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E104
November 04, 2025
Build Strength, Live Longer: The Menopause Longevity Blueprint with Dr. Vonda Wright
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What if weak bones and muscle loss aren't just "normal aging" but the result of decades of misinformation? In this episode, double board-certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Vonda Wright joins Dr. Mary Claire Haver to shatter the myth that frailty, fractures, and decline are inevitable for women in midlife.

Dr. Wright explains why women can lose up to 20% of their bone mass in just five years after menopause—and more importantly, what we can do to prevent it. She reveals how stress, inadequate nutrition, and neglecting strength training and hormonal health create the very outcomes we've been taught to accept as unavoidable.

From the "musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause" that affects 70-80% of women (yet most doctors never discuss) to the science of building bones through strategic lifting, Dr. Wright provides the blueprint for aging with power instead of resignation.

This episode also covers:

  • Why your bones are master communicators affecting your brain, metabolism, and more
  • The real story behind frozen shoulder and why it happens to women in perimenopause
  • How to lift weights for longevity
  • Why many women are diagnosed with osteoporosis only after they break something, when it's already too late
  • How estrogen loss drives chronic inflammation
  • Why nutrition, specifically foods that are rich in calcium, are better than calcium supplements to help strengthen bones

Dr. Wright also shares her personal journey through perimenopause as an athlete and surgeon, and why she wrote her latest New York Times bestselling book Unbreakable.

Guest links:

Articles

Other Resources

Books

 

Chapters

00:00 Rethinking “Normal” Aging
00:03 Meet Dr. Vonda Wright
00:05 From Nurse to Ortho Surgeon
00:08 Perimenopause Hits Home
00:12 Why I Wrote “Unbreakable”
00:14 Bone Health 101
00:20 Sarcopenia & Frozen Shoulder
00:27 Preventable Frailty & Fractures
00:35 Inflammaging Explained
00:39 Calcium, Vitamin D & Food First
00:43 Hormones + Heavy Lifting Plan
00:47 Osteoporosis Meds & Real Risks
00:52 Screen Earlier Than 65
00:58 Bias & The Musculoskeletal Gap
01:05 The Midlife Care We Need
01:10 Protein & Fiber Priorities
01:15 Lift for Strength & Power
01:18 Non-Negotiables & Self-Worth

About the guest

Dr. Vonda Wright

Dr. Vonda Wright is a double-board certified orthopedic surgeon and internationally recognized authority on human performance, longevity, and women's health. The founding director of the Performance and Research Initiative for Masters Athletes (PRIMA), she has served as a physician for athletes at the University of Pittsburgh, Georgia State, the Pittsburgh and Atlanta Ballet, World Rugby, and the PGA. A highly sought after media expert, she has been featured on the Diary of a CEO, Jay Shetty, and Mel Robbins podcasts as well as the Today show, the Dr. Oz show, and in top publications including The New York Times, USA Today, and the Observer. She has authored five books, including Fitness After 40 , Guide to THRIVE, and her new NY Times Bestseller Unbreakable. She lives with her husband, a retired two-time Stanley Cup champion, near Orlando, Florida.