I Want to Talk to You About Bones

I want to talk to you about bones this week yours and mine. What would we do without them? Collapse into a frail heap, but not if we look after them and all they need to thrive is good food and stress, I don’t mean emotional stress they hate that but weight stress.

2009 I had a DEXA Test - an x-ray that works out the strength of your bones - It was sort of a happy accident. 

I was having a medical before taking part in Hell’s Kitchen with Marco Pierre White (yes it should have been my head!) The clinic where I was sent by the ITV had just installed a new machine and needed someone to practice on, so I popped a gown on. Being a fairly active 49 I didn’t expect the reading I received which was, you have osteopenia the precursor to osteoporosis. I was a little none plussed I thought this was something that happened to old people and had a vision of a frail old lady hunched over a stick like you see on public warning signs. 

After running the dreaded ‘pass’ in Linda Evans (Dynasty) winning team I had a manicure (priorities) I went to see my doctor. 

To be honest, he didn’t seem that concerned trotted out pre-printed lifestyle notes don’t smoke, drink alcohol, coffee, keep sugar intake down, exercise, here are some calcium tablets and you might be OK. The hapless chap never once explained the menopause to me and how that drove through a woman’s bone health like truck with 1 in 2 women over 50 having osteopenia and breaking a bone because of it. But looking back he was the same doctor I went to re my menopause and gave me tranquilisers!

Can you imagine how much fragile bones cost our NHS?

£4.6bn and forecast to rise to £6bn by 2030 as the population ages. Did you know, as many people die of fracture-related causes as from lung cancer and diabetes.

Because I learnt my own truth relatively early keeping 

‘The Bone Eating Monster’ at bay has been part of my life.

A doctor I worked with said to me; Think of your bones as Barclays Bank and in it are stored the precious minerals calcium and phosphorus, essential to the strength and flexibility of your bones. 

But keep making unhealthy debits, sugar, cigarettes, alcohol, ultra-processed food, no exercise your bone bank will start to run dry and unable to look after the building. 

We can’t let that happen we want to stay fitter for longer.

It might take a while but nothing to stop you going to your doctor and asking for a DEXA Test that will give you your 

T Score.

The numbers go from a healthy +1 down to a fragile Osteoporosis -4 

Mine, in 2018 was -2.3 and now I’m -1.8 but on a mission to hit  0.0 and be skipping around for a long time to come.

Article originally from My Weekly!