Age Better with Barbara Hannah Grufferman

Barbara Hannah Grufferman
  • 4.9 (49)
  • Health & Fitness
  • Weekly

AGE BETTER is the podcast for women 60+ who want to be strong, informed, energized, and in charge of the years ahead. Each week, award-winning author, journalist, and healthy aging advocate Barbara Hannah Grufferman talks with leading doctors, scientists, authors, and experts about what really matters now: building muscle, protecting your bones, fighting frailty, supporting your brain, deepening your connections, improving sleep, rethinking nutrition, staying mobile, nurturing intimacy, and living with real purpose. This is not about slowing down or settling in. It is about knowing what to do now so you can stay strong, healthy, independent, and engaged for decades to come. Because while living longer is the goal, living better—with strength, purpose, joy, and connection—is the point. AGE BETTER will help you take charge of what happens next.

  1. 2d ago

    The Foot Core: Why Stronger Feet Matter More After 60 with Dr. Erin Futrell

    “You need to do something for your feet.” — Dr. Erin Futrell  We spend a lot of time thinking about strengthening our legs, our core, and our bones—but what about the muscles in our feet?  In this episode, physical therapist and researcher Dr. Erin Futrell explains why the small muscles that make up our “foot core” deserve much more attention, especially as we get older. We talk about foot strength, balance, fall risk, the surprising role our shoes may play, and the simple exercises that can help us keep our feet strong and responsive.   KEY LINKS  Learn more about Dr. Erin Futrell and the FiTT Lab HERE   Watch Dr. Futrell’s Foot-Strengthening / Toe Yoga Video HERE   Read Dr. Futrell’s 2026 study on minimal footwear, balance and fall risk in older adults HERE   Read Dr. Futrell’s 2024 study on long-term minimal footwear use in older adults HERE    Read USPSTF report on fall prevention HERE  Read study on minimal footwear and osteoarthritis HERE  Learn more about The Foot Core System research HERE   Get the toe spacers Barbara mentions in the episode HERE    WHAT YOU’LL LEARN  What the “foot core” is—and why these small muscles matter for stability and balance.  What happens to our feet as we get older, and why it is not too late to strengthen them.  Simple “toe yoga” exercises—including toe lifts, toe spreading and the short-foot or doming exercise.  What Dr. Futrell’s research found when older adults trained their feet or gradually wore minimally cushioned footwear.  Why proprioception—our ability to sense where our body is in space—may be one of the most fascinating connections between our feet and our balance.   Why more cushioning and support isn’t necessarily better for everyone—and why any transition to less supportive footwear needs to happen gradually.  How stronger, more responsive feet may help us keep doing the thing that matters most as we age: moving.   This conversation completely changed the way I think about my own feet—and I have a feeling it will do the same for you.  Listen or watch now, check the show notes for Dr. Futrell’s exercise video and research, and then take five minutes today to give your feet a workout.  And if you found this episode helpful, please follow AGE BETTER, leave a rating or review, and share it with someone who wants to stay strong, steady and active for years to come.

  2. Oct 20

    Bone Loss Is Silent Until It Isn’t: Fight Frailty After 60 with Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein

    “Bone loss is silent until it isn’t.” — Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein   Key Links  Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein’s Book: “The Complete Bone and Joint Health Plan”  “The Musculoskeletal Syndrome of Menopause” — PubMed  Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation  World Osteoporosis Day  What You’ll Learn  For World Osteoporosis Day, orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein returns to AGE BETTER for a conversation about something most of us cannot see or feel happening: the gradual changes in our bones, muscles and joints as we move through menopause and beyond.  But this episode is not just about osteoporosis — and it is definitely not about accepting weakness as an inevitable part of getting older.  Dr. Wittstein explains what happens to bone around the menopause transition, why bone loss can remain unnoticed until a fracture occurs, and why knowing your own bone-health status can change what you do next. She also addresses one of the biggest questions women ask: If I’m already in my 60s or 70s and I haven’t been strength training, have I waited too long? Her answer is reassuring: you can still build muscle and get stronger.   You’ll also hear why muscle matters for far more than appearance, what kinds of strength and impact exercise actually challenge bone, how to adapt exercise when arthritis gets in the way, why balance and agility deserve a place in your routine, and how a DXA scan can help you make more informed decisions about your health.   Most importantly, this conversation is about what you can still do right now to protect your bones, preserve your strength and keep yourself moving confidently for years to come.  One More Thing  World Osteoporosis Day is a good reminder to make bone health part of your overall health plan. The Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation offers trusted information, programs and resources on prevention, exercise, nutrition, testing, treatment and fracture prevention.    If this episode makes you think differently about your bones, share it with a friend who needs to hear it — especially someone who thinks it might be too late to get stronger.  And be sure to follow AGE BETTER and subscribe to my Age Better Cheat Sheet on Substack for more practical, science-backed ways to stay strong, healthy and independent after 60.

