Bone Check: Will You Have Osteoporosis? Help Prevent It Now!

Please take a moment to read about my bone density story in this sponsored post I did with Hologic, Inc. a leader in global health care and women’s consumer health diagnostics, including DXA scan systems. I hope this story inspires you to get your bone health checked today.

My first and only DXA scan, so far, in my short life was December of 2011. I remember that visit only because it told me more ravages that celiac disease had done to my young body. I had dealt with open sores on my mouth the size of a dime, ataxia that always left me running into walls, GERD and dyspepsia and the start of gastroparesis, anemia, and more. But I thought maybe the damage stopped there. However, when I was only 28 I heard the news that my right hip gave me the diagnosis of osteopenia (reduced bone mass less severe than osteoporosis), and the left hip wasn’t too far behind. “Oh man, it got my bones too?” It makes perfect sense, since celiac robs your body of nutrients required to build healthy strong bones. But my bones? They were the bones of someone much older, someone who didn’t drink their milk every day (even though I’m dairy-free so their marketing never really applied to me). I felt like my bones weren’t even mine anymore.

And that’s why this World Osteoporosis Day, it’s critical that you, my reader, take a moment and think about your bones. When you were diagnosed with celiac, did you get a DXA scan like they recommend? Probably not. As I travel across the country and meet with celiacs in every city, I do a little poll on who actually received the proper follow-up care, including a bone density scan. Little responses left me saddened. As a celiac, it’s recommended by top doctors and publications to get your bone density checked at time of diagnosis, as you have a higher risk factor. But non-celiacs can have a high-risk factor as well, including medical and family history, as well as medication history. It’s time to get checked and do something about your bones!

I’m working with Hologic in this sponsored post to increase awareness for a need of DXA scans for bone health. Hologic is a leading global healthcare and diagnostics company with a focus on women’s consumer health. Yes, I am a woman and I have bones. But it was only when I met Hologic at a conference that I really felt a connection. These people are fighting the same fight I am – for more diagnostic procedures to prevent injuries and issues with bone health early. This is a huge deal for women, especially women in the gluten-free community. And I’m here to help spread the word.

World Osteoporosis Day 2016 has a theme entitled “Love Your Bones: Protect Your Future,” and I couldn’t love it more if I tried. More U.S. women die each year from complications of hip fracture than from breast cancer. A woman’s risk of hip fracture equals her combined risk of breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer. It’s so important, in a world where we’re told to check our breasts monthly, do skin checks on the regular, and pay attention to our microbiome, that we pay attention to our bones too. I don’t want to be an “old lady” at 40 and have broken bones only because I didn’t do enough to save them from osteoporosis after a diagnosis of osteopenia. Maintain an awesome quality of life and independence from mobility aids and long hospital stays, surgeries, and recovery times. Get your DXA scan now and prevent osteoporosis!

So get checked. A Hologic DXA scan is painless (I promise) and only takes about 15 minutes. It’s non-invasive – all you do is just lie down! Plus, where I went, you got to wear a cool hospital gown that’s super on trend right now. Did you know that statistics show that older women who had a DXA scan had a 35% reduction in hip fractures during the following three years?

There are a few other ways to keep osteoporosis at bay, once you get your initial DXA scan.

• Activity: Regular weight-bearing activity and muscle strengthening can help protect against osteoporosis. Why do you think I subject myself to something like Pure Barre 3-4 times a week? This insane class helps me strengthen muscles using my own body weight and allows for the most weight-bearing activities I’ve done in years. While Pure Barre might not be for you, I would encourage you to try another weight-bearing class like pilates or yoga regularly.
• Health & Wellness: Eat well – and that includes lean protein, fruits, veggies, and healthy fats and foods that have naturally occurring calcium and vitamin D.
• Stop smoking: There, I said it. Also, limit yourself to two drinks a day, but honestly you’re cool enough sober so go ahead and skip the drinks and try sparkling water!

To learn more about osteoporosis through this post’s sponsor – Hologic, Inc., please visit boneawareness.com, a website that Hologic launched in honor of National Osteoporosis Month this May. Talk to your physician about next steps to get a DXA scan.