Bone Talk

After years of managing a consistent health regimen that included things like good nutrition, appropriate supplements and regular exercise, Theresa Reagan found out this past fall that she has osteoporosis. While she allowed herself the space to feel sad and upset, she also quickly made up her mind to take this challenge head on. As we start the new year, we can’t help but feel inspired by her optimism, focus and dedication to finding a positive path forward. Listen to how she dealt with her initial diagnosis and then developed an action plan for her bone health.

In this episode of Bone Talk, we are pleased to welcome Sherri Betz, a member of the NOF Ambassadors Leadership Council. Sherri is a physical therapist, Pilates teacher, and geriatric certified specialist. She specializes in exercise for older adults and teaches community-based classes for osteoporosis, balance, and fall prevention. In the beginning of her career, she became inspired by a physical therapist she worked with which led her to pursue a degree in physical therapy.

Most women are familiar with the more common symptoms of menopause, like hot flashes, sleepless nights and mood swings, but it is so much more than that. It changes everything, often in surprising ways. Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, a women’s health expert, joins us for a deep dive on how menopause affects women, head to toe, inside and out, in ways that most women don’t even think about.

Menopause changes everything. Not only do many women experience some of the more common – but temporary – symptoms of menopause, like hot flashes and mood swings, but there are some surprising ways menopause impacts our bodies in much deeper ways. We know, for example, that bones can get thinner and weaker with the drops in estrogen, and just about everything gets drier. But menopause affects our brain health and functioning in ways we are only starting to understand.

This podcast episode is created in support of World Osteoporosis Day, commemorated annually on October 20. The theme for World Osteoporosis Day 2020 will shine a spotlight on osteoporosis as a “family affair” with caregivers often providing the majority of care and the disease ultimately affecting multiple generations. We are thrilled to have a delightful and impressive mother/daughter team with us. Their story is engaging and inspiring indeed.

October is National Menopause Awareness Month, an opportunity to educate women about changes that can occur in the body during this phase of life. The average age of menopause is 51 and can bring on hormonal fluctuations and hot flashes, among other things. During this time, declining estrogen levels can cause bone loss, in turn increasing your risk of osteoporosis. In this episode, we are pleased to be speaking with Dr. Sharon Allison-Ottey about the connection between bone health, menopause and osteoporosis.

Join Claire Gill, CEO of the National Osteoporosis Foundation, as she hosts Dr. Eric Wise and Karen Lake in this episode of Bone Talk. Dr. Wise is an expert in minimally invasive spine care and interventional pain management, as well as a board-certified Diplomat of the American Board of Anesthesiology. Dr. Wise currently practices at Northeast Pain Management in Bangor, Maine. Karen is a patient of Northeast Pain Management and resident of Maine.

More than 53 million Americans care for a friend or family member with a disability or health care need. The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the fact that our institutions are not prepared to support family caregivers. Many caregivers are “sandwiched” between caring for an aging parent or older adult while also raising children. In this episode, we discuss caregiving challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and provide information on support and resources available.

Did you know that broken bones of the spine are the most common type of fractures in people with osteoporosis? In this episode, National Osteoporosis Foundation CEO Claire Gill interviews Dr. Tom Schuler, president of the National Spine Health Foundation and CEO and founder of the Virginia Spine Institute. They discuss the relationship between overall bone health and spinal health while offering useful tips on some of the most important things people can do at every stage of life to protect their spine.

The National Osteoporosis Foundation is excited to once again be named as an official charity partner of the 2020 TCS New York City Marathon – which will celebrate its 50th anniversary on November 1. To commemorate this milestone year, NOF has recruited dedicated women over the age of 50 to join its ‘Be Bone Strong’ team. The team is committed to showcasing the critical importance of bone health in active aging.

In this episode, NOF Interim CEO, Claire Gill, chats with Dr. Felicia Cosman about research advances that have occurred in the field of osteoporosis over the past decade.