  3. Oct 13

    Menopause: Why It Still Matters After 60 with Dr. Margaret Nachtigall

    “No matter how old you are, it is not too late to start doing all of the things that can help you age in the healthiest way.” — Dr. Margaret Nachtigall   Key Links  American Heart Association: Life’s Essential 8 — the eight key measures Dr. Margaret references for supporting cardiovascular and overall health: nutrition, physical activity, nicotine avoidance, sleep, weight, cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure – is HERE   Previous AGE BETTER episode with Dr. Margaret Nachtigall on vaginal health and vaginal estrogen is HERE   What You’ll Learn  Menopause doesn’t stop mattering when the hot flashes end.  In this special World Menopause Day episode, I’m joined once again by reproductive endocrinologist and women’s health expert Dr. Margaret Nachtigall to talk specifically about what menopause means for women in their 60s, 70s and beyond.  We discuss:  Why menopause can still affect your health decades after your final period  The important difference between starting hormone therapy after 60 and continuing hormone therapy you began earlier  Why the so-called “window of opportunity” for systemic hormone therapy isn’t the same as an automatic stop date  What women who never took systemic hormone therapy can still do now  Why vaginal estrogen has no age cutoff and may be especially important for preventing recurrent urinary tract infections  The health basics that become even more important after menopause — exercise, sleep, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, smoking and alcohol  What women over 60 should still be discussing with their gynecologists  Why it is never too late to take meaningful steps to protect your health  We also set the stage for next week’s AGE BETTER episode with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein, when we’ll go deeper into the impact of menopause on bones, muscles and joints for World Osteoporosis Day.  A Quick Ask  If this episode helps you, please share it with a woman who needs to hear it. And subscribe to the Age Better Cheat Sheet on Substack for more science-backed, practical information to help you stay strong, healthy and independent for years to come.

  4. Oct 6

    Sleep After 60: What’s Normal, What’s Not, and What Actually Works with Dr. Shelby Harris

    "You are the expert on you. If you know something feels off, get it evaluated. And if someone brushes you off, get it evaluated even more." — Dr. Shelby Harris  Key Links  Dr. Shelby Harris: drshelbyharris.com  Her book, The Women's Guide to Overcoming Insomnia: https://link.amazon/B008CMJ2D   Learn more about CBT-I: drshelbyharris.com/insomnia-treatment-cbt-i  Follow Dr. Shelby: Instagram @sleepdocshelby | TikTok @sleepdocshelby  Barbara Hannah Grufferman: barbarahannahgrufferman.com  Age Better Cheat Sheet on Substack: https://substack.com/@barbarahannahgrufferman?r=7i9qw6&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page  In This Episode  Sleep gets a little strange after 60. You fall asleep fine, then you're wide awake at 3 a.m. You can't sleep in, no matter how hard you try. Is this just part of getting older?  Dr. Shelby Harris, a board-certified sleep psychologist, 27-time marathoner, and author of The Women's Guide to Overcoming Insomnia, says no. Here's what you'll learn:  How sleep changes after menopause, and whether we really need less of it as we age  The real reason you keep waking up at the same time every night  A sleep disorder that often goes undiagnosed in women after menopause, even in women who are fit and active  Why your sleep tracker might be making things worse  The truth about melatonin, magnesium, and other sleep supplements  What to do (and what not to do) when you can't fall back to sleep  CBT-I, the drug-free, first-line treatment for insomnia that helps about 70% of people  Why marathoners, including Barbara and Dr. Shelby, sleep terribly after a big race  Dr. Shelby's three top takeaways for better sleep, starting tonight  Stay Connected  If this episode helped you, please share it with a friend who's been struggling with sleep. Follow Age Better wherever you listen so you never miss an episode, and subscribe to the free Age Better Cheat Sheet on Substack for practical, research-backed tips delivered to your inbox.

