Bone health is something most of us don’t think about until it’s too late, but it’s never too early to start! In today’s episode, we’re exploring the science behind building strong bones with Margie Bissinger, a physical therapist and integrative health coach. 

Margie has devoted the past 25 years to guiding patients and clients on their path to strong bones and a healthy lifestyle. She shares how you can build stronger bones through weight-bearing exercises, nutrition, and lifestyle changes. We also discuss calcium tests and calcium-rich foods, and how understanding your bone density helps you take charge of your future health. 

Whether you’re in your 30s or 60s, it’s never too late to start building stronger, healthier bones. Join us now, and let’s take charge of our bone health together!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion:

Strong bones are the foundation of a healthy, active life, especially after menopause. Start by adding strength training, balance exercises, and bone-friendly foods into your routine, and you’ll be on your way to better bone health.

 

In This Episode:

00:00 Introduction to bone health

02:36 Meet bone health expert, Margie Bissinger

05:06 Bone health basics from childhood to menopause

11:14 Effective exercises for bone strength and density

16:15 Why women struggle with strength training

19:59 Bone density tests: benefits and testing frequency

25:50 Osteopenia and osteoporosis reversal

27:07 Calcium: supplements and high-calcium foods

34:07 Easy exercises for bone health

35:44 How to connect with Margie Bissinger

 

Mentioned in the Episode:

Easy osteoporosis exercises to strengthen your bones and prevent fractures: https://margiebissinger.com/osteo-exercises-strengthen-bones/

The 3 BS's Blocking Your Health: Blood Sugar, Behaviors & Beliefs with Carrie Lupoli & Margie Bissinger: https://margiebissinger.com/the-3-bss-blocking-your-health-blood-sugar-behaviors-beliefs-with-carrie-lupoli-margie-bissinger/

 

Join the waiting list for Carrie’s upcoming book, From Corset to Crown!

Sign up here: https://www.carrielupoli.com/corsettocrown  

 

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Connect With Margie Bissinger:

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Podcast

 

Connect with Carrie Lupoli:

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Podcast Blog

Other Related Episodes: 

Looking for more tips to optimize your health? Listen to these episodes:

• Overcome Wellness Overwhelm: How to Build Health Habits That Stick
• 7 Health and Wellness Products I Can’t Live Without
 

Transcript: 

[00:00:00] Margie Bissinger: As we get older, exercise and good nutrition are gonna help keep your bones strong. And then in menopause, that's when there's a real issue and a real opportunity to prevent bone loss. With menopause, you lose estrogen and the annual rate of bone loss can be 2%, one to three years after menopause. So I mean, five to 10 years even you can, you lose up to 20% of your bone.

[00:00:23] Margie Bissinger: It doesn't matter where you're at, there's things that can be done. It's not like, oh my gosh, I found out I've osteoporosis. My leg is over. Absolutely not. It's just an opportunity to figure out, okay, the bones are not in isolation, so what you do for your bones is gonna help. Everything else in your body as well.

[00:00:41] Carrie Lupoli: So you probably didn't wake up this morning thinking about your bone health, but one day you will have to, and by then it may be a little late. Today's episode is one of those conversations that can quietly change everything about how you've shown up for yourself. I sat down with the amazing Margie Bissinger, a [00:01:00] bone health expert, and together we are talking about bone health, but not from like this place of fear.

[00:01:07] Carrie Lupoli: But really of one of agency. Bone health isn't just about avoiding osteoporosis someday. It's about strength, independence, confidence, and the ability to live fully in your body for decades to come. This conversation matters so much for you because if you've ever struggled to find a why that goes beyond the scale, this is gonna really speak to you when you understand how your daily choices impact your bones, your hormones, your mobility, and your future self.

[00:01:37] Carrie Lupoli: Something shifts showing up for movement, nutrition being consistent. It starts to feel sometimes like another thing on your to-do list unless you have a really strong reason why it matters. In this episode, Margie is gonna break down for us why bone health is often overlooked until it's a problem. What we need to know as we age, and most importantly, [00:02:00] what you can actually start doing literally today to start building stronger bones in a stronger future.

[00:02:06] Carrie Lupoli: If you have been. Looking for a deeper reason to care for your body beyond the weight loss stuff. This is it. This episode isn't gonna be about doing more. It's about understanding why it matters. Let's go.

[00:02:21] Carrie Lupoli: Well, hey there, diet disruptors. This is an episode that has been a long time coming. I have been looking for the perfect person to be able to talk to you all about your bones. And I founder Margie Bissinger is an incredible expert on all things bones, and you as a woman need to pay attention to your bones.

[00:02:47] Carrie Lupoli: Well, hey there Margie. Thanks for being here. 

[00:02:50] Margie Bissinger: Oh, hi Carrie. So happy to be here with you and, and your crew. 

[00:02:54] Carrie Lupoli: We have a lot to talk about. I don't think women really [00:03:00] understand how important it is. To think about, understand and do something about your bone strength. I think more and more is coming out now, but this is such an important topic that we have to, we really just have to dig into.

[00:03:15] Carrie Lupoli: So tell us a little bit about you and why you know so much about Bones. 

