Sally Duplantier is a frequent guest speaker on wellness-related topics.  Contact Sally to learn more about the programs below or other topics.


The comments I received about Sally’s presentation were overwhelmingly positive. Everyone appreciated her research and scientific evidence to support the discussion points.
— Karen Brownlee, Adult Education Program Manager, North Suburban YMCA

Science-Based Strategies to Support Your Brain Health

Are you concerned about cognitive decline and the risk of dementia? There are steps you can take at any age to reduce your risk of both. This presentation with gerontologist Sally Duplantier explores the relationship between lifestyle choices, such as diet, movement, and sleep, in mitigating or promoting cognitive decline. We will also discuss emerging risk factors such as hearing loss, high blood pressure, and gum disease, which are increasingly linked to dementia. Walk away with a better understanding of how your daily habits reduce your risk of cognitive decline, including 1-2 practical steps you can take right away to keep your brain in optimal condition.

Eat Your Way to Better Brain Health

To live our best lives longer, staying mentally sharp is equally important as keeping physically strong. Unfortunately, dementia is a growing concern. This disease is projected to double every 20 years, reaching 65+ million by 2030 and 115+ million by 2050. While traditional drug therapies have not proven to be effective, emerging research shows that lifestyle factors, including the foods we eat, can reduce the risk of cognitive decline. In this webinar, you will learn about role that neuroprotective diets, like the MIND diet, play in helping maintain cognitive health. You will learn how consuming a combination of 10 brain-healthy foods, and minimizing 5 brain un-healthy foods, can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. This webinar is based on a recent research paper Sally published with professor of medicine Dr. Christopher Gardner (Stanford) on the link between neuroprotective diets and cognitive decline. You will walk away with a better understanding how diet can minimize your risk of cognitive decline, along with brain-healthy tips for grocery shopping and meal preparation.

The Protein Needs of Older Adults

Adequate protein consumption is vital for our health, yet there is controversy in the scientific world on how much to eat. On one hand, the general American population consumes twice the amount of protein they need per day. On the other hand, older adults may not consume enough protein to maintain a healthy muscle mass. With all the varying research, what amount of protein do adults 55+ need? Join gerontologist Sally Duplantier for this evidence-based presentation on the dual role that protein and exercise play in maintaining muscle mass. Walk away with practical recommendations about what amount of protein to eat and when.

The Link Between Stress, Sleep and Weight 

Chronic stress takes a toll on us, mentally and physically. It is linked to a myriad of disorders including cardiovascular disease, chronic inflammation, and insomnia. But did you know that chronic stress is also linked to body weight? 

 In this evidence-based webinar, you will learn how chronic stress can promote abdominal fat, make it hard to lose weight, and negatively affect sleep – which in turn plays havoc with appetite regulation. The good news is that there are proven techniques to help break this vicious cycle by reducing stress, leading to more restful sleep and improved weight management. You will learn practical ways to moderate the autonomic nervous system including mindful breathing, light therapy, and music therapy. Walk away with three practical experiments to moderate the negative effects of daily stressors.

Science-based strategies to support your immune system

Join gerontologist Sally Duplantier to learn how to keep your immune system healthy based on scientific evidence, not just blogs or urban legends. Understand how the immune system changes as we age and what actions are especially important for older adults. We will examine trending immune remedies and discuss what science says about their efficacy. Separate fact from fiction when it comes to the link between a healthy immune system and diet, exercise, sleep, supplements, and stress. Walk away with 1-2 practical steps you can take right away to keep yourself healthier.

Better Aging at Any Age

Who doesn’t want to look better and feel healthier?  This is true no matter what decade of life you are in.  The good news is this:  there are things you can do now to improve the way you age at a cellular level. In this presentation, Sally will translate the latest scientific research about two key biomarkers associated with aging and chronic disease: systemic inflammation and oxidative stress.   Sally will make the research come alive through simple, practical explanations and advice to demonstrate how diet, movement, sleep, and managing stress—combined with our perceptions about growing older—can slow down cellular aging.   You will walk away with 1-2 actions to improve the way you age moving forward, no matter how old you are today.

Nutrition and Bone Health: What You Should Know

Even though bone mass begins to decline in our 50s, lifestyle choices play a key role in maintaining bone density into later life. In this program with gerontologist Sally Duplantier, you will learn the important role of nutrition in preventing and treating osteoporosis. You will also “think beyond the calcium” and learn the variety of dietary components that are key to good bone health. Learn how to get these nutrients from plant sources (not just dairy) and the latest scientific research about calcium supplements. Walk away with 1-2 practical dietary tips to keep your bones healthy and strong as you age.

The Link Between Balance, Osteoporosis, and Osteoarthritis

Gerontologist Sally Duplantier teams up with certified fitness trainer Karen Brownlee to explore two diseases associated with aging: osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Through discussion and demonstration, Sally and Karen will show the powerful, positive effect that balance can have on both diseases. Learn how osteoporosis and arthritis may be connected, why lack of exercise negatively affects people with both diseases, and how balance plays a role in mitigating the effects of both osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. In addition to improving balance, learn how to fall “correctly,” and the best ways to get up if you do take a tumble.

Sleep and Insomnia: Age-Related Changes and Remedies

Proper sleep has been linked to a host of health benefits, including better memory, emotional regulation, and a reduced risk of chronic disease. Yet, getting to sleep and staying asleep can be challenging, especially as we age. In this presentation by gerontologist Sally Duplantier, we will explore how sleep changes as we age and why we are more prone to disorders like sleep apnea and frequent wakings. We’ll also discuss risk factors for poor sleep and 9 strategies for improving your sleep. Walk away with 1-2 practical steps you can take for a better night’s rest. 

Diet du Jour: Fact and Fiction

Diets abound today – as they have for decades – promising to help us in our quest for weight loss.  The US weight loss market has grown to $72.7 billion, demonstrating what an appetite we have for something that will work.  But what is fact vs. fiction, and when can diet advice be harmful to our well-being? In an engaging, evidence-based presentation, Sally Duplantier will separate the nuggets of truth from the claims of popular diets including Keto, Intermittent Fasting and Mediterranean.  You’ll walk away knowing the benefits and health risks of each, as well as 3 specific steps you can take for healthier eating tomorrow.

Want Better Health? It Takes Guts!

The gut microbiome is a colony of mostly healthy bacteria that resides in each of us. Emerging research shows these bacteria play a key role in a healthy immune system and are also associated with diseases such as obesity, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, cognitive decline, and a variety of cancers. Yet most of us don’t know much about gut health or what to do to improve it. In this evidence-based presentation, Sally Duplantier will share emerging research related to gut health. Learn the basics of how the microbiome works, the difference between prebiotics and probiotics, and how to support your microbiome for better health outcomes.

Eat Well for Life: How a Healthy Diet Increases your Healthspan

It is quite apparent that our bodies change as we age—we can look in a mirror and notice that! However, it is less apparent what foods we should consume, and what we should avoid, to best support our changing bodies.

In this evidence-based presentation, Sally will explore key physiological changes associated with aging and provide recommendations for optimal cardiovascular, metabolic, and cognitive health. While its focus is on nutrition as we age, it is designed for anyone who wants to increase their healthspan (the number of years we are physically strong and mentally sharp). You will walk away with recommendations regarding nutrients and dietary patterns associated with healthy aging, as well as 1-2 dietary changes you can make today to improve your long-term health, no matter what your chronological age.