First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes decades of time together strewn with a minefield of potential relationship wreckers. It’s a wonder that anyone ends up walking off into the sunset, hand-in-wrinkled-hand, with a silver-haired mate. What do those geriatric lovebirds know that you don’t?Well, the truth is that even in so-called happy marriages, both partners probably fantasize some of the time—or even much of the time—about throwing in the towel. A Woman’s Day and AOL Living poll found that a shocking 72% of women surveyed have considered leaving their husbands at some point. But despite the occasional rocky patch, 71% expected to be with their husbands for the rest of their lives. So how do you make it to the finish line with your relationship intact?Each decade will have its own drama, be it child-rearing, layoffs, second careers, and middle-aged angst, along with a big helping of the in-sickness-and-in-health stuff. Here’s how to have a healthy relationship every step of the way.1. Watch your waistlineNow that you’re married, you can finally relax and skip the gym, right? Wrong. Wedded couples tend to have fatter waistlines, which can spell trouble in terms of sexual attraction and general health. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that your chances of becoming obese increase by 37% if your spouse becomes obese. So unless you want “till death do us part” to include chronic health issues like heart disease and diabetes, it’s important to establish healthy eating habits early on. But warding off weight gain isn’t as simple as whipping up a healthy meal together. Eating with anyone—from your spouse to coworker—can cause you to consume 33% more than you would solo.RELATED: 14 Ways You Lie to Yourself About Your WeightBeing aware of the potential fatty pitfalls of marital bliss may be enough to keep your portion sizes in check. Spend couple time checking out local farmers’ markets on the weekends in an effort to consumer fresher, low-calorie fare. Or schedule an exercise date to work off some of your hearty, homemade dinners.2. Have a financial planNearly 40% of married people admit to lying to their spouse about a purchase, and money woes can quickly send your marriage south. In fact, money is the number-one reason couples fight, and relationships tend to suffer during poor economies. You should discuss and agree upon some hard financial ground rules, preferably before you tie the knot.Don’t fret if you’re a spendthrift and your partner pinches pennies. “It’s probably not a good thing to have the exact same philosophy about money, ” says Ken Robbins, MD, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “But financial issues are best to resolve early on. You want to decide who is going to pay the bills, how much discretionary spending is reasonable, and how you’re going to keep track of it all.”3. Figure out your family rulesCouples spend the first 5 to 10 years of their marriage butting heads over how their family should work, says Dr…

What is up with my hair?!If it doesn’t seem as healthy as it used to, blame it on…life. “Aging can make hair thinner, drier and less manageable,” notes dermatologist Shani Francis, MD, director of the Hair Disorders Center of Excellence in Skokie, Ill. The trick is to restore hydration, add volume and replenish shine. Here’s your total plan.Bring Back Softness”I love how dry and brittle my hair is!” said no one ever. There’s a scientific explanation for why it’s like that: “Since oil glands are mostly under hormonal control, they can become less active as your body changes over time,” says Dr. Francis. Turning up the heat on your dryer or curling iron only adds to the parching problem.TREAT ITRestore your hair’s natural lipids with a weekly fix such as Kérastase Paris Resistance Masque Therapiste ($34; amazon.com), which packs hydrating plant sap plus peptides and amino acids to strengthen abused follicles.STYLE ITCoat damp hair with a thermal protectant that hasceramides; they bind to hair and reduce breakage, found a study in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science. Try Phyto Phytokeratine Repairing Thermal Protectant Spray ($32; sephora.com). The suppler your strands, the less breakage youll see.RELATED: 6 Nutrients for Healthy HairBoost FullnessThinning often happens gradually, but for some of us, it seems to occur overnight. One day you look in the mirror and—gasp!—you can see scalp. Or you notice your ponytail isnt as full. “Hair goes through growing cycles, and at a certain age, it can slow down,” says Dr. Francis. But all is not lost: Those sluggish follicles can be awakened.TREAT ITOD’ing on products leaves behind buildup that can impede hair growth. ReGenesis Thickening Shampoo ($34; nordstrom.com) has willow bark to de-gunk and flax protein to plump strands. For significant thinning, the go-to ingredient is minoxidil. It’s the only over-the- counter drug that’s FDA-approved for stimulating hair growth in women. Find it in Women’s Rogaine Hair Regrowth Treatment ($30 for a one-month supply; ulta.com). With daily use, you can expect results in as early as 12 weeks. Also FDA-approved to spur hair growth: low-level red-light laser therapy. The HairMax LaserComb Ultima 12 ($495; neimanmarcus.com) is an investment, but it can be as effective as minoxidil, says Dr. Francis, and more so if it’s used in conjunction with the drug. Run the pronged wand over your scalp three times a week for eight minutes to see improvement in 12 weeks.STYLE ITYou guessed it—use volumizing spray. Try BloPro Blow Back Time Texture Spray ($20; blowpro.com), which infuses hair with specks of bulk-boosting powder. (No worries; its invisible.) Focus on the roots of dry hair, holding up 2-inch sections and spritzing them, says Nunzio Saviano, owner of the eponymous salon in New York City. “Brush through for more oomph.”RELATED: 10 Foods for Stronger Nails and Thicker Hair