[00:03:19] Margie Bissinger: You know, it's really funny 'cause it's started way back because I'm a physical therapist. And I'm also an integrative health coach, but at the time I was just a physical therapist working in an outpatient clinic. You know, working with neck pain, back pain, all sorts of things, and a group of, and I had had training in women's health issues and osteoporosis.

[00:03:36] Margie Bissinger: So I had the background and a group of doctors approach me, their endocrinologists, would I see their patients with osteoporosis. And that was like, great. I would love to. And I was so upset. I started seeing these women with what I was seeing. Again, this is a while ago. This is like 30 years ago, and people were coming in and you know, the doctor had said exercise, but they [00:04:00] didn't really know what that meant, so they were doing exercises.

[00:04:03] Margie Bissinger: A lot of them that actually. Increase their risk of spinal fractures just because they didn't know who to turn to. Personal trainers, you know, it wasn't even the internet at the time, you know? So what, they were turning to exercise books or they were turning to things they have read and so they just didn't have the knowledge.

[00:04:20] Carrie Lupoli: What kind of things were they doing? 

[00:04:22] Margie Bissinger: They were doing forward flex rounding exercises. This is the spine. And this is the front, and this is to the fat, but it's the front of the spine that's supposed to be nice and square shaped. This is ideal, but what happens with osteoporosis sometimes is that the forces are in the front and you get like crush and oh, it becomes, wed shape.

[00:04:41] Margie Bissinger: So now all the forces on the front, that's where fractures begin. So when you're bending forward, it's the fulcrum is right on the front. So they found the forward bending. You're doing just too much. Forward bending and rounding increases fracture risk, and one study at the Mayo Clinic showed people who only did rounding, like touching their toes and this and that, [00:05:00] they had an eight.

[00:05:00] Margie Bissinger: These are people with osteoporosis, an 89% F fracture rate. 

[00:05:04] Carrie Lupoli: Oh my God. 

[00:05:05] Margie Bissinger: Yeah. 

[00:05:06] Carrie Lupoli: There's so much to unpack here because I think there's this whole, well, I mean, I know there is this whole belief of as you get older, you're just gonna get weaker, right? You're just, this is what's gonna happen and. We know there's so much science now about how we can improve our bone health.

[00:05:23] Carrie Lupoli: And then we have osteopenia, we have osteoporosis. So there we have to start to, I, we, we gotta start at kindergarten levels with you. Okay? So start us at kindergarten and let's move our way through. And the real messaging that I want us to be able to get to are strategies to improve bone health, because that's what's really gonna be.

[00:05:45] Carrie Lupoli: Key because we actually ha we can improve it. But let's start at the very beginning. We're at Bone Health 1 0 1. Take us to kindergarten. 

[00:05:53] Margie Bissinger: Yeah, I think, well, first of all, I think the big misconception is that people think it's only an older person that's saying, you know, and you [00:06:00] don't even know you have it until you're 65.

[00:06:02] Margie Bissinger: But really throughout your life, you're building bone. So kids, actually, they had 85 to 90% of their peak bone women by age 18 and men by 20. And so what we do with our children and the, you know, are they exercising? Are they eating food that's gonna help build bone? Or you know, are they having diets that are junk or are they have eating disorders?

[00:06:25] Margie Bissinger: There's all sorts of things. So what we do when we're younger really matters. 

[00:06:28] Carrie Lupoli: Well, let's just tap into that for a second because my daughter's babysitting a kid, right? And she comes home while she was on college break and she was like, mom, literally all they eat are like. Processed food, things in packages.

[00:06:42] Carrie Lupoli: There's no vegetables. It's just fast and, and, and like bagel bites and mac and cheese and chicken nuggets and just the fast processed stuff. And this is, it's not just about weight. It's not just about, you know, [00:07:00] energy and focus, but these are things that we don't think about for kids and they impact us forever.

[00:07:06] Carrie Lupoli: I always say, I want us to be able to change our family tree, and we often think about it financially, like giving our kids a better life than we had financially. But what you're talking about right now in these young ages. I don't think any, we all think about it when we're getting older. We don't realize what we're doing to kids now.

[00:07:21] Margie Bissinger: And it's sort of like a bank, you know, you put deposits in where you're young, you're jumping, you're doing, you're building bone, you're eating good nutrients, you're doing things to support hopefully healthy bones, hopefully, right? Like that person. We will get into that. It matters though. So that person could have problems later on, but we need to figure it out.

[00:07:39] Margie Bissinger: But anyway, yeah. So when we're that age, but then as people get older. It's still super important and we can talk about like what exercise, what actually builds bone. But doing things all throughout your life can be so helpful because you build more bone. So then if you do lose a little, you have this bank to draw from versus if you never built that bone to begin with, you're [00:08:00] gonna be a much higher risk.

[00:08:01] Margie Bissinger: But the good news, and I've been doing this now for over 30 years, and it's so empowering, is that they're every age. It doesn't matter where you're at, there's things that can be done. And the goal is, you know, it's not like, oh my gosh, I found out I've osteoporosis, my leg is over. Absolutely not. It's just an opportunity to figure out, okay, the bones are not an isolation, so what you do for your bones is gonna help everything else in your body as well.

[00:08:28] Carrie Lupoli: Well, that's like with everything, right? Like I think we, we constantly are going after things in our body, like it's whack-a-mole. 

