There are many steps we can take at every stage of our life to age healthfully. Here’s a decade by decade look:

Teens, 20s and 30s

"This is a time when we really want to talk to patients about their habits," says Dr. Ernest Yoder, chief of internal medicine at Providence Hospital and the governor of the Michigan chapter of the American College of Physicians. "We want to talk about risky behaviors, such as alcohol, drug use and sexual activity."

The teens, 20s and 30s are when most people should establish a relationship with a physician. It will serve you well as you go through life and really helps to catch any problems early and keep you current on preventive testing and immunizations.

Females should learn breast self-exams and begin having Pap smears. Men should learn testicular self-exams, because testicular cancer usually occurs in the teens and 20s.

These earlier decades of life should also be about making exercise and a healthy diet an integral part of your life.

"Exercise may be the closest thing to the fountain of youth available," say the editors of the Merck Manual of Health & Aging.

The 40s

"As we get into the decade beginning with age 40, we get serious about a couple of things," says Yoder. "In women, it’s breast cancer. In men, it’s prostate cancer."

Women should talk to their physicians about yearly mammograms, in conjunction with breast self-exams and breast exams by a health-care professional.

Prostate cancer screenings often begin now, as physicians look for nodules that may herald the onset of the disease.

The 50s

"Most of us are screening women in their 40s and 50s for bone density in order to catch problems early on," Yoder says. "Once you’ve developed osteoporosis, it’s difficult and expensive to get the bones remineralized."

Exercise is also crucial to help burn excess calories, since your body requires fewer calories as you get older. And speaking of calories, now is the time to re-evaluate your diet.

"Your calorie needs go down as you age, but your nutrient needs don’t go down," says Darlene Zimmerman, a registered dietitian at the Henry Ford Heart & Vascular Institute. "You need to make some wise choices."

Zimmerman says calcium needs go up after age 50, so you need three to four servings of low-fat dairy each day.

In your 50s, your doctor will also start paying attention to your cholesterol levels (high levels can indicate predisposition to heart disease and stroke, and may require medication) as well as your glucose levels.

The 60s

Studies have shown that people who remain active and who interact with other people live longer, healthier lives.

"If we can keep folks mobile and involved in activities outside the home, it’s better for making sure that they are emotionally and physically well," says Paul Bridgewater, executive director of the Detroit Area Agency on Aging. "Once a person becomes isolated, and lacks physical activities," physical health can also decline quickly, he says.

The 70s

As you reach your 70s, your doctor will continue with all of the cancer screenings, because cancer rates increase with age.

"The 70s is another peak of hypertension, so we monitor blood pressure closely," Yoder says.

You may find that you’re not sleeping as well, and possibly losing muscle mass. You may develop arthritis and become less active. Your doctor will encourage you to increase your exercise and activity levels, as studies have shown that even simple activities such as doing a crossword puzzle, playing games and walking reduce the risk of dementia and help elderly patients sleep and eat better.

Drivers should be extra cautious as they age, as crash rates begin to rise after age 70 and climb further at 80 and beyond. Older drivers have higher rates of traffic violations than do all other age groups over 25. (New York Times)