3/12 Wellness Wednesday

Have you noticed improvement in your shoulder mobility and stability with the half kneeling windmill press?

​Dexa Scan and Bone Health 

I recently finished Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia, M.D. Like so many books I consume, I listened to it while cleaning the gym, cooking, driving, etc. I actually listened to Outlive twice and the second time I took notes. It's one of the most important books I've read this year. I suspect I will listen to it again in a few months. 
The things I learned in the book were aggravating, shocking, and inspiring. Attia does a good job of explaining what's broken with our current health system and what we can do, personally, to take control of our health and wellness. 
Prior to reading Outlive I had been dragging my feet on a number of diagnostic tests. It had been 3 years since my last mammogram, I was overdue on my "congrats your 50 colonoscopy," and, according to Attia, I probably needed a Dexa scan. I'm fortunate in that my health insurance will cover all of these tests and I scheduled all of them. 
I completed my mammogram and Dexa scan last week. I've already had 3 benign breast tumors removed so I know that annual mammograms are important for my extremely dense breast tissue. While I am not in a high risk for osteoporosis or decreased bone health, I wanted a Dexa scan because my father (NOT my mother) discovered he had decreased bone density in his 60s and I was curious to see what all these years of CrossFit had done for my bone density. 
TL;DR, my bone density is better than the average 30 year old woman:) Not bad for being in my 50s! 
A Dexa scan will give you 2 scores a T and Z score. The T score is you compared to the young normal mean, AKA average 30 year old women. The Z score is you compare to the age matched mean, AKA average woman your age. Your scores are the standard deviations from the mean. A standard deviation (SD) is a statistical number of the amount a score, in my case my Dexa scores, vary from the mean. A positive SD is higher than average and a negative SD is lower than average.
My Dexa scan measured my hip and my spine. 
Here are my hip scores:
T Score: -0.2 (Standard Deviations from the young normal mean).
Z Score: 0.6 (Standard Deviations from the age matched mean).
I was actually surprised my hip scores weren't higher. Compared to 30 year old women I'm ever so slightly below normal, and compare to women my age I'm ever so slightly above normal. What does this mean to me? I will continue to do my regular fitness training and probably add in more lateral agility and plyometric work. 
​Here are my spine scores:
T Score (Average): 2.9 (Standard Deviations from the young normal mean).
Z Score (Average): 3.7 (Standard Deviations from the age matched mean).
Obviously all of the squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, and all the other things we do that load the core (and thus the spine) have not only created kick ass core strength they have also created fantastic bone density and spinal stability. I'm in the top 2% compared to both age groups. That makes me super happy! What will I do about this? Celebrate my good health and appreciate how 15 years of CrossFit has increased my health span. 
Have you read Outlive? Are you inspired to schedule all of your age-related diagnostic screening? Share with us some of your wins.  

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