Next Page: Erase the Grays

Erase the GraysYou may blame stress, but the reality is that the production of pigment in hair follicles starts to lag with age (at what point depends on your genes)…

I do so much for my family that I have almost no time and energy left for me. How can I add myself to the list?Everyone knows that old saying about putting on your own oxygen mask before you help others, but guilt and worry can hold you back. Yet chances are you’re shouldering responsibilities you don’t need to, so you’re more in control of having a break than you think.Your first order is to off-load a bit. Go through your day, considering your typical to-dos. Perhaps your oldest child can help the younger one get ready for bed, say, or your husband can handle laundry duty once a week. If it’s hard to let go, reality-check yourself: So what if someone doesn’t do it exactly like I do? Will that really matter? You’ll likely realize the answer is no. Being a do-it-all martyr does nobody in your family any favors—the stress inevitably seeps out.Once you’ve delegated, at the beginning of the week (when you’re strong), slate in the yoga class and meet-up with friends to make sure you get “me” time.RELATED: 5 Reasons You Always Feel Guilty (and How to Stop Being So Hard On Yourself)My sister and I both look after our mother, who has Alzheimer’s. But I handle most of it, and I’m becoming resentful. When I bring this up with my sister, she gets defensive. Ideas?Caring for a gravely ill parent is exhausting and painful—sometimes so much so that family members go into denial and turn away. If your sister doesn’t live nearby, you could say, “I know it’s not easy for you to be here. Could you contribute money toward care?”Otherwise, have a face-to-face and make the conversation more about you. Let her know that regularly tending to your mother is a strain. Ask her to brainstorm solutions; perhaps she could bring meals on weekends. Discussing ideas may have the added benefit of getting her to open up. She might say that she finds it hard to visit your mother because Mom doesn’t always recognize her and it’s upsetting—leading to a discussion that can be cathartic for both of you.RELATED: Tips for CaregiversIs there anything I can say to a 40-something man to get him to start picking up after himself?It’s hard to change old habits, but not impossible—even the socks-on-the-floor one. The key is to avoid confronting your partner on the spot; it’s tricky to not sound frustrated or mad, and if you do, he won’t hear you because he’ll be busy defending himself. Instead, choose a calm moment and explain how you feel: “When you leave clothes/crumbs/whatever lying around and figure that I’ll pick up after you, it makes me feel taken advantage of.” Be specific about what you’d like him to do. You might say, “Can you just toss your clothes into the laundry basket?” When he does it, give him a big “Thanks, I appreciate that!” or a gratitude kiss for reinforcement. If he needs reminders, humor always helps. You: “That’s some obstacle course on the floor—could you grab that stuff?” Him (hopefully): “Sure, no problem!”