So hop to it, before you find yourself explaining why you can have a soft drink and your child can’t.

References

Cunningham, F Gary, Kenneth J. Leveno, Steven L. Bloom, Catherine Y. Spong, Jodi S. Dashe, Barbara L. Hoffman, Brian M. Casey, and Jeanne S. Sheffield. Williams Obstetrics. 24th Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2014.
Hall, John E. Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders/Elsevier, 2011.
Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 18th ed. 2 vols. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23474511
http://www.sunsmart.org.nz/skin-cancer/skin-cancer-facts-and-statistics
http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/subscriber.nsf/0/DC32A0611500BAA0CA2574EF00142139/$File/33010_2007.pdf


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