From being politicians to stay-at-home mothers, women certainly have a lot on their plates these days, and unfortunately their health often takes a back seat to their families and careers.

Ironically, as one physician points out, women probably take better care of others than they do of their own health. But to make the task easier, The Royal Gazette and Dr. Katherine Michelmore, employee health services physician, compiled a list of the healthy lifestyle choices and the various medical tests every woman should take at different stages of her life.

In your 20s

- Now is the time to develop a healthy lifestyle and diet (including eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day)

- Don't start smoking. And if you already have, stop

- Limit your alcohol intake

- Do at least 30 minutes aerobic activity three times a week

- Know your BMI (Body Mass Index), you can work it out by visiting www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

- Become breast aware — do self-exams at least once a month before your period

- Pap smears. Pap smears are now recommended to commence at age 21 as part of your Well Woman Check (WWC). Find out about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV, and how to avoid getting them. Pap smears should be performed at least every two years.

In your 30s

- Maintain a healthy lifestyle

- This is the decade of reproductive life for many women in our society. Prepare for childbirth with prenatal vitamins like Folic Acid.

- Continue with Pap smears (raise your awareness of STD's)

- Continue with regular breast exams (self and GP)

- Become aware of cholesterol and have it tested

- Have your GP test your blood pressure

- Test your blood sugar (especially if there are risk factors for diabetes e.g. Family history, ethnic populations, abdominal obesity, hypertension)

- Continue with Pap smears — frequency will be determined by doctor on basis of previous results

In your 40s

- Maintain a healthy lifestyle

- Screening for Diabetes should become yearly

- Breast screening with mammograms (may start earlier if strong family history)

- Continue testing your cholesterol

- Continue with Pap smears — frequency will be determined by doctor on basis of previous results

In your 50s and beyond

- Maintain a healthy lifestyle

- Consider the risk factors for osteoporosis if you become menopausal with bone densitometry scans

- Pap smears continue up to age 65

- Annual breast mammography continues up to age 75

- Consider taking a colonoscopy

Other issues women should consider:

- Physical/emotional abuse — there are support groups that can help you if you find yourself in this situation. It's important to put your safety and your health first.

- Support networks for mothers — Meet A Mum and other organisations can help with the birth of your first child

- Skin cancer prevention — lather on the sun block — no matter what age you are.

- Note that the pap smear screening schedule has recently been updated, pap smears are an essential part of women's health, women should check with their physicians as to the frequency of screening that they require.

- There is no nationally recommended screening programme for ovarian cancer in UK or USA but routine pelvic exams as part of WWC's may be helpful

- Provision for health care costs in advancing age