These are the 4 Key Health Pillars for Every Woman Over 40
With Women’s Health Week just around the corner, there’s no better time for women to take stock of your wellbeing.
For women over 40, this phase of life is full of changes - juggling work, family responsibilities, and the multitude or hormonal shifts that come with ageing - so it’s easy for many women to let their own needs slide down the priority list…
But your 40’s and beyond can actually be some of your healthiest, strongest, and most empowered years - especially when you focus on the right things.
So, as we gear up to celebrate women’s health, here are four key pillars every woman should be thinking about to support their long-term wellness, strength, and vitality.
1. Bone Health: Build Strength from the Inside Out
Bone density declines with age, and this is especially true for women, who experience a sharper drop in bone density during and after menopause as a result of falling oestrogen levels.
This decline means that conditions like osteopenia and osteoporosis become real risks, often without symptoms presenting until a fracture occurs.
The good news? You can take steps now to protect your bones in the future.
Strength training is one of the most effective tools we have for bone health, as it encourages your body to rebuild and reinforce bone tissue.
Loading our bones with progressively heavier weights triggers a natural adaptation, helping them develop strength and density to adjust to this effort.
Loading our bones correctly and consistently can even help REVERSE the effects of age-related bone degeneration.
2. Maintaining Muscle Mass: Strong Is More Than a Look
After 40, we naturally start to lose muscle mass - a process called sarcopenia. It affects not only how we look and feel, but also how well we move, balance, and recover from injury.
Strength training becomes absolutely essential in combatting this change.
Strength training helps to build and maintain muscle mass as we age, to maintain functional strength, assist joint protection, and improve metabolic health.
Focussed activity consistently (2–3 times per week) can make a major difference in our quality of life. Muscle is your longevity insurance policy - and it’s never too late to build more.
3. Nourish-Focused Nutrition: Add, Don’t Restrict
It’s time to move away from the old “dieting” mindset. After 40, our nutritional needs become more specific, and focusing on restriction often does more harm than good.
A nourish-first approach means thinking about what your body needs more of:
Protein to support muscle and tissue repair
Fibre-rich plants for gut and hormone health
Healthy fats for brain and heart support
Instead of cutting back, ask “what can I add to help my body thrive?”.
4. Preparing for Menopause: Knowledge Is Power
Menopause isn’t just a moment in time - it’s a transition that can affect everything from sleep and mood, to metabolism and muscle mass. The more you know going in, the more empowered you’ll feel to manage the changes.
Common symptoms include hot flashes, brain fog, low energy, and sleep disruption, and all of these can have dramatic impacts on quality of life.
Supportive lifestyle changes like regular movement, balanced nutrition, stress management, and sleep hygiene can make a big impact.
And don’t hesitate to speak to your GP or a women’s health practitioner about hormone support or therapies that may help.
Menopause isn’t the end of health - it’s a new chapter in how we care for ourselves.
You Deserve to Feel Strong and Supported
This Women’s Health Week, take time to reflect on how you’re supporting these four key areas.
Whether you’re already making strides or just getting started, small, consistent changes can lead to powerful long-term results.
