What do you think?
Rate this book
Strong Women, Strong Bones: Everything You Need to Know to Prevent, Treat, and Beat Osteoporosis, Updated Edition
Based on the latest scientific information, and including practical advice on the best nutrition, exercise, and medication, Strong Women, Strong Bones is an essential guide for any woman who wants to know more about the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 31, 2000
85 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 16, 2024
This book is full of helpful information, but it is a bit dated. I really wish that her workouts as well as her tests for balance, and so on, were in the form of DVDs. I’m not into workouts that are in book/paper-type format. Give me a DVD or YouTube workout any day. I have found some resources that seem to be more helpful than this book. If you are interested, do yourself a favor, and look into Menopause Taylor’s YouTube channel or podcast. She also has a book, which I hope to read soon.
Here are some of my favorite quotes and helpful information:
“Menopausal women typically lose 1 to 3 percent of their bone mass annually, and some lose as much as 5 percent. Because change is so rapid, these years are a critical time for preventive measures.”
Bone Density Testing
“After your first bone density test, I suggest testing every two or three years, except under these circumstances: If you’re starting treatment for osteopenia or osteoporosis, have annual tests for the first three years to monitor effectiveness. Afterwards, testing every two or three years usually suffices. Your doctor may want more frequent tests if you’re changing treatments or if you continue to have rapid bone loss. Less frequent tests might be suggested if you’re younger and your bones have been stable. If you took your first bone density test before your mid-forties simply to obtain a baseline, and your bone density was normal or above normal, you don’t need another test until you enter menopause—unless you develop a significant new risk factor for osteoporosis. After menopause, have tests every two years. If your bone density is well above average, and you have no major risk factors other than your age and the fact that you’re a woman, tests can be done less frequently.”
Bone Strength Checklist
“Are you strength-training at least twice a week?
If you’re younger than 50 and in good health, have you been doing one to two minutes of vertical jumping three to six days a week?
Do you take time for balance exercises?
Do you stretch after every workout or at other times during the day?
Are you overdoing caffeine—more than 400 milligrams (e.g., four cups of coffee) per day?
Is there too much stress in your life?”
Caffeine
“Caffeine consumption over about 400 milligrams per day—the equivalent of four cups of coffee—doubles the risk of hip fracture. Caffeine has a diuretic effect, which increases excretion of calcium in the urine. Another concern is that caffeinated beverages may replace liquids that contain calcium.”
“Though coffee—with about 100 milligrams per cup—is the major source of caffeine for most Americans, it’s not the only one. Tea has about 40 milligrams of caffeine per cup. Many people don’t realize that soda often contains as much caffeine as tea (and nearly as much as coffee in some cases).”
Counting while exercising
“Count out loud while you exercise If you count, you automatically breathe properly—inhaling before you start the move, and exhaling as you lift and lower the weight. Counting aloud also reminds you to move slowly, which makes the moves safer and more effective.”
Dieting
“Yo-yo dieting—frequent cycles of losing and then regaining 15 or more pounds—puts you at increased risk for osteoporosis. That’s because most people lose bone (and muscle) along with fat when they lose weight. We suspect that rapid weight loss is particularly detrimental to muscle and bone, because it triggers release of parathyroid hormone, which stimulates the bone-dissolving activity of the osteoclasts. The best ways to counter these effects when you’re dieting are to lose weight slowly (no more than a pound or two per week) and to do aerobic exercise and strength training to protect your muscles and bone mass.”
Healthy Diet
“Women who consume plenty of fruits and vegetables have higher bone density. Especially helpful for bone health are citrus fruits, which contain vitamin C, and green leafy vegetables, which provide vitamin K.”
Herbs and Medications
“I find it both frightening and puzzling that so many women reject proven drugs in favor of untested and potentially risky herbs and medications. Anecdotal reports are no substitute for scientifically conducted clinical trials. Conventional prescription and over-the-counter drugs are required to meet FDA standards of safety and efficacy; herbal medications are not. Their purity and doses are not regulated or standardized. When you swallow one of these pill or tinctures, you have no meaningful assurance that it will do what the label promises. You can’t even be sure that the medication contains the ingredients listed—or that it’s free of components you don’t want to take. I hope you will use alternative treatments very cautiously. Be sure to tell your doctor if you’re taking these or any over-the-counter drugs.”