[00:08:34] Margie Bissinger: Yes. 

[00:08:35] Carrie Lupoli: And I think Casey means talks about this in good energy, that everything's connected and we have to stop putting everything in silos. And I think bones, honestly, with all of the women that I've worked with for so long.

[00:08:46] Carrie Lupoli: We, they're, they're putting it in its own little silo. 

[00:08:49] Margie Bissinger: Yes. And, and there's not even like a bone doctor, you know what I mean? It's not even like, yes, you can see maybe the endocrinologist, the rheumatologist, but it's in the integrative approach, [00:09:00] which is what I believe in. It's, it's part of everything. If you're not digesting, you have a digestive issue that's gonna affect your bones.

[00:09:06] Margie Bissinger: If you're inflamed, you know, everything goes together. So, um, anyway, so back to, so back to that age, you know, there's the children and then as we get older. You know, a lot of times people, there's, you know, exercise and good nutrition are gonna help keep your bones strong. And then in menopause, that's when there's a real issue and a real opportunity to prevent bone loss.

[00:09:28] Margie Bissinger: Because typically when people go through bone loss, you know, with menopause, you lose estrogen. You can have, you know, the annual rate of bone loss can be 2%, one to three years after menopause. So I mean, five to 10 years even you can, you lose up to 20% of your bone. So, 

[00:09:46] Carrie Lupoli: oh 

[00:09:46] Margie Bissinger: yeah. So that's the point. That's the area that I just think, I'm so impass, I'm so passionate about reaching people because they can.

[00:09:56] Margie Bissinger: Hormones are such a big deal, and now we know how safe that is, um, for, [00:10:00] for the majority of people. And so you can prevent, you know, when you do go on bioidentical hormone replacement, you can prevent bone loss. 

[00:10:08] Carrie Lupoli: I just did a whole podcast episode with Dr. Sarah Dakkar, who's a hormone specialist and expert, and when they finally took the black box labels off of HRTI was just like.

[00:10:20] Carrie Lupoli: Finally, because I'm not, you and I both we're not being medication people, right? We don't want medication to, to be the answer and to the solution. But HRT, it's so interesting 'cause when you have bioidentical hormones, it's almost like you're getting the FDA, you know, oversight. But we're talking about almost like a regulated supplement that I feel like is just.

[00:10:43] Carrie Lupoli: So important to be able to replenish back in our own system, but we could do a whole episode on that, but I love that we're on the same page. 

[00:10:50] Margie Bissinger: So funny, Carrie, so my husband's an ob, GYN, and people are calling left and right since that black fox warning was taken off. They can't get it. It's all sold [00:11:00] out.

[00:11:00] Margie Bissinger: Can you imagine? So? 

[00:11:01] Carrie Lupoli: Well that, that's good. That's a good problem to 

[00:11:03] Margie Bissinger: have. I have to wait like a month to replenish. There's only, you know, some of the generics of things, but there's, people are like absolutely freaked out. He is getting calls left and right that people can get. Isn't that interesting? Yeah.

[00:11:14] Carrie Lupoli: So menopause, I mean, it's almost like a guarantee. As we lose estrogen, progesterone, our bone density, our bone strength is going to diminish. And you talk about exercise and you talk about diet. Exercise though, is the thing that I think so many people get confused on. We think walking. Walking with a weight vest.

[00:11:38] Carrie Lupoli: When we talk about exercise, what are you really talking about? 

[00:11:43] Margie Bissinger: Well, this is what's so exciting. Um, Dr. Belinda Beck in Australia, I think, I love the research she did. I mean, there's been other studies, but she just said something's wrong. Because we were telling people, oh, don't lift too much weight 'cause you could hurt yourself.

[00:11:59] Margie Bissinger: And [00:12:00] what builds bone, bones respond to the force is placed upon them. So what she did a study called the Lift More Study and what was done in Australia and what they did, it was supervised, which is very important. 'cause if you look at the exercises that were in it, overhead press, deadlift, they took women.

[00:12:17] Margie Bissinger: They worked them at 85% of one repetition maximum. So it's like five sets of five repetitions, but it's hard resting in between. And they prepared them, they really taught them posture and breathing, so it wasn't like they just put them in this situation. So it was doing exercises and then even impact, you know, starting with just, um, on your, he toes down on your heels to like a little bit of jumping type of thing.

[00:12:40] Margie Bissinger: Okay. So impact and resistance. 

[00:12:42] Carrie Lupoli: So strength and impact. 

[00:12:43] Margie Bissinger: Yes. And were high intensity resistance training and impact. And what they found improvement in bone density, significant in the spine, the hip, significant reduction in fractures, and even they used, um, this type of imaging of the hip difference, [00:13:00] this like 3D type and they.

[00:13:01] Margie Bissinger: Found that the shape of the hip absolutely changed. So the area that's most prone to fracture the femoral neck changed its geometry. So it was incredible results and it blew everybody away. But it was so respected because it was done, it's a randomized controlled trial was done. It was just a phenomenal thing.

[00:13:21] Margie Bissinger: Now, this is years ago now. So then what they did, they wanted to see, they'd done a couple other things where they compared different things, but then what they wanted to see. Okay, well. Let's see now if it's not in a, and, and we, the physical therapist and exercise physiologist running the program only, which it's so important.

