When it comes to getting healthy — and staying that way — there’s no better place to start than your plate. All of the foods here are great for you at any age, but eat the right ones at the right times, and you’ll have a natural defense against any problems facing your body through the years.
Your 20s
Boost bones with calcium. This decade marks your last shot at building bone mass. (Later on, eating well and exercising will help you maintain what you’ve got.) Yet according to government research, more than half of women in their 20s get less than the 1,000mg of calcium they need daily to do that.
Most healthy eaters easily bank about 500mg, says Elizabeth Somer, R.D., author of “Eat Your Way to Happiness.” Make up the difference with a daily 500mg calcium supplement — either a pill or chocolate chew, whichever you like best! (Try not to take it too close to meals packed with high-calcium foods, since the body can only absorb about 500mg at a time.)
