Click to view profiles of women's health, decade by decade.

At age 34 and single, consultant Raela Villanueva says she’s the healthiest she has ever been in her life.

“I quit smoking one year ago because I was concerned about the health risk. And my hair smelling like smoke,’’ she said.

She also has adopted a healthier diet, runs and walks regularly, practices yoga, takes supplements and gets the routine annual checkups with her general practitioner and gynecologist, she said.

Jessica Brown, 25, of Pace is already very conscious of the benefits of living healthy and getting regular doctor checkups.

“It is very important, especially if you have a family history of cancer or heart disease,’’ she said. “If you make sure you’re screened for these problems, you can take preventative measures.’’

Are these women doing everything they can to maximize their health? At every stage of a woman’s life come a fresh set of concerns. And there are tests you should be having to create a baseline if your young and to monitor your health.

Dr. E. Coy Irvin, medical director for the Executive Physical program at Andrews Institute in Gulf Breeze, said the recommendations on the following pages are preventative measures that will help women live longer and healthier lives.

But all too often, women, and particularly men, believe such tests are unnecessary unless they’re having a problem. Once some of these health problems crop up, it could be too late, said Jackie Barclay, executive director of Andrews Executive Physical Program, a program of Baptists Health Care that is geared to prevention. 

“We do have an opportunity to control what happens to us,’’ she said. “Genetics plays a role, but it is not the deciding factor.’’

Dr. Joe Story, chairman of the Andrews Institute, said by taking a proactive approach to your healthcare as opposed to a reactive approach, “Seventy percent of your health can be controlled by you. You can control how long you live and how well live.’’

 Dr. E. Coy Irvin’s list of top health threats for women and men in the Pensacola Bay Area:

 • Heart disease
• Cancer – lung, breast, colon.
• Diabetes
• Pneumonia and influenza
• Accidents
• Emphysema
• Depression – found in 30 percent of the patients seeking medical care from their family doctors.
• Stroke
• Osteoporosis
• Kidney disease.