Hey Millennials, Welcome to your 40s

Did you know the oldest millennials are turning 40 years old this year? The millennial generation is classified as those born between 1981 and 1996. This generation is busy “adulting” and waxing nostalgic about the ‘90s, a simpler time with boy bands and frosted tips.

It’s possible to hit your fourth decade of life without experiencing many, or even any, major medical events. However, turning 40 may present a new host of medical challenges. Millennials, here are some health issues you should start thinking about as you enter your forties.

• Kidney stones: Often, as people get older they can become dehydrated more easily. This, along with other risk factors like a changing diet, can lead to an increased chance of developing kidney stones in your forties and beyond.
• Urinary tract and prostate infections: For women, an increase in urinary tract infections (UTIs) is possible due to thinning vaginal wall because of age. Many men experience prostate infections in their forties because their lifestyle becomes more sedentary.
• Hypertension: Also known as high blood pressure. While an unhealthy lifestyle or added stress can contribute to high blood pressure, a simple increase in age can also tick up your likelihood of developing this condition.
• Skin cancer: Excess sun exposure and genetics are the two main culprits for developing skin cancer. As you age, your skin has been exposed to harmful UV rays from the sun for a longer period of time, so it's more prone to develop skin cancer cells.
• Ulcers: Peptic ulcers are sores that develop in the lining of the stomach and small intestine. Ulcers affect about 4 million people in the U.S. each year and usually appear between ages 30-50. Overuse of drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen, alcohol, coffee and smoking can produce peptic ulcers.
• Osteoporosis: This is the loss of bone density and mass, which causes you to easily break and fracture bones. In midlife, bone loss usually speeds up in both men and women.

This is why it’s so important to keep up with your annual physical. Visiting your primary care provider for regular preventative care is one of the best ways to identify and treat health issues before they get worse. Millennials, treat turning forty as a milestone to finally get that annual wellness checkup on the books.

Looking for a primary care physician? Call (225) 763-4500 to schedule an appointment or Find a Provider online.