Hormone Replacement Therapy
“… women who take hormone replacement therapy retain more teeth as they age than women who do not go on HRT or estrogen. So you can assume that your medication is helping with bone density in your jaw.”
Polypharmacy
“Do you take many different prescription medications? That’s called polypharmacy, and it’s a warning flag to balance specialists. Many studies have found a strong association—which is only partially explained by illness—between taking more than four medications and falling. Older people often are treated by several different doctors, and receive one or more prescriptions from each. Unless the physicians coordinate their efforts, the result can be unwanted side effects—including balance problems—from excessive medication or harmful drug interactions. If you’re taking more than four prescription drugs, don’t stop! But keep a master list and ask your primary doctor to review it from time to time, to see if you could cut back. Also, give a copy to each doctor who treats you.”
Shoes
“Many people (especially women) wear shoes like these, which increase the risk of falls: Platform shoes, clogs: Thick soles interfere with proprioception—your ability to feel the ground you’re walking on. Sneakers with thick treads: Though designed to give you good traction outdoors, thick treads become a hazard indoors, especially when walking on a rug.”
Weight
“Most people reach a peak body weight in their fifties and sixties, then slowly lose weight in their seventies, eighties, and nineties. Low body weight is a risk factor for osteoporosis, so it’s important not to lose too much.”
Here are some of my favorite quotes and helpful information:
“Menopausal women typically lose 1 to 3 percent of their bone mass annually, and some lose as much as 5 percent. Because change is so rapid, these years are a critical time for preventive measures.”
Bone Density Testing
“After your first bone density test, I suggest testing every two or three years, except under these circumstances: If you’re starting treatment for osteopenia or osteoporosis, have annual tests for the first three years to monitor effectiveness. Afterwards, testing every two or three years usually suffices. Your doctor may want more frequent tests if you’re changing treatments or if you continue to have rapid bone loss. Less frequent tests might be suggested if you’re younger and your bones have been stable. If you took your first bone density test before your mid-forties simply to obtain a baseline, and your bone density was normal or above normal, you don’t need another test until you enter menopause—unless you develop a significant new risk factor for osteoporosis. After menopause, have tests every two years. If your bone density is well above average, and you have no major risk factors other than your age and the fact that you’re a woman, tests can be done less frequently.”
Bone Strength Checklist
“Are you strength-training at least twice a week?
If you’re younger than 50 and in good health, have you been doing one to two minutes of vertical jumping three to six days a week?
Do you take time for balance exercises?
Do you stretch after every workout or at other times during the day?
Are you overdoing caffeine—more than 400 milligrams (e.g., four cups of coffee) per day?
Is there too much stress in your life?”
Caffeine
“Caffeine consumption over about 400 milligrams per day—the equivalent of four cups of coffee—doubles the risk of hip fracture. Caffeine has a diuretic effect, which increases excretion of calcium in the urine. Another concern is that caffeinated beverages may replace liquids that contain calcium.”
“Though coffee—with about 100 milligrams per cup—is the major source of caffeine for most Americans, it’s not the only one. Tea has about 40 milligrams of caffeine per cup. Many people don’t realize that soda often contains as much caffeine as tea (and nearly as much as coffee in some cases).”
Counting while exercising
“Count out loud while you exercise If you count, you automatically breathe properly—inhaling before you start the move, and exhaling as you lift and lower the weight. Counting aloud also reminds you to move slowly, which makes the moves safer and more effective.”
Dieting
“Yo-yo dieting—frequent cycles of losing and then regaining 15 or more pounds—puts you at increased risk for osteoporosis. That’s because most people lose bone (and muscle) along with fat when they lose weight. We suspect that rapid weight loss is particularly detrimental to muscle and bone, because it triggers release of parathyroid hormone, which stimulates the bone-dissolving activity of the osteoclasts. The best ways to counter these effects when you’re dieting are to lose weight slowly (no more than a pound or two per week) and to do aerobic exercise and strength training to protect your muscles and bone mass.”
Healthy Diet
“Women who consume plenty of fruits and vegetables have higher bone density. Especially helpful for bone health are citrus fruits, which contain vitamin C, and green leafy vegetables, which provide vitamin K.”
