Before doing a radio interview this morning, I heard a story about a young, obese Brisbane girl who suffered from the early signs of a heart attack at the age of 10. It got me thinking about the importance of recognising warning signs for ill health, especially as a fortysomething. Problems with periods, persistent fatigue, headaches or any physical pain which doesn't ease should always be investigated. But it's also important to be aware that some common but potentially serious complaints, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, have no warning signs whatsoever. So what should you do? If you are a fortysomething and haven't had a check-up with a GP for a long time, it's worth going along and having some basics checked, especially if you have a history of any heart disease. And if you are fortysomething and female, two very important things you should also do for your health is have regular Pap smears, and self examine your breasts.