Most women are aware of the debilitating and painful condition known as osteoporosis, but few have heard of osteopenia—early bone thinning and fracturing that is the precursor to osteoporosis. Osteopenia has recently been labeled a “young woman’s silent epidemic” by many experts, largely because there are no warning signs and it often affects women who appear outwardly healthy. In fact, some of the largest groups vulnerable to developing osteopenia include female athletes, rigorous exercisers who have always maintained a low body weight, and frequent dieters, especially those who cut out dairy and protein sources. Today, over eighteen million young and middle-aged women are affected by osteopenia—including almost 20 percent of college-age women—putting them at increased risk of developing full-blown osteoporosis. In REVERSING OSTEOPENIA: The Definitive Guide to Recognizing and Treating Early Bone Loss in Women of All Ages (An Owl Trade Paperback Original/ Henry Holt and Company; October 1, 2004; $15.00), renowned rheumatologist Harris H. McIlwain, M.D., and medical writer Debra Fulghum Bruce, along with Dr. McIlwain’s daughters Laura McIlwain Cruse, M.D. and Kimberly Lynn McIlwain, M.D., show you how to use their revolutionary holistic 5-Step Bone Building Program to halt osteopenia and therefore prevent the onset of osteoporosis.
Many women don’t realize they have osteopenia until they break or fracture a bone. But, as Dr. McIlwain reveals, osteopenia can be easily diagnosed with a simple bone density test. Once diagnosed, women can put into place a bone strengthening regimen that will stop this forerunner of osteoporosis in its tracks. Dr. McIlwain and his two daughters—both licensed rheumatologists and women of the age group most affected by osteopenia—help younger women recognize the risk factors for bone loss, and provide a 5-Step program for controlling and preventing bone loss. Their age specific recommendations for women in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s include:
· Exercises that strengthen rather than threaten bones
· Important new information about which foods build bone density
· Ways to avoid medications that rob bones of their strength
· Recommendations of natural dietary supplements and other alternative medicine remedies
Filled with detailed, clear, and extremely important advice, REVERSING OSTEOPENIA is an indispensable resource for health-conscious women of all ages.
© 2005 HealthNewsDigest.com