6 of the most important health appointments in your 40s and 50s
+ Meet Lesley Ware, the designer and author who found new love at 40
Don’t let it linger
Make these health appointments in your 40s and 50s
By Anne Holub
The biggest joke in my house is waking up and saying “oh, I guess _____ just hurts all the time now.” But we don’t have to live like this! Yes, it can be hard to get all your ducks in a row and go to a few doctors’ visits – even more so when you’re juggling career, home, kids, or just <gestures to world> life. But it’s your health, and you are important.
If you’re in your 40s or 50s (and beyond), it’s prime time to make sure we’re living our best — and that means healthiest – “so-called” lives.
Starting at 40: get an annual mammogram
If you’re at high risk for breast cancer, you may need to start mammograms before 40. You can talk to your doctor about your risk level, but guidelines from the American Cancer Society note that:
“Women between 40 and 44 have the option to start screening with a mammogram every year. Women 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year. Women 55 and older can switch to a mammogram every other year, or they can choose to continue yearly mammograms.”
But it isn’t just about mammograms, really. It’s about understanding your risk, and your body. Have you ever done a self–breast exam? Or do you get an annual pelvic exam with a clinical breast exam by a doctor? Both of these can be helpful before you hit 40, but they’re not able to catch a potential issue as early as a mammogram or breast MRI can.
Who’s at high risk for breast cancer?
Well, lots of women. But the American Cancer Society points out that those who should consider mammograms and other diagnostic tests at age 30 and older include those who:
have a lifetime risk of breast cancer of about 20% to 25% or greater, according to risk assessment tools that are based mainly on family history (see below)
have a known BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation (based on having had genetic testing)
have a first-degree relative (parent, brother, sister, or child) with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, and have not had genetic testing themselves
had radiation therapy to the chest before they were 30 years old
have Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Cowden syndrome, or Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome, or have first-degree relatives with one of these syndromes
There are also guidelines for breast cancer screening for men and those who are transgender.
At 45, get a colonoscopy
I have secretly loved the last few years watching friends post on social media with the big gallon jug of laxatives and the comment IYKYK. Oh, I do.
As someone with Crohn’s disease, I’ve gotten colonoscopies since I was 29, when I was first diagnosed with the disease. The worst part, I tell friends, is the day of “prep” beforehand, when you can’t eat solid food, and have to pretend like you’re able to handle just some apple juice and black coffee for a day at work.
But colonoscopies are so important. And yes, you theoretically COULD “mail in your sample” with products like Cologuard, but if you’re at all at risk for colon cancer or other gastro diseases, or just want to get a good diagnostic look at your lower intestine, there’s nothing that’s as comprehensive as a colonoscopy. And at 45, you should get one. Just do it.
Don’t have a gynecologist? Why the heck not?
I can’t believe the number of women friends I have who don’t have a regular gynecologist. I don’t have kids, but I still like to get regular pelvic exams and make sure things are good under the hood (so to speak).
The good news is, you don’t need a full OBGYN doc to get annual exams or pap smears. Medical professionals like nurse practitioners, physician assistants, or midwife nurses can also perform these tests, and they can be a lot easier to schedule with than in-demand docs. Early detection can be so key through these exams.
Lesley Ware’s major life transition, Bumble success story, and fashion as self-care
“How does someone be happy, hurting, growing, and healing simultaneously?”
Good question, right? These are the ups and downs that Lesley Ware, 42 at the time of this interview in 2020, started working through when she turned 40.
Four years ago, the author and educator was going through what she describes as a “major life transition”. Lesley was recently separated and starting therapy to work through issues she’d been grappling with for a few months, including splitting with her partner of 10 years, money anxiety, and much-needed fibroid surgery.
But Lesley was also celebrating falling in love again, with her now-husband, comedian and television producer Victor Varnado. “It was gutting to mourn a relationship of many years while starting a new one,” she says from home in Ridgewood, Queens. “When my ex-husband and I parted ways, for the first few months, I was in bad shape mentally and physically.”
“My therapist encourages me to take breaks and staycations, and spend days in bed just relaxing. Being a Black woman, this is something that I used to think was a luxury. My parents have said to me since I can remember that I need to be ‘twice as good, ‘twice as smart, ‘twice as everything’, to succeed. The bar always went higher and higher, and I piled on more and more.”
"6 of the Most Important Health Appointments in Your 40s and 50s" is a must-read for anyone looking to prioritize their health during these transformative years. It’s easy to overlook certain check-ups, but this article provides a clear and thoughtful reminder of the key appointments that can help us stay ahead of potential issues. From screenings to preventive care, these appointments are not just about maintaining physical health—they’re about setting ourselves up for long-term well-being. A great guide to taking control of your health as you navigate your 40s and 50s!
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