CONTENTS
FOREWORD Lisa Schofield
PREFACE Stephen Holt M.D.
SECTION 1 Bones are Dynamic and Alive
SECTION 2 Thin Bones and Creaky Joints
SECTION 3 Conventional Pathways to Bone and Joint Health
SECTION 4 Natural Bone Boosters
SECTION 5 Modern Management of Osteoporosis
SECTION 6 The Antiporosis Plan
REFERENCES
APPENDIX A A Risk Questionnaire for Osteoporosis
APPENDIX B Natural Agents for Joint Pain and Mobility:
The Story of Cyclooxygenase Inhibition
FOREWORD:
By Lisa Schofield, Senior Medical Correspondent and Editor of Vitamin Retailer Magazine, NJ
Dr. Stephen Holt, M.D. requires little introduction to the readers of popular health care literature in the field of both conventional and alternative medicine. I was very pleased to be asked to write the foreword to this important work on the nutritional and lifestyle management of osteoporosis or thin bones. Osteoporosis affects twenty million American women and it is a sinister and insidious disease that is increasing in occurrence especially among the elderly population. Osteoporosis evolves over an individual’s lifetime in a silent manner and when bones become weakened to a major degree, the disorder is manifest by ugly and sometimes crippling skeletal changes. Of course, thin bones account for the alarming occurrence of bone fractures, particularly affecting the spine, hip and wrist. Many mature females dread the development of a spinal hump or curvature (Dowager’s hump) which is the quintessential manifestation of established osteoporosis in men or women.
Prevention is the key issue in the combat against osteoporosis. Dr. Holt focus his attention on positive lifestyle changes which may eliminate the risks of developing porous bones. Not only does he stress the role of diet and well selected dietary supplements in the potential support of healthy bone structure and function, he brings forward early prevention of this disease. This book is a synthesis of scientific fact derived from many published studies in the medical literature. Of particular interest in this work, is the description of disadvantages and limitations of classic allopathic approaches to the management of osteoporosis. Modern conventional medicine has focused on the use of drug therapy for the treatment of established osteoporosis at the expense of considering effective and natural first line preventive techniques. Early diagnoses of thin bones, with early lifestyle and correct nutritional interventions may reduce the occurrence of osteoporosis in the population. As people live longer, the statistics on the occurrence of osteoporosis and its crippling consequences becomes quiet alarming. Dr. Holt proposes a strong opinion that the prevention of osteoporosis is one of the most important public health initiatives of the new millennium.
Dr. Holt navigates complex science on the structure and function of the human skeleton and provides a lucid account of how the bones of the body are dynamic and alive. His simple descriptions of osteoporosis and its consequences can be well understood by people without a background in medicine. This book describes the potential loss of bone mass in both men and women and it gives special guidance to mature females who have to face and deal with the common results of bone loss, especially in their mature years. In great detail, the risk factors for osteoporosis are reviewed by Dr. Holt who redefines the occurrence of this disease in terms of dietary deficiencies and excesses. The role of dietary calcium and selected vitamin intake in the maintenance of bone health is explained in this book with a discussion of novel types of calcium supplements that have recently become available in nutraceuticals. Dr. Holt does not proselytize. He is quick to present much information from a variety of researchers on a subject of osteoporosis treatment and prevention. Many areas of this book are novel and new. Unlike other accounts of osteoporosis, Dr. Holt will not permit bones to be divorced from joints. To quote Dr. Holt, “arthritis and osteoporosis go hand in hand”. However, many young females must be aware of osteoporosis, so that they can plan ahead to avoid the devastating consequences of thin bones. This book is distinguished by an in depth discussion of nutritional and herbal substances that can be applied in the management of osteoporosis. The discussion does not confine itself to dietary supplements but it expands the management interventions to include important advice about lifestyle change and behavior modification that will result in both bone health and global health. In fact, Dr. Holt is firmly committed to the notion that lifestyle determines health and longevity. This work is yet another example of Dr. Holt’s unique perspective on unifying natural and conventional medicine. Dr. Holt does not reject conventional medicine but he is willing to discuss its disadvantages and limitations. As the burden of proof of the benefit of dietary supplements for health becomes greater, editors and communicators in the dietary supplement industry have started to take a close look of the source of recommendations for health interventions. Necessarily, the popularity of healthcare books written for the public is determined by the credibility, background and training of the author. There is no doubt that Stephen Holt MD, MRCP (UK), FRCP (C), FACN, FACG, FACP is the most qualified physician in the dietary supplement industry. Therefore, it is important to peek into the world of the thought leaders in the nutritional industry. Dr. Holt spends much of his professional time in his office on the campus of the New Jersey Institute of Technologies where is company is housed in the Prudential Enterprise Development Center. In between phone calls from patients who see him in New York, Dr. Holt sits at a small table surrounded by thousands of books on healthcare that he is able to pull from a shelf instantaneously to guide his discussions and new thoughts about innovative dietary supplements. This private world of Dr. Holt has intrigued many people in the dietary supplement industry as they have witnessed his development of many of the best-selling brands of nutritional supplements. The story does not end here. Dr. Holt has made major contributions to the development and research of pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals. He is frequently surrounded by University Professors who consult with him on the commercialization of new discoveries. Please read this book in health and your assimilation of Dr. Holt’s insight into an integrated medical approach to the management of osteoporosis will help you understand why Dr. Holt has been described as an “icon” of the dietary supplement and nutritional industry. Suggested Use: Read book 20 minutes once a day until completed. Possible side effects: May cause drowsiness. Do not read and drive.