[00:13:38] Margie Bissinger: Okay. Anyway, so then they wanted to see, well, what happens in the clinic, you know, if we, if it's not a study anymore, and the same results happen, so now that's called the Oona program. It's all over now. It's all over the country. They really spread it, which is amazing. I do it myself and, but what they're finding, I just interviewed Belinda again.

[00:13:57] Margie Bissinger: 10 years, I think people are still gaining bone. [00:14:00] So what I saw, wow, when I, it was really funny because I interviewed her for my first, for one of my summits and I said, Belin, is there anyone? 'cause this was done in Australia, anyone in the United States doing this one person. I said, where is she, Somerset, New Jersey, 25 minutes from where I live.

[00:14:16] Margie Bissinger: So I, um, had her on the podcast and I, I said, I'm doing this. I, I have to do it myself. So I've been doing it now for almost two years. 

[00:14:24] Carrie Lupoli: So it's a type of strength training program that you're doing? 

[00:14:27] Margie Bissinger: Yes. But it's, it's, it's basically overhead press. Dead lifts. 

[00:14:30] Carrie Lupoli: So functional, functional strength training? 

[00:14:32] Margie Bissinger: Yes, yes, yes.

[00:14:34] Margie Bissinger: Weighted squat, you know, doing, um, like. You know, squats, things like that. So it's functional. Exactly. And, um, anyway, but I see all the women, everybody and these people, some of 'em are couch potatoes and you don't, you know, you just start where you're at. Each person can start, but it's unbelievable how empowered strong and everyone's increasing their boat.

[00:14:55] Margie Bissinger: My bone density increase and there's something called the trabecular bone [00:15:00] score, which measures the quality of your bone. That improved. So it's, it's just, besides, it's, that's not the only program. But the point that we've learned from all this is that, and it's just twice a week. It's just twice a week.

[00:15:12] Margie Bissinger: It's not, it's at the strength training at a higher level. With supervision, very important. 'cause people could, I do not recommend someone reads that study and does it themself. And there is something called O Narrow at home. It's not the same at all. It's just a home exercise program. But you can work with a physical therapist, do strength training and it's gonna make a difference.

[00:15:32] Margie Bissinger: And I've seen that doesn't have to be this program. I've seen people with Pilates using the reformer. I've seen people do all sorts of programs and they've improved their bone density. So I think to me. This is just something if you're not doing strength training, I mean, there's other things that have to be done in an exercise program balance, because we don't wanna fall.

[00:15:50] Margie Bissinger: That's the key posture. You know, aerobics is just good for cardiovascular. And a recent study showed the aerobics plus the strength training is even the best. [00:16:00] But anyway, I can't, I, I just can't rave enough about how people's lives were changed and how they thanked me for getting them into the strength training twice a week.

[00:16:09] Margie Bissinger: It's not, not a long time, it's not a huge commitment, but it's just adding that piece to it. 

[00:16:15] Carrie Lupoli: Why do you think. People, especially women, struggle with making the decision to strength train consistently. It's like, you know, I, I, I get on my bandwagon about Orange Theory because it pretends to be strength training, but there's no heavy weights.

[00:16:32] Carrie Lupoli: Like the weights are not that heavy. They're not heavy enough at all. And yet, like we get this false sense of, um, like progression or security that we're doing something. I love that we're moving our body, but it's strength heavy. Lifting under supervision, that's actually going to change your bone health.

[00:16:53] Margie Bissinger: Exactly. 

[00:16:53] Carrie Lupoli: Why do you think people are struggling with it? Convincing people to do it is so hard. 

[00:16:58] Margie Bissinger: I think people don't know, number one. [00:17:00] Number two, I think. I see people, oh, I've been lifting three pounds for five years or whatever. That's not, I know, do it. I think people are scared they might hurt themselves.

[00:17:09] Margie Bissinger: That's why I think it's so important to work with someone who's really knowledgeable in strength training, really knows what they're doing, and, but I think once you do it, oh my gosh, you, if you're, you're able to lift your suitcase on the, um, flee. Yes. Or you're able to do things in life with a grandchild, no problem.

[00:17:25] Margie Bissinger: And it's possible. It's not that it's impossible, you know, it happens slowly, but I see this every single day and it's just, to me, the most exciting thing. And I think, um, I, I just think it's coming out everywhere. It really is. I've seen it. Yeah. You know, everyone every age, so the sooner you can start again, just choice week, that's all I do it.

[00:17:45] Margie Bissinger: That kind of strength thing. Yeah. Is twice a week, taking breaks. You know, we only do. The thing is this, it's not the repetitions. So if you can lift something, you know, 30 times, that's not high enough, you know, in 10, I would say usually start, you know, eight to 10. [00:18:00] Um, the ERO only does five, right? Five sets of five.

[00:18:02] Margie Bissinger: So after five, you're, you know, you're sort of tired, like you couldn't, 

[00:18:06] Carrie Lupoli: you should feel tired, though. You should. Feel that level of like, you almost can't do the last two minutes. 

[00:18:11] Margie Bissinger: That's it. You can't do it. So then you take a two minute break. I take two minute breaks in between sets. Yeah. Do other things during that.

