Welcome to Insight into Health, my radio show on listener-supported KSVY 91.3, where I explore ways to make healthy living realistic, enjoyable, and sustainable. I am your host, Allison McKeany, and these are the show notes for the live radio show that aired on February 9th, 2026. My husband, Lyle McKeany, was my co-host for this episode.
Be sure to check out my upcoming in-person events at the end of this post :)
Listen to the episode:
Let’s Talk: Leslie Petersen
We switched things up a bit and started this episode with our special guest, Leslie Petersen. Leslie is a long-time family friend and the Executive Director of the Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation. We shared many fun stories from our long history together and learned all about the great work she has been doing at the foundation for the past year and the exciting things coming up in the future.
Beyond the What: Bone Health 101
Until recently, I was rarely asked to talk about bone health. Bones are often taken for granted, and, like so many other areas of health, the sooner you can work to support your bones, the longer they will work for you rather than against you.
In addition to providing our bodies with structure and movement, bones are involved in blood cell production and hormone regulation.
In a perfect world, we would have all prioritized bone health in our teenage years. This is because both bone mass (how much bone you have) and bone density (how strong the bone is) both peak in our early 20s.
It is only downhill from there. Literally. During your 30s and 40s, bone mass and density may decline up to ~0.5% per year, a rate that goes up to ~1% in your 50s and beyond. Plus, for women, the loss of estrogen experienced in menopause may increase bone loss up to ~2-3% per year for the first 5–10 years.
This gradual loss of bone over decades can lead to osteoporosis, which literally means “porous bone,” and increases the risk of breaking a bone several-fold.
Osteopenia, in comparison, is a warning sign that bone loss has started, but progression is not inevitable, as lifestyle changes can slow or stop it.
While many people are aware that adequate calcium intake is important for bone health, they may incorrectly assume that checking the health of their bones is a matter of taking a peek at their calcium levels on a standard blood test.
Unfortunately, since calcium is so important throughout the body, it will pull calcium from bone to keep blood levels normal. So while having normal blood calcium levels is important to check for many areas of health:
Normal blood calcium ≠ good calcium intake
Normal blood calcium ≠ healthy bones
The only way to monitor your bone health is with a Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) scan, which measures bone density.
The good news is that no matter your stage of life, it is never too late to support your bone health. Here are some high-level ways to do so:
Fuel — Protein, calcium, Vitamin D, magnesium, vitamin K, and phosphorus all contribute to healthy bones
Load — Bones get stronger in response to being stressed:
Resistance training (weights, bands, bodyweight)
Impact (walking, stair climbing, light jumping)
Avoid — Bone loss accelerators:
Smoking
Excess alcohol
Very low-calorie or low-protein diets
Long-term corticosteroid use (when avoidable)
Prevent Falls —
Balance training
Strength training
Vision checks
Making home environments safer
Hormones — Rapid bone loss after menopause isn’t a coincidence; it’s hormonal. Talk to your doctor to learn more.
What’s Feeling Alive: A Book Club Sneak Peek
I just finished Food Intelligence: The Science of How Food Both Nourishes and Harms Us, by Julia Belluz and Kevin Hall, PhD. This book provided a refreshing look at several of the factors that go into what we eat, why we eat, and when we eat. From our biology to our food environment and our social networks, feeding ourselves well involves more than willpower. A better understanding of all of the factors at play is an important step to navigating them. I’ll be talking about my takeaways from this book in depth at the Insight into Health Book Club Discussion at Vintage House Sonoma on March 12th.
Thanks for being here,
Allison
My upcoming in-person events:
Vintage House Sonoma — February 12, 2026
Sonoma Community Center — February 21, 2026
Brannan Center Calistoga — February 28, 2026
Please remember that this information is meant to inform and inspire and is not personal health or medical advice. Please speak with your healthcare team about what is right for you.