TUCSON, Ariz. – Greek yogurt, crunchy granola and sweetened dairy melt in my mouth.
I had been fasting all morning for blood work at Canyon Ranch, a health resort where I agreed to undergo all kinds of medical tests for this new “Longevity 8” program. I was there, in theory, to learn how I could prolong my life, and finally it was time to eat.
It was my second day at the retreat, where I saw the bright Arizona sun on the burnt orange rooftops (and felt the heat sink on my very pale skin). It reminded me of all the tests before me, including a lung function test, a sleep study, a continuous glucose monitoring application, and more.
The first surprise came the morning after my bone density and body composition scan. Dr. Diane Downing encouraged me to eat while we talked through my preliminary results.
“So if we look here, you’re actually on the verge of osteopenia,” she said, meaning I have lower bone density than my peers. This is what he hopes to tell the post-menopausal woman. But it seems that the 32-year-old is not healthy. She wondered: Is there a genetic bias? Am I getting enough calcium? Do I have low testosterone? I take HIIT classes and lift weights. Also, the only bone I’ve broken is my right pinky.
The diagnosis slapped me in the face. So did another: “If we look at you from head to toe, you’re 27.7% body fat.” overweight
The Greek yogurt dripped into my mouth, and the granola fell into my teeth. He eats sweet berries.
‘Are you sure you want to know all this?’
When I started telling sources that I was watching the Longevity Program, one comment hit me like a saguaro cactus needle: “Hey, are you sure you want to know all that?”
I laughed. Don’t I want to know something now, so I can make a change for the better while I’m still young? Or worst case, treat my system for something nasty?
I will also soon be doing continuous glucose monitoring, DEXA body composition, sleep screening, breathing capacity and lung function testing – the list goes on. I am in good shape. I eat right and exercise six times a week, so I thought I had nothing to worry about. Maybe I should learn how to build some more muscle. Maybe I knew how to tone my stomach. Maybe I can figure out how to deal with my irritable bowel syndrome.
What I ultimately learned from the experience: Be careful what you wish for – and don’t jump to conclusions about your health until you have many pieces of the puzzle instead of one conclusion.
“Maybe we’re a little more muscular, not so fat.”
“he is funny“My mom and my boyfriend shared the same sentiments after I called them with my bone density and body composition results. They eased my anxiety about my body weight loss, which was I have regular doctor appointments for every little thing – IBS, knee pain, you didn’t tell me at one point that my weight was an issue, and if it wasn’t. So, why was this result given to me without context?
A few days of testing and counseling followed – as did more viewing. It didn’t completely quell all my nerves about these results but it did help pinpoint some areas that could increase my chances of longevity.
Sweat beaded on my forehead and eyes as I walked, then ran, then sprinted as part of a VO2 max assessment that measures how much food I burn while running in addition to oxygen levels. The childhood trauma came out of me on the therapist’s couch. Suddenly, when Director of Sports Medicine Brendan Murray helped me determine the condition that was causing my knee pain – not my running.
I also got more context about the weight part of it all: “Of course, a lot of people will look at you and say, ‘That guy can’t be overweight, can he? No way,'” Mike Simmons , Canyon Ranch’s director of operations science, I said in my office, all my results spread out on a round, brown table. “What’s going on? So it starts planting a seed of remembering muscle as a percentage of body fat. So it might plant a seed that maybe we have a little less muscle, not so much fat.” ” He described an exercise regimen that focused on strength training. My heart was very much under control.
Everyone meant well and wanted to arm me with information and not pressure me. This became very clear after I returned to Washington, DC
More about the exercise:What is aerobic exercise? And what are the examples?
My health is ‘above average’ – what does that mean?
A few weeks later, when I was home, the medical team followed up on a virtual call with more insights: I had moderate insomnia; a slightly weakened artery that could put me at higher risk for heart disease down the line; In addition, they found evidence of an increased risk for lactose intolerance and celiac disease, among other minor concerns. They made recommendations for how to handle each finding, including cutting back on lactose for a week to see how my body responded. I doubt it – but I guess I won’t know until I try it sometime.
And overall, my health is “above average,” nutrition director Eric Williamson assured me. That felt good to hear, after going through so many of my test results from my time at Cain Ranch. Still, it can’t help but feel like it came too late. I knew they had to wait for my results to give me something at once, but running in the data didn’t sit well with me. I wonder if people who go through the “Longevity8” program are prepared for all the information they receive.
Outside experts – and almost every friend or relative I’ve talked to, and my therapist too – have told me to take all these results with a grain of salt. And to Downing and Williamson’s credit, they tried to assuage my concerns and also point me to good test results.
There was one person I really wanted to talk to, though, I couldn’t.
Note:Are you getting enough vitamin C every day? And why is it important?
What I take away from Canyon Ranch
I can’t help but think about my father, a primary care physician who died of a rare neurological disease called Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, better known as CJD, two years ago. Testing for this gene was not part of the Canyon Ranch program; We didn’t know if his case was genetic and I decided I didn’t want to know. I wish I had consulted him about all these consequences. But thinking about him also made the point about longevity clear: We all die of something. All we can do is try our best to be healthy.
And I’m already doing my best. I am “above average” when it comes to my health.
So, am I glad I went? yes. Do I wish the information had been presented to me differently, and more carefully? yes. I internalized the weight and bone density results more than I probably should have. But if I can improve my workouts and otherwise gain insight into some other aspect of my health, I’m all for it.
“Oh, you sure you want to know all of this?”
no. But I do now. So it’s up to me to decide what to do about it.
The reporter in this story obtained access to these services from Canyon Ranch. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of the content.
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