Bone Bible

More than two million Americans will break a bone. Hip fractures, in particular, are debilitating — and can be deadly. As we reported last year, one in three men will die within a year of the break; the odds are a tad better for women. So there’s good reason to bone up — on bone health.

La Jolla geriatrician Diane L. Schneider has literally written the book on bones. The Complete Book of Bone Health, with a foreword by astronaut Sally Ride, is a bible for building better bones, from childhood into old age. Schneider, a leading authority on osteoporosis, the so-called “brittle bone disease,” presents evidence on how to prevent and treat the disease, through both medicines and alternative approaches. She also addresses risk factors, bone density scans, exercise and nutrition, calcium and vitamin D. And she reveals surprising new research on how common health problems and medicines can affect bones. Schneider also co-founded the nonprofit 4BoneHealth, to increase awareness and education about bolstering our bones. (www.bonehealthbook.com)   ANDREA NAVERSEN