[00:18:18] Margie Bissinger: But you know, that's how you can lift the higher weights comfortably. But it's critical and it's covered by insurance. You know, if you do have osteopenia, osteoporosis, you certainly can afford any injury. If you have back injury knee, you can see a physical therapist who will work with you, and there are people that help people with this.

[00:18:35] Margie Bissinger: You know, if there's an or narrow program or there's something called bone fit training, you can find people who have bone fit. But the point is. This is doable and, you know, doing this for so many years, I, and it does move the needle. And the nicest thing to me is so exciting is that conventional medicine knows this now, you know, because there's research studies and people know that Yes, you, you [00:19:00] know, that's so, I think that's really important.

[00:19:02] Margie Bissinger: Even if you're on the, I'm not anti-medicine, I have to say I'm anti right. Falling and fracturing, 

[00:19:09] Carrie Lupoli: and let's be honest, no medicine is gonna keep that from happening. The only thing that's gonna keep that from happening if you fall. Is strengthening your bones. 

[00:19:18] Margie Bissinger: You know, I think the con thing is this, sometimes people, you know, if you get a bone density and your bones, if, if you, and there can be issues.

[00:19:25] Margie Bissinger: Someone who's had different cancer treatments or different things. Right? The key is we don't want anyone fracturing. So if you're really, I look at medication, the, especially the new medications that build bone, a short term, you're on it while you're doing, if you need this as like a gap, a bridge or something just to.

[00:19:42] Margie Bissinger: So that you don't, if you do fall, you don't have a fractured, at least build that bone while you're doing all the other things. But some people think, ah, I'm going on the medication. That's it. No, no, no, no, no. You have to do the nutrition. You have to do the exercise. And, um, so anyway, so yeah. So that's the exercise piece.

[00:19:58] Margie Bissinger: Yeah, 

[00:19:58] Carrie Lupoli: I love that. Okay, so [00:20:00] let's dig into when I had my bone density test and that, is that the test that you would recommend that women need to be doing? 

[00:20:07] Margie Bissinger: Yes. 

[00:20:07] Carrie Lupoli: And I had, because I went through menopause early, I actually had it earlier than most, but I, uh, I just feel like we should all have this test so we can have an understanding of what's happening.

[00:20:19] Margie Bissinger: It's interesting 'cause I know the OBGYNs or you know, they used to say 65. Yeah, that's, we too 

[00:20:24] Carrie Lupoli: mine. That's what mine said. 

[00:20:26] Margie Bissinger: Yeah, it's way too late. I think the minute you start going through menopause or before any changes, get a baseline or unless you have issues, if you have inflammation, if you've been on steroids, if you had eating disorders, you can get it earlier and just see what's going on.

[00:20:41] Margie Bissinger: But for the average person, I would get it. You know, the minute you notice any changes to get a baseline so you see where you're at, but before you get your first bone density, what I would do is find a place that has something called trabecular bone score, TBS. And if you Google that, [00:21:00] um, I think it's called Medi maps, they, you'll find out where there are places near you because the bone density only shows you the amount of bone, how dense it is.

[00:21:10] Margie Bissinger: So two people with, let's say minus 2.5, which is how that's, they look at your bone on the DEXA and they compare that to a 30-year-old, and then they look at standard deviations away for that. So the one that we're most interested in usually is the T score. So anything zero to minus one's considered normal.

[00:21:28] Margie Bissinger: Minus one to minus 2.5, they label osteopenia and minus 2.5 or lower is osteoporosis. But two people with osteoporosis, one could have really great bones. They've been eating well, same bone density, and one could have horrible quality bones that they minute they fall, they fracture. So the difference is the quality.

[00:21:49] Margie Bissinger: So in the trabecular bone score, they superimpose like an x-ray type of thing over that software. So they can tell the quality, they look at the spine. So it's very helpful. 

[00:21:59] Carrie Lupoli: [00:22:00] And how often should we be doing these tests once we have a baseline? So I had my first bone density test last year. So when should I have an, what should I be testing?

[00:22:08] Carrie Lupoli: Again, 

[00:22:09] Margie Bissinger: it really depends. It depends on what's what's found. If you get your folks, well, let me continue. So the TBSI highly recommend. Yeah, there are some others, there's some other things that they're looking into now. I don't think they replace the bone density one's called the REMS echo light. So you know, that also helps with quality.

[00:22:28] Margie Bissinger: Um, but right now I think the key, the key that I always recommend for right now are. The, the bone density and get the TBS So you know the quality of your bone. Yeah. But there, and then if everything's good. Okay. If it's not good, the next test. 'cause we don't know, you know, let's say you get this test and you have a number, well, we don't know.

[00:22:47] Margie Bissinger: Is it that you just didn't accrue bone when you were younger? You know, is it that or are you actively, is some process going on of inflammation that you're actively losing bone and it matters for the treatment? Yeah, so [00:23:00] there's another test. There's two other tests. I always recommend if, if there's a problem with your bone density, if your bone density is good.

[00:23:06] Margie Bissinger: Fine. But if not, then you wanna know, we wanna dig deeper, like what's going on. So there's a test called CTXI never, I never pronounce it right. C Telopeptide, I think of type one collagen, but it's called the CTS. And that measures bone breakdown. So there's two kinds of cells, there are cells. The osteoclast 'cause the bone that we have.