In this episode, NOF Bone Health Ambassador and Trustee, Barbara Hannah Grufferman, chats with aptly named nutrition expert Dr. Beth Kitchin about how we can choose the right foods to support strong bones. The ladies also discuss some of the delicious recipes that can be found in NOF’s new Bone Health Cookbook. So if you’re looking to prepare a delectable dish for your next holiday gathering, or just wondering how to choose the best food for healthy bones, give this episode a listen.

In this podcast, NOF CEO, Elizabeth Thompson, interviews Dr. Clark to learn how recognizing and using the power of hope can help osteoporosis patients — as well as their loved ones and caregivers — weather the ups and downs of the disease.

Much like osteoporosis, Parkinson’s disease impacts balance, leading to falls and fractures that only further debilitate the person afflicted. In this episode, our very own Dr. Susan Greenspan, President of NOF’s Board of Trustees, sits down with a panel of experts to discuss osteoporosis and Parkinson’s, and a new research trial designed to help prevent falls and fractures in patients with both osteoporosis and Parkinson’s disease. Our panel includes expert commentary from Dr. Caroline Tanner, neurologist specializing in Parkinson’s disease, Dr. Kenneth Lyles, geriatrician and endocrinologist, and Dr. Steve Cummings, expert on the epidemiology of osteoporosis, women's health, and aging.

Every day, approximately 6,000 women in the U.S. reach menopause. By 2020, 50 million women will be postmenopausal, and because we are all living longer, most of us will spend over half our lives as a postmenopausal woman! In this third and final episode of our series on menopause and bone health, we discuss what happens to our bodies when we go through menopause, the impact it may have on your sexual life and why you may not need to put sex on the back burner after all.

Hormone therapy can help ease the symptoms of menopause, but it’s got a bad rap thanks to a study released in 2002. The flawed study caused many healthcare professionals to cease prescribing hormone treatment, but in recent years it has begun working its way back into the good graces of the medical community. With so much information (and mis-information) out there, it can be hard to know what’s right for you. In this episode -- part two of our three part series on menopause and bone health -- bone and women’s health expert Dr. Margaret Nachtigall explains what hormone therapy is, the current recommendations around it, and what questions you should be asking your healthcare provider to know what’s right for you.

Menopause: it’s a hot topic that’s about so much more than just hot flashes! In part one of this three part series, NOF bone health ambassador, Barbara Hannah Grufferman, sits down with Dr. Margaret Nachtigall, highly regarded reproductive endocrinologist, and Clinical Associate Professor within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Division Reproductive Endocrine at NYU Langone Health, to discuss how women can create strong bones before, during and after menopause.

Is it a pulled muscle, or a vertebral compression fracture? Vertebral compression fractures can sometimes be painless, but are still a significant risk to overall health. So how do we diagnose and treat something we may not even know we have? In this episode, Dr. Douglas P. Beall, Chief of Radiology Services at Clinical Radiology of Oklahoma, sits down with NOF CEO, Elizabeth Thompson to discuss.

In Part One of our two-part series on “Strides in Osteoporosis Treatment and Medicine,” Dr. Felicia Cosman shared information on the types of medications and treatments currently available to osteoporosis patients. In Part Two, Dr. Greenspan sits down with Dr. Cosman again -- this time to address Evenity™, (Romosozumab), a drug that has made headlines for doing what no other osteoporosis medication can do: build new bone while also slowing bone loss. But like all medications, it has its warnings and side effects. In this episode, Dr. Cosman helps us understand its risks and benefits, and how to work with your healthcare provider to know if Evenity™ is right for you.

Happiness, health and a long life are intricately interconnected. Several scientific studies have shown an undeniable link between our state of mind and longevity. In the spirit of exploring this idea, journalist John Leland followed the lives of six people over age 85. His best selling book entitled “Happiness Is A Choice You Make: Lessons From a Year Among the Oldest Old” was the result. Leland discovered that, in general, older people are more optimistic and happier than younger folks. Their secret: happiness is the foundation that allowed them to get old in the first place! In a conversation with Barbara Hannah Grufferman, Bone Health Ambassador and Trustee of the National Osteoporosis Foundation, Leland explains how a positive mindset can be a key to good bone health, as well.