  5. Sep 29

    How to Eat and Exercise After Menopause with Dr. Ian Smith

    “Resistance training and protein are the new fountain of youth.” — Dr. Ian Smith  What changes about the way we should eat and exercise during menopause—and for all the decades that follow?  In this episode of AGE BETTER, I sit down with physician and bestselling author Dr. Ian K. Smith for a lively, practical conversation about his new book, The New Menopause Kitchen. We talk about the nutrients that become especially important during and after menopause, why he created a flexible 10-week eating plan, and how Rachael Ray’s recipes turn those nutritional principles into real food you’ll actually want to eat.  But this isn’t just a conversation about food. Dr. Ian believes nutrition and exercise are a “one-two punch,” which is why the book also includes his Meno-Cise exercise plan—with a particular focus on maintaining muscle, protecting bone, and making movement doable and sustainable.  KEY LINKS  Read “The New Menopause Kitchen” by Dr. Ian K. Smith HERE  Join The New Menopause Kitchen Facebook Support Group HERE Dr. Ian created the group to give readers community, support, access to experts, and additional guidance as they follow the program.  Learn more about Dr. Ian Smith HERE  WHAT YOU WILL LEARN  Which “Midlife Power Nutrients” Dr. Ian wants women to prioritize during menopause and postmenopause.  What an anti-inflammatory way of eating actually looks like—and why blood sugar and insulin sensitivity matter.  How his 10-week meal plan gradually builds sustainable eating habits rather than relying on a short-term “diet.”  How Rachael Ray’s recipes fit into the plan while keeping food accessible, affordable, and enjoyable.  Why protein and resistance training become increasingly important as we get older.  Why walking and cardio matter—but may not be enough if we want to preserve muscle and strength.  How HIIT—high-intensity interval training—can provide an efficient cardiovascular workout, and how it can be adapted to different fitness levels.  Listen to or watch the full episode of AGE BETTER, and share it with a woman—or a man—who wants to eat better, get stronger, and protect their health for the years ahead.  And if you enjoy the episode, please follow AGE BETTER, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear this conversation.

  6. Sep 22

    U.S. News Asked 63 Experts How to Age Better. Here’s What They Said

    “The data strongly suggests that we are looking for magic bullets on pharmacy shelves when the most powerful tools are actually foundational, very basic daily habits.” — Shanley Chien  Key Links  U.S. News & World Report: 2026 Healthy Aging Survey is HERE  Learn more about the BHOF ‘Be Bone Strong’ Walking Clubs HERE  Get info about the dynamometer to measure grip strength HERE   There is no shortage of advice about how to live longer—supplements, trackers, biohacks, new medications, tests and endless health metrics.  But what actually helps us age better?  U.S. News & World Report asked 63 experts across medicine, nutrition, fitness, longevity and research, and the answers offer a surprisingly clear roadmap.  In this episode, journalist Shanley Chien joins me to unpack the findings that stood out most—including what the experts say we may be overcomplicating, one major healthy-aging risk that often gets overlooked, the markers that may help predict future independence, and the issues women need to be paying much more attention to as we get older.  We also talk about GLP-1 medications, brain health, wearables, inflammation—and why some of the most effective strategies for aging better may also be the simplest.  If this episode helps you, please follow AGE BETTER on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, subscribe on YouTube, and share it with someone who wants to stay strong, healthy and independent for years to come.  And if you have a question, comment or topic you’d like me to explore, email me at agebetterpodcast@gmail.com.

