The Best and Worst Habits to Age Well, Avoid Frailty, and Keep a Healthy Weight with Dr. Mary Pardee

Jun 18, 2025

Dr. Mary Pardee, a Naturopathic Medical Doctor and founder of modrn med, shares her expertise on aging well and maintaining a healthy weight. She emphasizes the critical role of bone density in aging, discussing the importance of DEXA scans and grip strength. Dr. Pardee ranks lifestyle habits for longevity, such as achieving 10,000 steps and strength training, while also critiquing GLP-1 medications and hormone therapy. Join this insightful discussion on how movement, diet, and personalized health screenings can empower better aging.

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ADVICE

Prioritize DEXA Bone Scan

Get a DEXA bone density scan if you're at risk for osteoporosis to prevent frailty and fractures.
Prioritize this especially if you are a woman over 65 or have risk factors like low weight or previous fractures.

ADVICE

Grip Strength Proxy Not Focus

Use grip strength as a proxy for total body strength, not just hand strength.
Focus on whole body exercises like deadlifts and pull ups rather than isolated grip training.

INSIGHT

VO₂ Max Predicts Longevity

VO₂ max is a powerful predictor of longevity and mortality risk reduction.
Improving VO₂ max through both steady-state and high-intensity interval training builds aerobic capacity and resilience.

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This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth, Branch Basics, and Fatty15.

Aging well isn’t just about looking young on the outside—it’s about building habits that keep our bones strong and our body composition healthy. Today’s guest ranks the top habits that support these goals and help enhance our healthspan.

Today on The Dhru Purohit Show, Dhru sits down with Dr. Mary Pardee to rank the best and worst habits for aging well, avoiding frailty, and maintaining a healthy body composition. Dr. Pardee breaks down the staggering statistics on osteoporosis and highlights the importance of a DEXA scan, plus when you should consider getting one. She also shares her insights on longevity-specific testing, including a full lipid panel and coronary CT scan. Finally, Dr. Pardee ranks key lifestyle habits, such as achieving 10,000 steps a day, walking after meals, strength training, and following specific diets. Wondering where GLP-1 medications and hormone replacement therapy fall on the list? Dr. Pardee shares her nuanced take on those, too.

Dr. Mary Pardee is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor specializing in preventative medicine and longevity in Los Angeles, California. She has an undergraduate degree in human nutrition and has worked in exercise physiology and performance research for the US government. She holds a doctorate in naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University. Dr. Mary is the founder of modrn med, a medical practice that provides medical and health services to patients via in-person consults as well as telemedicine. Her primary focus is on closing the healthspan-lifespan gap, extending lifespan, and enhancing healthspan.

In this episode, Dhru and Dr. Pardee dive into:

The statistics on osteoporosis and other bone fractures (00:30)
What the DEXA bone density scan is and why it matters (3:07)
The importance of grip strength (5:02)
VO₂ max: what it is, exercises to improve it, and how to get tested (9:10)
Longevity-specific testing (24:05)
A full lipid panel and everything you need to know about ApoB (28:41)
The importance of getting a coronary CT angiogram (40:56)
Why getting 10,000 steps a day matters (42:01)
Strength training and why tracking your workout progress is essential (57:24)
Diet: tracking macros and auditing your calorie intake (1:06:10)
GLP-1s: what they are and their impact (1:10:44)
Ranking the Mediterranean diet and why calories matter (1:13:31)
Sauna, cold plunge, meditation, and mindfulness (1:21:15)
Hormone replacement therapy nuances (1:31:36)
Top screenings for aging well (1:35:05)
Supplements: what’s worth it and what’s not (1:44:08)
Where to find Dr. Pardee’s work (1:54:36)

Also mentioned in this episode:

For more on Dr. Pardee, follow her on Facebook, Instagram - Modern Med, Instagram, TikTok, Apple Podcasts, LinkedIn, and her Website.

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