The Essentials
Your 20s
The 20s are a time of great vitality, energy and enthusiasm. But it is also easy to overdue things. College life usually means a lot of junk food, stress, poor sleep and other unhealthy habits. Many women also start their careers in their 20s, which often goes hand in hand with demanding hours and take-out food. It’s therefore no surprise that the 20s can be a hormonally challenging period for women.

Stay-Healthy Tips
Eat nourishing meals, drink plenty of water and try to get at least eight hours of sleep per night (or at least three nights per week). If you’re taking some form of birth control, you need extra nutritional support. All forms of birth control can deplete the body of vitamins B complex, C and E, calcium, magnesium, selenium and zinc. Use a high-quality multivitamin/mineral formula to cover your bases. The pill, as well as antibiotics and steroids, may destroy good gut flora, resulting in yeast infections. Probiotic supplements, organic yogurt and kefir can restore proper gut flora.

Your 30s
The Essentials
Many women in their 30s are thinking of motherhood or giving birth for the first time. This is therefore the time to truly focus on adopting a healthful diet and balanced lifestyle.

Stay-Healthy Tips
Vitamins A and D are vital for normal reproduction and fertility. Vitamin A–rich foods include butter and cream from grass-fed cows, eggs, liver and cod liver oil. A multimineral supplement is also essential. The herb chaste tree berry (also called vitex) is helpful for balancing hormones and regulating the menstrual cycle. It can take as long as six months to notice results. Natural bioidentical progesterone cream has been effective in not only alleviating PMS, ovarian cysts and polycystic ovarian syndrome, but also supporting fertility. Sold at health food stores and compounding pharmacies, progesterone cream is best used under the guidance of a health care practitioner, who can assess your hormone levels and customize a treatment plan.

Your 40s
The Essentials
During this decade, a woman begins the transition into perimenopause, the five- to 10-year period before the onset of menopause. Rather than winding down, the ovaries are actually more active than they have been since adolescence. Consequently, perimenopause is a time of excess estrogen and declining progesterone. This hormonal shift often leads to unpredictable moods, heavy flow, hot flashes, night sweats, headaches and weight gain—symptoms that have become synonymous with perimenopause and menopause.

Stay-Healthy Tips
Bioidentical progesterone cream is especially helpful for women because it helps counteract the negative effects of excess estrogen. A woman is most susceptible to estrogen dominance in her 40s. The digestive system also becomes weaker. Strengthen it naturally by adding digestive enzymes and probiotics to your daily regimen. The thyroid can also become sluggish. Magnesium, selenium, iodine and vitamin A help improve thyroid function. Liver-loving foods (see “Support Your Liver,” p. 44) and chaste tree berry capsules or liquid can also help balance excess estrogen levels. Organic whole foods, proper nutritional support and regular exercise are especially important in this decade.

Your 50s
The Essentials
The decade is the time for initiation into menopause, which for many women has become a stage of deepening wisdom and inner reflection. Medically, menopause means the cessation of a monthly period. When this happens, hormone levels begin to change and the adrenal glands become the primary source of hormonal support.

Stay-Healthy Tips
At this stage, women must make wise dietary and lifestyle choices to adequately nourish the endocrine glands, which include the ovaries, adrenals, pituitary and thyroid. To support this transition, strengthening the adrenals, detoxing the liver and improving digestion is critical to achieve a healthy balance. Since progesterone declines much more precipitously than estrogen, using natural progesterone may be helpful. Vaginal dryness is more prevalent at this time as well. Increasing essential fatty acids such as fish oil and vitamin E will help. Some women find that applying the oil from a vitamin E capsule to the inside of the vagina is helpful. Some natural products on the market are specifically formulated for this concern (for example, Emerita offers a full line of products).

Your 60s,70s—and beyond
The Essentials
From this decade on, a woman taps into her deep well of wisdom, acquired through 60+ years of life lessons and experience. Many refer to this season of a woman’s life as the ‘Wise Woman’ years. Health-wise, the goal is to remain strong, active and healthy.

Stay-Healthy Tips
As with all the other decades, it is important to commit to a healthful diet and lifestyle during your 60s, 70s and as you age. In addition to probiotics and digestive enzymes, using hydrochloric acid supplements (also called betaine or HCI) is recommended to help digest protein foods. In addition to supporting your digestive system, mineral supplements (try a multimineral formula) and weight-bearing exercise can help keep bones strong or even help reverse some early signs of osteoporosis. Because older women are more susceptible to chronic illnesses, eating antioxidant-rich, liver-loving and nutrient-dense food ensures good health. Chronic inflammation can become a health risk, and fuels many diseases, including arthritis, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and diabetes. Natural anti-inflammatory sources include omega-3 fatty acids, found in Alaskan wild salmon and sardines, curcumin (the active ingredient in the spice turmeric) and quercetin, found as a supplement and in red grapes, red and yellow onions, garlic, broccoli and apples. Antioxidant-rich fruits such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, cranberries and raspberries are anti-inflammatory and should be a part of the diet.