[00:23:28] Margie Bissinger: Isn't the same bone, you know the bone bone turns over and remodels. So every seven to 10 years you get a new skeleton. So what happens is, like old the bone, the, you know, the body gets rid of some old bone and replaces it with new bone. So there's these cells called the osteo bla osteoclast, which 

[00:23:44] Carrie Lupoli: is why it's never too late.

[00:23:46] Margie Bissinger: It's never too late. That dig. And they get, and they get rid of mold bone, and then there's osteoblast, the B, they build bone. Okay? So you can measure the osteoclast. With the CTX. And then there's another test called P one [00:24:00] mp. P one np, um, PROCO, I never pronounce it right. But anyway, it's PP one mp. Um, and what that does, that measures the osteoblasts so you can sort of get, its.

[00:24:13] Margie Bissinger: Thing of what's going on, and if there's an issue that you're gonna work on, you can test that much sooner. You know? 'cause bone density, the absolute soonest, you know, if everything's good, you probably will and test it for another two years or something. But if it's not good and there's changes and you're making changes, I would say you retest it in one year.

[00:24:32] Margie Bissinger: But meanwhile you can. So for example, when people have gone on. Bioidentical hormones. If they, if let's say their CTX is showing massive bone loss, you know, they're like very high, they can, and they go in the estrogen. It's unbelievable how that changes. The, the CTX, you'll see that right away almost. So you can use, I think those are, they're called bone turnover markers, and I think I find them so helpful in figuring out what to do.[00:25:00] 

[00:25:00] Carrie Lupoli: So if your, if your test with the osteoblast comes back where it's not great, does that mean you're not. Producing new bone. 

[00:25:06] Margie Bissinger: Yeah, it's, it can mean a lot of times what happens is, you know, you are losing more bone. You know, it should be you're you, you're losing some, but you're building more and you want it to be like the ctx.

[00:25:16] Margie Bissinger: You want it to, you want the P one MP to be around at least one 10th of the ctx, but if it's lower, that's an issue too. 

[00:25:24] Carrie Lupoli: This is really helpful. So these level of tests are really important and if you see issues in the first few. To keep digging deeper and you're gonna have to advocate for yourself with your doctor because they're not gonna necessarily tell you about them.

[00:25:37] Carrie Lupoli: I, when I went through and I only did bone density, so now you're getting me all knowledgeable about what I need to do, but I have osteopenia in one hip. 

[00:25:46] Margie Bissinger: Okay. 

[00:25:46] Carrie Lupoli: Which is so interesting 'cause I've been strength training for 12 years, you know now. I understand that osteo osteopenia is reversible, osteoporosis is not.

[00:25:57] Margie Bissinger: Well, no. Did I hear that right? Interesting. The interesting thing is, what we [00:26:00] found is you can improve bone at any age. You can increase bone at any age. So it depends, you know, it depends what the cause is. There's another thing that I'm gonna tell everybody. You check, this is so interesting, you know, after having four summits, and I had a parathyroid surgeon on the summit and she talked about blood calcium levels.

[00:26:21] Margie Bissinger: If you are over 40 and your blood calcium is over 10, you really need to get that checked because we found at least five people, each summit had hyperparathyroidism. These are tumors on the parathyroid that's taking bone, you know it's causing, it's, 

[00:26:37] Carrie Lupoli: oh, 

[00:26:37] Margie Bissinger: yeah. So, 

[00:26:38] Carrie Lupoli: so that test will help, you know, that 

[00:26:39] Margie Bissinger: and you all, everybody gets this anyway.

[00:26:41] Margie Bissinger: Everybody gets this part of their regular blood workup. But people, the doctors first, you know, what happens is it's too wide a range. It's all ages. So if you're 20 and you have 10, that's okay, but it's not okay if you're over 40. So we have picked up so many people with this and it's, I really think it's [00:27:00] very important.

[00:27:00] Margie Bissinger: Just look at your own blood work. Just check it out. Yep. 

[00:27:03] Carrie Lupoli: Okay. That's. That's so empowering to be able to have that knowledge. What is your thought about calcium supplements? So my doctor was like, knows I strength train. So he added in calcium supplements, um, you know, to my regular routine. What are your thoughts on that?

[00:27:20] Margie Bissinger: We need calcium. We absolutely need calcium. But the problem is I think people when. Crazy with calcium, you know, 'cause and all the doctors, that's what they'll tell you. Calcium, vitamin D. Well, calcium is a combination. How much do you get in your food? And I supplement as needed. 

[00:27:38] Carrie Lupoli: And so often we think dairy, dairy, dairy.

[00:27:41] Carrie Lupoli: And it kind of drives me crazy how my. Daughter's pediatrician kept asking if they drink milk, and I'm like, no, they don't. Uh, because it, it was just super inflammatory for them. But they get calcium in so many other foods. I'm like, why are you not bringing out the foods that actually matter? 

[00:27:56] Margie Bissinger: You know, it's so true.

[00:27:57] Margie Bissinger: 'cause we have the most dairy in this country and the [00:28:00] highest level of osteoporosis. So dairy, and they used to have the milk mustaches and all that. Yeah, it's, oh yeah, the panacea. And so many people are inflamed from dairy, so it's just does the opposite, quite honestly. Exactly. So I think what I always tell people is calculate your calcium in your food minus the oxalates.