Vertebral compression fractures are just one of the ways that osteoporosis manifests in those who suffer from the disease. In this episode Elizabeth Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of the National Osteoporosis Foundation, talks with Dr. Joshua Hirsch, Chief of the NeuroInterventional Spine Service at Massachusetts General Hospital, about early diagnosis and treatment of this often painful and debilitating condition. Dr. Hirsch is at the forefront of helping elderly osteoporosis patients rapidly recover from what has -- for far too long -- been a crippling injury.

In this conversation with personal trainer and movement artist Carol Clements, Barbara discusses the realities of osteoporosis and how the adoption of active, preventive measures against falling can reduce the risk of breaking a bone. The key, according to Carol Clements, is balance.

As the National Osteoporosis Foundation celebrates 35 years of helping others be bone strong, NOF’s Chief Executive Officer, Elizabeth Thompson, sits down with internationally respected osteoporosis researcher, Dr. Susan Greenspan. Dr. Greenspan serves as Professor of Medicine in the Departments of Endocrinology and Geriatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Her professional focus is on how osteoporosis affects elderly women. Both her personal and professional life have taught her that it’s never too late to treat osteoporosis—and it’s never too late for wellness. Join us as Dr. Greenspan uses real-life examples of her patients, Henry, Rose, and Margaret, to illustrate various treatment options.

In our latest podcast, National Osteoporosis Foundation Chief Executive Officer Liz Thompson interviews Dr. Felicia Cosman, an osteoporosis specialist and endocrinologist. Dr. Cosman serves as Medical Director of the Clinical Research Center at Helen Hayes Hospital and Professor of Medicine at Columbia University College of Physician and Surgeons in New York. In this episode, Dr. Cosman discusses the enormous strides in the research of and treatments for osteoporosis — particularly medications —since she started her career in the field more than 30 years ago. For Dr. Cosman, this work isn’t just her profession; it’s deeply personal. She not only comes from a family with a history of the disease, but has herself been diagnosed with osteoporosis.

At one time or another, the role of caregiver will enter our lives — sometimes unexpectedly and without preparation. It may come in the form of providing care for an aging parent, for a loved one who has fallen ill or is recovering from surgery, or for a dear friend. Or we might require care ourselves. It is estimated that approximately 70 million Americans serve as volunteer caregivers for a loved one. They juggle the roles of nurse, therapist, financial planner, social worker and personal assistant — oftentimes while working full time themselves. These people provide about 90 percent of the caregiving done in the U.S. In this podcast, Barbara Hannah Grufferman, National Osteoporosis Foundation bone health ambassador and trustee, interviews Amy Goyer. Amy is AARP's family & caregiving expert, and an author, speaker and consultant. She has authored numerous publications, including AARP's Juggling Life, Work, and Caregiving. Together Barbara and Amy discuss the ways in which people can receive training and other support as they take on the complex and invaluable role of caregiver for a loved one.

Barbara Hannah Grufferman, nationally recognized author of “Love Your Age: The Small-Step Solution to a Better, Longer, Happier Life”, shares her strategies for early diagnosis of and customized treatments for osteoporosis. As an NOF board member and author, Barbara is passionate about both healthy aging and osteoporosis education. It is estimated that nearly half of all women over age 50 will break a bone due to the effects of osteoporosis. What makes the disease so elusive is that no symptoms appear until a sufferer fractures a bone. The good news is that osteoporosis is generally preventable and, for those with the diagnosis, treatable. In this latest postcast, Barbara offers invaluable advice that, regardless of whether you suffer from osteoporosis or simply want to reduce your risk, can help each of us protect our ability to live our best life.

Proactive healthcare is key to the wellbeing for older adults — especially for postmenopausal women. In this first episode of a new series on bone health, Elizabeth Thompson, CEO of the National Osteoporosis Foundation, interviews Dr. Ethel Siris, Director of the Toni Stabile Osteoporosis Center at Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Sirus discusses why postmenopausal women are particularly vulnerable to osteoporosis, and offers strategies for dealing with the disease, as well as encouraging insights on why it is never too late to lessen your chance of bone loss and fracture — even into your 90s!