Herbs and Medications
“I find it both frightening and puzzling that so many women reject proven drugs in favor of untested and potentially risky herbs and medications. Anecdotal reports are no substitute for scientifically conducted clinical trials. Conventional prescription and over-the-counter drugs are required to meet FDA standards of safety and efficacy; herbal medications are not. Their purity and doses are not regulated or standardized. When you swallow one of these pill or tinctures, you have no meaningful assurance that it will do what the label promises. You can’t even be sure that the medication contains the ingredients listed—or that it’s free of components you don’t want to take. I hope you will use alternative treatments very cautiously. Be sure to tell your doctor if you’re taking these or any over-the-counter drugs.”
Hormone Replacement Therapy
“… women who take hormone replacement therapy retain more teeth as they age than women who do not go on HRT or estrogen. So you can assume that your medication is helping with bone density in your jaw.”
Polypharmacy
“Do you take many different prescription medications? That’s called polypharmacy, and it’s a warning flag to balance specialists. Many studies have found a strong association—which is only partially explained by illness—between taking more than four medications and falling. Older people often are treated by several different doctors, and receive one or more prescriptions from each. Unless the physicians coordinate their efforts, the result can be unwanted side effects—including balance problems—from excessive medication or harmful drug interactions. If you’re taking more than four prescription drugs, don’t stop! But keep a master list and ask your primary doctor to review it from time to time, to see if you could cut back. Also, give a copy to each doctor who treats you.”
Shoes
“Many people (especially women) wear shoes like these, which increase the risk of falls: Platform shoes, clogs: Thick soles interfere with proprioception—your ability to feel the ground you’re walking on. Sneakers with thick treads: Though designed to give you good traction outdoors, thick treads become a hazard indoors, especially when walking on a rug.”
Weight
“Most people reach a peak body weight in their fifties and sixties, then slowly lose weight in their seventies, eighties, and nineties. Low body weight is a risk factor for osteoporosis, so it’s important not to lose too much.”
December 10, 2023
An excellent explanation of how osteoporosis develops and practical advice on diet, exercise, supplements, medications and lifestyle changes.
May 12, 2023
Great info, would like an updated version
I appreciated the mechanical explanations of how bone loss occurs, and how various factors interfere or help prevent bone density loss. The diet and exercise recommendations are also sound and specific. I found this book to be hopeful and helpful. However, since it's copyright is 2000, I assume the medication information needs an update.
I appreciated the mechanical explanations of how bone loss occurs, and how various factors interfere or help prevent bone density loss. The diet and exercise recommendations are also sound and specific. I found this book to be hopeful and helpful. However, since it's copyright is 2000, I assume the medication information needs an update.
August 24, 2017
Excellent guide for women on prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. I particularly found the diet and exercise programs valuable. However because the book is somewhat dated the information regarding medications and other developments in the field we're not as useful.
March 2, 2018
The information about medications could use some updating. Prolia was not listed, and some of the recently discovered side effects of some of the other medications were not mentioned. I do like the suggested exercises and the nutritional information.
September 3, 2019
Somewhat dated by this time, but still has much relevant information that is easy to follow.
June 13, 2023
So simple and approachable. Very comforting book about an alarming and prevalent issue. I have been following the exercises and it’s been so helpful, this book takes notes for you basically!! So nice
October 10, 2024
Informative. Definitely filled with great information.
January 23, 2025
Somewhat dated, but it still provides some valuable information.
March 4, 2025
Good info, but an updated version would be helpful.
March 12, 2017
Great book. I was diagnosed with osteopenia. Picked this up to strengthen my bones. Lots of good information. She talks about supplements and diet. Exercise is also another part that she recommends for strengthening bones. I also like that she talks about balance playing a role with bones.
At the back she has worksheets for tracking your progress. Planning on buying the book!
Highly recommend.
At the back she has worksheets for tracking your progress. Planning on buying the book!
Highly recommend.
February 7, 2016
Miriam Nelson’s books are superior to many other health books for two reasons. First, she cites the scientific research that supports her statements; it’s not hearsay or personal experiences that lead her to conclusions—even though she does have osteoporosis. A professor at Tufts University School of Medicine and 2015 chair of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition, she checks and documents her facts. Second, the layout of her books makes important points easy to understand, using bold headings, shading, charts, illustrations, and white space effectively. This formatting makes her books easy to read through the first time and logical to refer to later. Any particular information that a reader might need as s/he works through the bone-strengthening program is easy to find because of the excellent layout.