[00:28:18] Margie Bissinger: Do you want me to mention that? What that is? 

[00:28:19] Carrie Lupoli: Yeah. 

[00:28:20] Margie Bissinger: Yeah. So oxalates are a compound like spinach, swiss charred beak, beans. They're high oxalate food. And what happens is it's a compound that attaches to the calcium and basically makes it, makes it non-usable. 

[00:28:36] Carrie Lupoli: Interesting. So those are foods that we often talk about being high in calcium, 

[00:28:39] Margie Bissinger: but they're don't count them.

[00:28:40] Margie Bissinger: You can't count them because wow, they're not usable. And if anything, there are people who have issues with oxalates. So it's something we don't want a lot of. So when you're counting your calcium, it's important. There's a really good app called Chronometer and um, C-R-O-N-O-M-E-T. R that really can help you with this.

[00:28:59] Margie Bissinger: Um, or if you even [00:29:00] look at a package and it says 30% calcium, you add a zero outta 300 milligrams. And so, but here's the, if you go, you know, for years they said if you're over 50, you need 1200 milligrams. But there've been some studies that they've looked at. One in particular. That showed over a thousand.

[00:29:17] Margie Bissinger: There was a 15% increase in cardiovascular, um, yeah, cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease. So the thing is really 800 to a thousand is enough. Okay. It's enough to be bone protective. And without causing problems. Now, in this study, they didn't look at magnesium K two, which we can talk about co-factors that help with the absorption, but regardless, it's just not worth getting.

[00:29:43] Margie Bissinger: More is not better with calcium. So go through your diet, see where you're getting the calcium, that's not, and then you can take like a thousand and subtract what you're getting, 800 to a thousand, subtract what you're getting and that's what you supplement. 

[00:29:57] Carrie Lupoli: Yes. Okay. What are your favorite high [00:30:00] calcium foods?

[00:30:00] Margie Bissinger: Okay, but one more thing about the supplementation. 

[00:30:02] Carrie Lupoli: Okay, go ahead. 

[00:30:03] Margie Bissinger: You don't want more than 390. They've done studies, so don't take more than 390 at one time. It won't be absorbed. So if you're taking a supplement three 90, 

[00:30:12] Carrie Lupoli: because it is so important with supplements, like we absorb very little actually of the supplementation, and especially depending on our absorption levels, which comes from.

[00:30:24] Carrie Lupoli: Food intake, like how well are we ober absorbing food and supplements is a direct correlation to the types of foods that we're putting into our bodies. 

[00:30:32] Margie Bissinger: Yeah, so my favorite types of calcium, I love collard greens. I think they have like 265 or collard greens are great and they have, the other thing is when you.

[00:30:41] Margie Bissinger: Eat it like with greens and you eat it from the food you're getting all the other nutrients as well. There's magnesium. Yeah. Alright, so collard greens are great and you can use those as a wrap. You know, just steam it. You can make a Turkey burger, you can put all sorts of stuff on it. So collard greens, I think most people don't think of them like that.

[00:30:57] Margie Bissinger: You know, they think of, maybe if they're from the [00:31:00] south, they've like grown up with collard greens. But it's great as a wrap and you can put interesting sauces, whatever. Um, the other one, bok choy. That's high calcium. 

[00:31:08] Carrie Lupoli: My favorite. 

[00:31:09] Margie Bissinger: Yeah. I love bok choy. Kale is good. But then there's two others that are huge that a lot of people don't know about.

[00:31:15] Margie Bissinger: Basil seeds. Are you familiar with this? 

[00:31:17] Carrie Lupoli: No. 

[00:31:17] Margie Bissinger: So it's sort of almost identical to chia seeds, but way more protein and way more calcium and really chia. I've always was a big fan until I saw how high ox chia seeds was. This basil seeds. I buy this zen basil. I just buy it on Amazon. Amazing. It's so ba I look into BA 

[00:31:36] Carrie Lupoli: and do.

[00:31:36] Carrie Lupoli: What do you do? Do you put it like in yogurt or 

[00:31:38] Margie Bissinger: you would use it just like I put it in my smoothie? I put it in my smoothie. You would use it just like I use chia seeds. It works. Yeah. I, if you make chia pudding, you can make it with basil pudding. Double way more than double the protein, double the calcium.

[00:31:49] Margie Bissinger: It's really great. 

[00:31:50] Carrie Lupoli: Oh, I am going to get that. That is so great. 

[00:31:52] Margie Bissinger: The other thing I love is, um. You know, Gerald Steiner is a brand of water. It's a brand of mineral [00:32:00] water that's carbonated, but it has high calcium in it. So you could if you drink. Yeah. And it's very safe and it's excellent. So there's good. So you could just, 

[00:32:08] Carrie Lupoli: where do you get that?

[00:32:09] Margie Bissinger: I get it at Trader Joe's. That's the cheapest place. Okay. But they sell it all over, so it's called Gerald Steiner. Yeah. I don't know exactly how to pronounce it, but yeah, that again, a great way. Sardines with bones are good. I like wild salmon is, is good, you know, to get calcium. So there's lots of different ways.

