MORE BLOG POSTS — Osteoporosis
Five Common Nutrient Deficiencies in Women Over 40
Posted by Lena Edwards MD on
You can be the poster gal of healthy eating and take a multivitamin every morning, but thanks to the βusual suspects,β you can still come up short on nutrients your body needs. And after 40, things like hormonal shifts can change how your body uses certain nutrients. Chronic stress can increase demand. Gut problems can interfere with absorption. Medications can quietly deplete nutrients over time. And if youβre eating less in an attempt to lose weightβor taking a medication that dramatically reduces your appetiteβyou may simply not be getting enough in the first place. Unfortunately, nutrient deficiencies don't always announce...
GLP-1 Drugs: Close but No Cigar
Posted by Lena Edwards MD on
Youβve seen the before-and-after pics, read the rave reviews, and maybe even discussed these βwonder drugsβ with your health care practitioner. And while medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide have been game changers for many women who use them, they don't magically erase every metabolic problem that contributed to weight gain in the first place. They don't build muscle, improve the quality of your diet, guarantee adequate nutrition, fix your sleep, balance your hormones, or teach you how to maintain your weight if the medication is eventually stopped. And that's where the conversation needs to get a little more interesting. Β ...
Three New Supplements Worth Knowing About After 40
Posted by Lena Edwards MD on
If youβve followed me for any length of time, you know Iβm not a fan of recommending supplements simply because someone on social media promised theyβll make women over 40 thinner, younger, and maybe even smarter. Supplements should have a purpose. But as we get older, some of those purposes become increasingly important. Maintaining muscle mass gets harder. Collagen production declines. Oxidative stress (think βinternal rustingβ) can increase. And our bodies still need adequate nutritional support to repair tissue, recover from exercise, and keep our natural detoxification systems doing their jobs. Sometimes, dietary intake alone simply doesnβt cut it. Thatβs...
Why I Needed Three Books to Explain Weight Loss After 40
Posted by Lena Edwards MD on
Because βeat less and exercise moreβ is never going to cut it. Β If losing weight after 40 were as simple as eating less and moving more, no one would need to write books about it, right? And most of us wouldnβt need to resort to fad diets and weight loss medications. But the truth is that no matter how clean your menu or how much cardio you clock in every week, your scale wonβt blink an eye if other hidden factors are messing with your metabolism. After years of working with women who were eating well, exercising, counting calories,...
Why Every Woman Over 40 Should Care About Grip Strength
Posted by Lena Edwards MD on
If you think that the strongest predictors of your future health is your cholesterol, blood pressure, or even your weightβ¦think again. Itβs actually how hard you can squeeze. It sounds almost too simple to be true, yet grip strength has become one of the most widely studied markers of healthy aging. Researchers have found that weaker grip strength is associated with a higher risk of disability, osteoporosis, falls, fractures, frailty, cardiovascular disease, and even premature death. Fortunately, grip strength can be measured and, if low, can also be improved. Β Why Grip Strength Matters Grip strength is exactly what it...