Osteoporosis
How to Prevent, Treat and Reverse It

by Dr Marilyn Glenville PhD

Published by Kyle Cathie Ltd, 2009

Reviewed by Stella Aldridge, 2023

Introduction

In today's fast-paced world with social media ever present, health sometimes takes a backseat, and conditions like osteoporosis, which are often silent until a fracture occurs, are on the rise. This makes the book "Osteoporosis - How to Prevent, Treat and Reverse It" not just timely but essential. Written with a depth of understanding and practicality, it serves as a must-read for women of all ages (and men too!). 1 in 3 women over 50 has osteoporosis and 1 in 5 men (figures updated from the original).

The book is positive from the outset – “how to prevent, treat and reverse it” is the front cover’s declaration.

The introduction asks some very clear questions and if you can answer yes to any of them, you may be at risk of osteoporosis - then this for this book is for you!

What I really loved about this book is that the 11 chapters were so easily accessible, and you could dip in and out of them. If a question popped into your head, it was easy to skim through the chapters and find the answers.

Structure

The book is well structured making it incredibly user-friendly. It starts with an introduction that sets the stage for what's to come, followed by a deep dive into what osteoporosis is, its risk factors, and how it can be diagnosed. The inclusion of a glossary, useful addresses, and clinic information makes it not just a book but a useful tool and doesn’t have you immediately thinking you need to reach for your laptop or mobile phone to gain more information.

The book has a focus on an holistic approach to osteoporosis. Sometimes in medicine the holistic approach is overlooked but, in this book, this balanced perspective is useful for readers who are looking for a comprehensive understanding of the condition and its management. It allows you to have the best of both worlds, which is another positive. An additional great facet of this book is it gives you advice that you can action - how to change your diet and what exercise helps. None of the text makes you think it is out of reach or unachievable. I found it hugely accessible and was making a mental list of lifestyle changes that I could put into place as I read.

Of particular note are:

Chapter 8 Genetics I had no idea that some women might have a genetic susceptibility – but fear not – exercise and eating well, along with maintaining a “generally” healthy lifestyle will help reduce this possibility.

Chapter 9 Plan of Action gives clear and concise ways to take control including the ultrasound bone scan which we do here at the clinic.

Chapter 10 Men 1 in 5 men (updated to current figures) has osteoporosis and the causes of this can be very different to women. If you have a man in your life, you can read up on this or let him equip himself by reading the chapter dedicated especially to him.

Chapter 11 Eating for Stronger Bones had some quick and easy recipes, and this made you feel you could take control and make changes immediately. It also has a table with dos and don’ts - an easy, at a glance, reminder of what is good and what isn’t so good food wise. Invaluable!

Conclusion

So, if you are worried about osteoporosis and are looking to find out more, or if you have osteoporosis and want an easily accessible book that will give you the knowledge and tools to make those changes and look after your bones, then I can’t recommend this book highly enough.

Further Action

• To chat with us at the Clinic on Osteoporosis, you can telephone during office hours, or email us at any time, using the buttons here

• To read our detailed article on Osteoporosis, click here

• To book a scan online, click here to go to our booking page