Thanks to a smorgasbord of stressors - the kind that come with 70-hour work weeks and late nights on the cocktail circuit - the first episodes of depression often hit women aged in their 20s. And it's not just your mind that pays the price. A busy, high-stress lifestyle often leads to a diet of convenience - one that lacks vitamins and minerals and is overloaded with sugar, fat and kilojoules. The result is a body that can never realise its full potential. See, this is your last chance to lay down new bone: by the time you're 30, your skeletal system is practically set. A poor diet not only inhibits your ability to do that but also increases your risk of disease, weight gain and mental breakdown, now and for the decades ahead.

But you can fight back today - with food.

THE PROBLEM

No time to eat right

Between jobs, boyfriends and maintaining a hectic social life, who has time to eat, let alone eat healthily?

THE FIX

Choose microwave-friendly meals with the perfect balance of protein, carbs and vegies in one package (we like Lean Cuisine Moroccan Lamb with Couscous). In general, look for these qualifications when choosing a frozen feast: 450mg or less of sodium and no more than 3g total fat and 1g saturated fat per 420kJ, says Constance Brown-Riggs, author of Eating Soulfully and Healthfully with Diabetes.

Bonus: Harvard scientists found that every one-serving increase in daily vegie intake decreases your risk of heart disease by four per cent.

THE PROBLEM

Undetected depression

A Red Bull can boost your mood temporarily, but it won't improve your long-term outlook.

THE FIX

Eat 1 tbs flaxseeds (aka linseeds) every day. It's the best source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid that researchers say improves the operation of the cerebral cortex. That's the area of the brain that processes sensory information, including pleasure signals. To meet your quota, sprinkle on salads, vegetables and cereal, mix into smoothies, or dress salads with flaxseed oil.

THE PROBLEM

Sports injuries

Whether it's because you're bombing down skateboard ramps or entering too many fun runs, you are seven times as likely to tear a ligament as a man in the same age group

THE FIX

Beef. It's the perfect muscle food because it's packed with protein and creatine - both build muscle, which basically acts like bubble wrap around tendons and joints. Try this ligament-loving Mexican salad recipe: brown 115g extra-lean beef mince over medium heat. As it cooks, sprinkle it with black pepper, 2 tsp chilli powder, and a couple of dashes of Tabasco sauce. Place the cooked beef, 1 diced tomato and 2 tbs reduced-fat cheese over a bed of lettuce and top with salsa.

THE PROBLEM

The bone-building clock is ticking

This is your last chance to strengthen your skeleton. When you hit 30, you're pretty much stuck with what you've got.

THE FIX

Drink two 250ml glasses of vitamin D-fortified low-fat milk every day. You'll get 581mg of calcium and five micrograms of vitamin D, the perfect nutrient combo to develop break-resistant bones. Broccoli also deserves a place on your menu. It contains a respectable 43mg of calcium per cup and is also home to magnesium, vitamin K and phosphorus, all of which, research shows, play a major role in keeping you upright. Find naked broccoli unbearably boring? Top it with a layer of melted reduced-fat cheddar for the ultimate bone-friendly side dish, says dietitian Kerry Neville.