[00:32:27] Margie Bissinger: Obviously it doesn't have to be from dairy, um, you know, certain nuts and seeds, but, you know, you wanna be careful again, don't want too many with like, almonds are good, but that they're, it can be high oxalate and some people drink tons of almond though. 

[00:32:39] Carrie Lupoli: Well, it's always like I talk about the. The, the variety.

[00:32:42] Carrie Lupoli: Yeah. And, and just having a, a diet that is really, it's varied in a variety in all of these types of things, so that you're not stuck on one thing. 'cause no one food is ever gonna be perfect. And I think vol variety is really the key. 

[00:32:57] Margie Bissinger: But one thing with the supplements, the one I don't [00:33:00] recommend that's the cheapest and everybody has, is calcium carbonate.

[00:33:03] Margie Bissinger: And the reason that is, is because you need stomach acid, first of all, it's least well absorbed. It's not well absorbed. And then you need, and most people as they get older, don't have enough stomach acid. So you, you need stomach acid for it to be active. So the one thing like magnesium, I think is really important as well.

[00:33:19] Margie Bissinger: But the other thing that's totally missing for some reason is vitamin K two. And vitamin K two takes that calcium. It, it, it activates a protein called osteocalcin that puts it into your bones and takes it out of the soft tissue. Another that activates a second. 

[00:33:36] Carrie Lupoli: So you suggest K two and calcium. 

[00:33:39] Margie Bissinger: I suggest?

[00:33:40] Margie Bissinger: Yes. Calcium, magnesium, vitamin D for most people, unless you listen to the equator. Um, K two. Yes. And there's two Gibes. MK four. MK seven. I recommend combination of both because MK seven's really good for your heart. And MK four, there's more research on the bones, so, um, 

[00:33:56] Carrie Lupoli: yeah. This is so. [00:34:00] Important. So many good nuggets.

[00:34:02] Carrie Lupoli: I know that some people are gonna have to go back and listen to this twice and take some notes. Uh, and I know that you have a little gift for everybody to be able to help them with some of the information that you're sharing. Tell us about what you got for us. 

[00:34:13] Margie Bissinger: Yes. So in terms of, first of all. Don't get overwhelmed.

[00:34:16] Margie Bissinger: I think it's really important. Both Carrie and I are big believers in one step at a time, and any step you do is gonna be good. It's not like, oh my gosh, I have to do all these things 'cause stress, increasing stress is a negative, so we wanna reduce our stress. But anything you do is good. So wherever you start, just.

[00:34:32] Margie Bissinger: Commend yourself, number one. And you can just do things really gradually. But what I put together was what exercises that everybody can start with. So basically it goes through, 'cause posture's so important, you know, so many of us are, are sitting and that really affects your bones, your overall health. So in this, in this, look 

[00:34:50] Carrie Lupoli: at me, I'm sitting up straighter now.

[00:34:52] Margie Bissinger: So in the exercise program, I do a little video and just really talking about strength training and just a little bit of information and what to do, what not [00:35:00] to do. But then in terms of the exercises, I show you, I show you a few posture exercises. I do a whole thing on balance, like what exercises can we do that really help our balance, you know, it's not just standing on one foot.

[00:35:12] Margie Bissinger: So there's a couple things that. Everybody can do because at the end of the day we don't usually just fall for the sake of falling usually. And a lot of us, as we get older, we lose our balance if we don't practice it. So there's, I think there's six Balance Exer as a video I made just short one on balance exercises.

[00:35:28] Margie Bissinger: I also have show a two. Weightbearing things that you could do during the day. Easy just to put forces through your bones and, um, so yeah, 

[00:35:35] Carrie Lupoli: that's gonna be such a good rate resource. 'cause it's gonna be something everybody can do. Yeah. To be able to take that first next step. 

[00:35:42] Margie Bissinger: Exactly. Yep. So I'll, I'll give you, yeah.

[00:35:44] Margie Bissinger: So that's 

[00:35:44] Carrie Lupoli: amazing. All right, so tell everybody where they can find you. If they wanna to connect with you, they wanna learn more from you, tell us. 

[00:35:50] Margie Bissinger: Okay. Yeah, so just go to um, margie bissinger.com. And the other thing that you can do is, so my podcast, which carries did a [00:36:00] phenomenal episode on the, on the, um, vss.

[00:36:03] Margie Bissinger: That was so fun, Carrie. But yeah, if you haven't listened, you should listen to that because it was so good. 

[00:36:08] Carrie Lupoli: That was a good one. That was fun. 

[00:36:10] Margie Bissinger: But anyway, my podcast is called Happy Bones, happy Life, and it's on all podcasts. Channels. 

[00:36:16] Carrie Lupoli: Great, so well, let's make sure we check that out. We'll put all of that information in our show notes along with the link for you to be able to download all these exercises.

[00:36:24] Carrie Lupoli: That are gonna help you with balance and strength and get you to where you need to go one step at a time. Margie, you're the best. Thank you so much for being here, for educating, for just giving up all of your knowledge. I mean, 30 plus years of knowledge we are able to do in about 30 minutes, which is pretty amazing.

[00:36:40] Carrie Lupoli: I know there's so much more for people to be able to learn and dig into. So make sure you go follow Margie. You're the best. Thank you. 

[00:36:47] Margie Bissinger: Oh, thanks Carrie. It's always so much fun being with you.