After busting a few osteoporosis myths, such as only old ladies get osteoporosis and post-menopausal women can avoid osteoporosis by taking calcium supplements, Dr. Nelson describes the physiology of healthy bones and how osteoporosis acts upon them. Then she gets into risk factors, testing methods, and the specifics of her bone-building program. The program includes a nutritional diet, calcium supplementation, exercises for bearing weight and balance, simple stretching, and strength training. She gives an overview of supplemental medications that might be appropriate for particular individuals. With plenty of case histories, she puts the information into context so that anyone can develop a plan for healthy bones, whether on their own or with their doctor or other professional.
The exercise program can be customized for women or men of any age with reasonable mobile ability. Emphasis is placed upon exercising safely, particularly in preventing falls. Readers take balance tests before beginning the program and then adjust their workouts accordingly. A 12-week program is outlined, adding challenges as one develops strength and coordination. Someone who already exercises can review the types of exercises and add those in which their program is deficient—or change up their program with some alternative exercises.
Anyone who has osteoporosis or who might be at risk for it will benefit from reading this book. People who do not know whether or not they are at risk might want to take the questionnaire that reveals hidden risk factors. Although published in 2000, the exercise portion in particular is still current and relevant today. And as Dr. Nelson states, you’re never too young or too old to start.
After busting a few osteoporosis myths, such as only old ladies get osteoporosis and post-menopausal women can avoid osteoporosis by taking calcium supplements, Dr. Nelson describes the physiology of healthy bones and how osteoporosis acts upon them. Then she gets into risk factors, testing methods, and the specifics of her bone-building program. The program includes a nutritional diet, calcium supplementation, exercises for bearing weight and balance, simple stretching, and strength training. She gives an overview of supplemental medications that might be appropriate for particular individuals. With plenty of case histories, she puts the information into context so that anyone can develop a plan for healthy bones, whether on their own or with their doctor or other professional.
The exercise program can be customized for women or men of any age with reasonable mobile ability. Emphasis is placed upon exercising safely, particularly in preventing falls. Readers take balance tests before beginning the program and then adjust their workouts accordingly. A 12-week program is outlined, adding challenges as one develops strength and coordination. Someone who already exercises can review the types of exercises and add those in which their program is deficient—or change up their program with some alternative exercises.
Anyone who has osteoporosis or who might be at risk for it will benefit from reading this book. People who do not know whether or not they are at risk might want to take the questionnaire that reveals hidden risk factors. Although published in 2000, the exercise portion in particular is still current and relevant today. And as Dr. Nelson states, you’re never too young or too old to start.
Read
January 28, 2012Written by Miriam Nelson, Ph.D., whose research in the area of osteoporosis has been published in a number of reputable and distinguished journals, including the Journal of the American Medical Association and the New England Journal of Medicine, and Sarah Wernick, Ph.D., an award-winning freelance health writer, Strong Women, Strong Bones is one of the most comprehensive looks at osteoporosis to be found anywhere. It's not only informative, it's also practical, providing a step-by-step process for adopting a lifestyle that can prevent or treat the disease.
December 28, 2011
This was nicely done, with a lot of information. I had done the Strong Women weight training program several winters ago, and have continued doing the leg exercises, but not the arm ones, as I have had a problem lately with my right wrist. There was a fair amount of repetition--which seems to be necessary for these authors to fill up a whole book. She mentioned some medications which are new to me. I would take it with me if I were going to consult about my worsening bone density.
January 25, 2012
I more browsed this book than read it comprehensively - I already know about my risk factors, and was looking for information on diet and exercise change to take action. It would be nice if there were .pdfs or online information about the exercises, which would seem more convenient.
August 4, 2008
My "Book Club" will really enjoy this book.
Want to read
November 21, 2010Good exercise program --
June 28, 2015
Another good book from Miriam Nelson. I would recommend for any woman suffering from osteoporosis (like me.)
February 16, 2016
All women, of all ages, should read this book.
January 6, 2026
Very outdated
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews