Sally Duplantier, a gerontologist, and expert in healthy aging, joins co-hosts Gail Zelitzky and Catherine Marienau for the 199th episode of their Women Over 70: Aging Reimagined podcast. Sally, a gerontologist and expert in healthy aging, found her passion for health and wellness in her late 30s. As a lifelong learner, she has earned certification in nutrition science and a master’s degree in gerontology—45 years ager earning her bachelor’s degree. Sally quips, “I was the only kid in my graduating class on Medicare.” Currently, Sally is conducting post-graduate qualitative research related to the health and well-being of family caregivers of Alzheimer's patients. In 2019, Sally founded Zing to enable others to take charge of their health from a holistic perspective. (This was after selling her first company and retiring twice.) Sally’s mantra is “show me the evidence” to help ensure that science supports the myriad of health claims made by various people and organizations.
In this interview, Sally discusses the four elements of healthy living that contribute to Healthspan—the number of years we are free of chronic disease and disability. While genetics play a role in our health, research shows that lifestyle choices related to nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress, contribute to 80% of chronic disease and over 90% of US healthcare costs.
To educate older adults on the ways in which lifestyle impacts health, Sally offers free bi-monthly Wellness Wednesday webinars. These webinars feature cutting-edge researchers, medical professionals, authors, and thought leaders on topics related to healthy aging. A key feature of the Wellness Wednesday program is its emphasis on scientific research vs. the blog-of-the-day tip.
In her interview, Sally added a fifth lifestyle that contributes greatly to healthy aging—our mindset. Sally says that “mindset matters” when it comes to how we view ourselves as older adults. Research by Dr. Becca Levy from Yale University and others demonstrate that negative self-perception of aging can trim 7.5 years off our lives.
As important as lifestyle choices are for healthy aging, Sally acknowledges that many people cannot make healthier choices because they live in communities without access to nutritious food, and in polluted, stressful, and unsafe environments. Thus, Sally spends time with non-profits focused on improving health outcomes for underserved and under-represented populations. Sally is currently leading an initiative for the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Bay Area to address the growing concern about food security for families with critically ill children.
As a final tip, Sally reminds us that we are #nevertooold to learn, grow, and make a difference. At age 70, Sally exemplifies this advice.