Did you know that your age can heighten the risk to certain diseases? Here’s why. Human bodies usually stop growing at some point and degeneration begins. Lifestyle habits also have effects and some may cause immunity issues over time.
By the time you reach your 40s, you will be more vulnerable to some diseases than before. But since people age differently, whatever affects you might not affect the next person.
In Australia, there are specific diseases you should be more concerned about once you hit your 40s. They include:
Cardiovascular Diseases
Other than genes, the lifestyle you led in your 20s and 30s could increase your risk of heart-related complications. The effects of high cholesterol levels from unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise mostly show up at this age.
The dangers of smoking may also start revealing themselves at this age, especially if you were a heavy smoker. One of the most common is plaque build-up in your arteries which is known to trigger a heart attack or failure.
Consider going for more cardiac check-ups at this age so that such problems can be addressed while they are still in their early stages.
High Blood Pressure
You are more likely to have uncontrollable blood pressure in your 40s, especially if you were not careful about your diet or keen on exercise.
Excess unhealthy fats in your food usually clog your arteries, making it hard for blood to flow. And when blood starts to move through your arteries at an abnormal pressure, you end up with high blood pressure.
Increased stress levels also tamper with your blood pressure, pushing it harder against your arteries’ inner walls.
Osteoporosis
Currently, 1.2 million Australians suffer from osteoporosis. This is the general weakness and porosity in bones. An average human bone structure stops developing at the age of 30.
In your 40s, your bones lose their density, making them prone to fractures. You can also suffer weakened bones from taking too much salt, lack of vitamin D and low calcium.
Obesity
According to the Australian Institue of Health and Welfare, two out of three adults in Australia are overweight and obese. This means you are likely to suffer from this condition if you fail to take good care of yourself.
Obesity usually occurs when your food and drink intake is higher than the energy you require in your day to day activities. For many who do this mildly, the condition usually catches up with them in their 40s.
That aside, research shows that most obesity-triggered problems only show up with age. Many heart complications, for example, are as a result of continuous fat deposits. Thankfully, obesity can be solved through lifestyle changes.
Type 2 Diabetes
Although anyone could suffer from diabetes, age increases the risk. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body gradually reduces the production of insulin.
It can also be caused by insulin resistance. This is when the cells in your muscles, liver and body fat fail to respond well to insulin and are unable to make use of the glucose from your blood for energy.
In both cases, you slowly but steadily lose control of your blood sugar levels. Early diagnosis can help you manage the condition better since there is no cure for diabetes yet.
Stress And Anxiety
With age comes responsibilities. From family to financial obligations, the list of things to deal with grows as you hit your 40s.
Changes in physical appearance, having a smaller social circle and inability to do things you enjoyed in your 30s may also add to your list of worries.
Failure to work around this has been known to hit hard to the extent of causing depression.
Arthritis
In Australia, one in six people have arthritis. Although you can get this problem at any age, pain and stiffness in your joints are more likely to occur after you hit your 40s.
Normal wear and tear of your joint cartilage reduces their elasticity, making movements a huge task.
A drop in estrogen production that comes with age also increases the joint pain due to oxidative stress on your cartilage.
Skin Cancer
Cumulative overexposure to the sun is the leading cause of skin cancer in Australia. This, among other varying causes, damage your skin cells.
With age, symptoms of skin cancer begin to show. The most common are appearance of moles or skin discolouration. Also, watch out for crusty and hard to heal sores.
Random Erectile Dysfunction
A considerable percentage of men usually develop erectile problems after reaching 40. In Australia, it is estimated that one in five men battle erectile dysfunction.
This number increases with increasing age. Fortunately, the persistent inability to achieve or maintain an erection can be treated since it is usually a symptom of another problem that could be physical, psychological or both.
Apart from age, alcohol consumption, fatigue and anxiety may trigger erectile dysfunction.
Adult-Onset Asthma
Symptoms of adult-onset asthma include narrowing of airways, production of thick mucus and inflammation of airways.
However, the allergens for old associated asthma are mostly environmental. Your forced expiratory volume usually goes down with age, making you susceptible to allergies. Suddenly, things that didn’t affect you before like dust, smoke or industrial smells become irritants.
Conclusion
Even though there are a few other diseases we have not mentioned, these are the most common that you should pay extra attention to in your 40s. If you encounter them, do not hesitate to seek medical help. The good news is that most of them can be treated.
Constant health assessments can also reveal underlying problems before they become tragic. For example, a cardiac check-up will show possible health problems, allowing your doctor to address them on time.
It benefits you more to observe what you eat, exercise regularly and keep off excess smoking and alcohol.