
DEXA SCANS
Your Baseline for Better Health
How do you gauge your health?
Do you weigh yourself on a fancy digital scale, or calculate your body mass index (BMI)? Bad news: studies find nothing as effective as body composition examinations offered by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry machines — also known as DEXA.
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A DEXA machine creates an image of the inside of your body by using a tiny dose of radiation. It can determine, with incredible precision, your fat mass, lean mass, and bone density.
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Visceral Fat
We’re not just talking about regular fat. We’re talking about visceral fat: fat that surrounds your organs. Even people who are outwardly thin can carry dangerous amounts of visceral fat. It doesn’t just affect people who, say, have oversized bellies.
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Visceral fat is linked to metabolic diseases and insulin resistance. Here’s a short list of just some of the health problems associated with it:
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Heart attacks and heart disease
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Type 2 diabetes
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Elevated blood pressure
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Stroke
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Breast and colorectal cancer
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Alzheimer’s disease
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Bone Health
You may already know some of the bone health threats awaiting an aging population. One study found that women ages 65–69 who break a hip are five times more likely to die within a year than women of the same age who don’t break a hip.
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Helping patients maintain bone health has always been important; with today’s aging population, the matter is sure to reach unprecedented levels of awareness and urgency. A DEXA scan is a great weapon in the fight against bone health degradation.
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Even with multiple scans over a 12-month period, a body composition scan is less demanding than a smartphone health app. This ease of access and consistent use may translate to noticeable diet, exercise, and lifestyle progress.
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What is Getting a DEXA Scan Like?
Getting a DEXA scan is easy and safe. The scan itself takes mere moments while you lay down on a bed. (You can wear comfortable clothing; a backless hospital gown is not required!)
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As for the amount of radiation it uses? You get as much — if not more — simply spending time outside on a regular day.
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A Solution That Works
Weight loss products and programs of questionable efficacy, exercise equipment that serves as dust catchers and laundry racks, unused gym memberships: people spend tens of billions of dollars on their health for things they’ll never use. A DEXA scan is a remarkable value in comparison … and may actually save your life. Please speak with a staff member today!
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