Your heart is a remarkable organ that evolves with you through life. Each decade brings unique challenges and opportunities for cardiovascular health. Your heart loves you and we want you to love your heart back. This comprehensive guide will walk you through maintaining a healthy heart from your 20s to your 70s.

Your 20s: Building the Foundation

While thinking about your heart health in your 20s seems odd, remember that your 20s is the time tp build your foundation for health. Physical Characteristics of a healthy heart include high metabolic rate, robust recovery capabilities and peak muscle mass and flexibility. Heart health priorities can include establishing healthy lifestyle habits, creating consistent exercise routines, learning stress management techniques, and developing nutritious eating patterns. We recommend aiming for 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly, limiting processed food intake, practicing regular sleep hygiene, and starting retirement savings (financial stress impacts heart health) to achieve optimal health.

Your 30s: Maintaining Momentum

Your 30s can be a wonderful decade but there can also be tons of exciting transitions. This is also when we start to see our metabolism slowing, muscle mass gradually decreases and we may experience potential weight gain. During this time focus on monitoring cholesterol levels, managing increasing work and family stress, and developing sustainable fitness habits that fit into your lifestyles. A general action plan can include incorporating strength training, practicing mindful eating, and learning advanced stress management techniques.

Your 40s: Proactive Protection

This decade is true adulthood. This is when we may experience hormonal changes, our metabolism continues slowing and muscle recovery takes longer. The exercises that got us results in our 20s and 30s may not be as impactful in our 40s. Some of the heart health priorities should include getting a comprehensive cardiovascular assessment. This should consist of hormone balance monitoring, enhanced nutritional strategies, and targeted exercise approaches. We also recommend screenings that include advanced heart disease risk assessment, hormone panels, stress echocardiogram, and calcium score screening.

Your 50s: Strategic Wellness

Your heart health focus should include comprehensive cardiovascular protection, inflammation management, tailored exercise approaches, and nutritional optimization with heart-healthy meals. Critical risks are increased heart disease, higher cholesterol levels, potential arterial stiffening, and the likelihood of metabolic syndrome. In your 50s, we recommend low-impact, high-intensity interval training, consuming an anti-inflammatory diet, regular cardiac check-ups, and managing stress through meditation.

Your 60s: Adaptive Strategies

Heart health becomes increasingly more important as we age but just like when we are younger, there are strategies we can use to keep our ticker intact. Heart health priorities should be maintaining cardiovascular function, managing existing conditions, preserving muscle mass, and promoting overall mobility. We recommended screenings such as an annual comprehensive cardiac evaluation, detailed heart rhythm assessment, comprehensive metabolic panels, and a cognitive health screening. In your 60s be gentle but consistent when it comes to exercise, eating a heart-healthy, nutrient-dense diet, and staying socially engaged and mentally stimulated.

Your 70s and Beyond: Supportive Care

At this age, you’ve earned the right to do whatever brings you joy. However, it’s still important to maintain cardiovascular independence, manage any existing conditions, and try your best to prevent further complications. We recommend staying on top of your screenings like a comprehensive geriatric cardiac assessment. For your plan of action, we recommend adaptive, supervised exercise, a nutrient-rich, easily digestible diet, and regular medical collaboration

Universal Heart Health Principles

Regardless of age, these principles remain constant:

Stay physically active
Eat a balanced, nutritious diet
Manage stress effectively
Prioritize regular medical check-ups
Maintain social connections
Stay mentally engaged

We hope that this February, you continue to do what’s best for your heart health. Remember, this guide is for informational purposes. Always consult healthcare professionals for personalized medical advice tailored to your specific health needs. Happy Heart Month!

Health + Healing

The AU Wellness Team

Heart Health at Every Age: A Decade-by-Decade Guide to Cardiovascular Wellness