  7. Sep 15

    GLP-1s After 60: How to Lose Weight Without Losing Muscle — with Heidi Skolnik

    “You never used to think, ‘Am I eating enough?’ You’re always thinking, ‘Can I eat less?’ And now I want you to think: Are you eating enough?” — Heidi Skolnik  Key Links  Learn more about Heidi Skolnik HERE   Get more info on “Your GLP-1 Game Plan: What Your Doctor Didn’t Tell You About How to Eat, Move, and Thrive on Weight Loss Medications” HERE   GLP-1 medications have transformed weight loss, but especially after 60, losing weight is only part of the equation. Sports nutritionist and exercise physiologist Heidi Skolnik returns to AGE BETTER to explain how to use these medications without sacrificing muscle, bone, strength, or good nutrition.  What You Will Learn  Why rapid weight loss can put muscle and bone at risk  How much protein you may need—and why more isn’t always better  Why resistance training is essential  How to eat when your appetite is dramatically reduced  What to do about nausea, constipation, and dehydration  Which supplements may actually help—and which are mostly hype  How GLP-1s can change your relationship with food and “food noise”  If you’re taking a GLP-1, considering one, or simply want to understand these medications better, this episode is for you.  Follow AGE BETTER, and share this episode with someone who needs it. And if you enjoy the show, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

  8. Sep 8

    AT 79, KATHRYN GRODY IS STILL UNFINISHED

    “I want to proceed unfinished . . .think of the changes as adaptations, not surrender.” — Kathryn Grody  KEY LINKS  Kathryn Grody’s one-woman show, The Unexpected 3rd — October 13–November 1 at George Street Playhouse The Unexpected 3rd — tickets and information  Don’t Listen to Us with Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody — Kathryn and Mandy’s podcast with their son, Gideon Listen to Don’t Listen to Us  “The Layers” by Stanley Kunitz — the poem Kathryn reads during our conversation Read “The Layers”  How Not to F*ck Up Your Face by Valerie Monroe Visit Valerie Monroe’s Substack  What does getting older actually feel like?  At 79, award-winning actress and writer Kathryn Grody isn’t interested in pretending she has aging figured out. She’s funny about it, angry about parts of it, grateful for it—and determined to keep discovering who she is.  Kathryn joins me for a wonderfully candid conversation about entering what she calls her “third and final act,” which inspired her one-woman show, The Unexpected 3rd. We talk about the strange experience of feeling like yourself while suddenly being treated as “old,” why allowing her hair to go gray felt almost radical, and what happens when the world begins making assumptions about what you can—and can’t—do.  We also talk about strength and changing bodies, needing more time to recharge, bringing new people into your life as old friends are lost, the fear of mortality, marriage and family, and the unexpected social-media fame that came when her son Gideon began filming Kathryn and her husband, Mandy Patinkin, simply being themselves.  And then the conversation goes somewhere deeper: How do we acknowledge what is hard about aging without allowing fear and loss to become the center of our lives?  Kathryn’s answer has stayed with me. Stay curious. Keep adapting. Keep participating. Keep making room for new experiences. And above all, don’t assume you’re finished.  If this conversation speaks to you, please share it with a friend who is thinking about what her own next chapter might look like. And be sure to follow AGE BETTER wherever you listen, subscribe to the AGE BETTER YouTube channel, and leave a rating or review—it really does help more women find the show.

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AGE BETTER is the podcast for women 60+ who want to be strong, informed, energized, and in charge of the years ahead. Each week, award-winning author, journalist, and healthy aging advocate Barbara Hannah Grufferman talks with leading doctors, scientists, authors, and experts about what really matters now: building muscle, protecting your bones, fighting frailty, supporting your brain, deepening your connections, improving sleep, rethinking nutrition, staying mobile, nurturing intimacy, and living with real purpose. This is not about slowing down or settling in. It is about knowing what to do now so you can stay strong, healthy, independent, and engaged for decades to come. Because while living longer is the goal, living better—with strength, purpose, joy, and connection—is the point. AGE BETTER will help you take charge of what happens next.

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