Send us your desired health topic or guest suggestions What if the aches you’ve blamed on age are actually fixable? We sit down with physical therapist and nutrition educator Eileen Kopsaftis to rethink pain, and the beliefs that quietly drive decline. Eileen shares consistent shifts that can change everything: how your back feels, how your bones adapt, and how your strength returns. We start by challenging the cultural script that normalizes a shoebox of prescriptions and shrinking horizons. You’ll learn about practical routines she gives clients, and when McKenzie-based movements can settle disc-related pain without surgery. Drawing on research linking impaired lumbar blood flow to degeneration, she makes the case for a whole food, plant-forward approach that supports endothelial function, increases nitric oxide, and calms inflammation. We also unpack bone density myths, T-scores vs Z-scores, and why calcium from leafy greens and almonds beats pills that often pass unabsorbed. On muscle, the data points to inactivity—not age—as the culprit. By incorporating adequate hydration and complex carbs to fuel your workouts, people in their 70s and 80s build strength, stability, and confidence. Expect clear steps, not platitudes, and a hopeful reframing backed by stories of people who avoided surgery, shed pain, and reclaimed their independence. If you’re ready to swap decline for design, hit play, take notes, and try the free movement assessment Eileen shares to personalize your plan. Enjoyed this conversation? Follow the show, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review to help more people find practical, science-informed ways to move pain-free. You can find Eileen Kopsaftis at: Website - https://havelifelongwellbeing.com/ Book: Aging Culprits!: 12 Myths That Sabotage Your Future and Steal Your Joy - https://www.amazon.com/Aging-Culprits-Myths-Sabotage-Future/dp/1966395051 Book: Pain Culprits!: Surprising Truths Behind Pain, How to Uncover the Cause, and What to Do about It https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08KRPTG9N/ Please Follow and Review this podcast if you would like to support the growth of this show. Thank You! :) If you enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing it with two people you know that might benefit from the information. The more knowledge that people have in their hands, the healthier we can all become. If you would like to see a particular health issue discussed, or know someone who would be a great guest, contact the Open-Minded Healing podcast at marla@openmindedhealing.com. Note: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Marla Miller, Open-Minded Healing Podcast, any guests or contributors to the podcast, be responsible for damages arising from use of the podcast.
