What do you think?
Rate this book
The Whole-Body Approach to Osteoporosis: How to Improve Bone Strength and Reduce Your Fracture Risk
No pill will cure you of osteoporosis. While medication can sometimes help, it won't fully address the underlying causes of your osteoporosis or osteopenia. To restore bone health, you'll need a targeted program combining the best bone-building strategies from traditional and holistic medicine. The Whole-Body Approach to Osteoporosis distills these complex strategies into a whole-body plan you can begin today to dramatically improve your bone strength and overall vitality. This comprehensive guide includes information
200 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
159 people are currently reading
97 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 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 11, 2021
I found this book very helpful. The author has personal experience with Osteoporosis and a medical practice in western MA. You can also here him speak on a podcast of the BoneCoach.
February 14, 2024
Excellent book, great info. I will forever be reading this book
January 15, 2026
“The Whole-Body Approach to Osteoporosis: How to Improve Bone Strength and Reduce Your Fracture Risk” by R. Keith McCormick
FORMAT(s) CONSUMED (no longer detailing all available formats-just ones used)
PRINT: Available in this format.
DIGITAL:
© May 1, 2009; ISBN: 978-1572245952; PUBLISHER: Raincoast Books; 294 pages; Unabridged; English
AUDIO: Not available in this format.
FILM ADAPTATION:
No.
SERIES:
The New Harbinger Whole-Body Healing (12 books)
SUMMARY/ EVALUATION:
SELECTED:
I selected this book after a Libby (library app) search on the subject “Osteoporosis”. It’s a little old for a medical book (Denosumab (Prolia) is mentioned as a drug seeking approval, and romosozumab (Evenity) didn’t exist for another 10 years.), but I found the nutritional and physiological information quite useful.
ABOUT (Sorry. These reviews were taking too long to write, so I’ve stopped creating a summary—I know that’s a large part of a “real” review, but I am trying to spend much less time on my computer. So this is the Publisher’s Summary on Amazon—apologies –it’s probably not much use, since it’s likely what Goodreads already provided you.):
“No pill will cure you of osteoporosis. While medication can sometimes help, it won't fully address the underlying causes of your osteoporosis or osteopenia. To restore bone health, you'll need a targeted program combining the best bone-building strategies from traditional and holistic medicine. The Whole-Body Approach to Osteoporosis distills these complex strategies into a whole-body plan you can begin today to dramatically improve your bone strength and overall vitality.
This comprehensive guide includes information on:
• What to eat for stronger bones
• Choosing bone-building supplements and osteoporosis medications
• Foods and medications that may be contributing to bone loss
• Signs and symptoms that can help you monitor your bone health
• How lab tests can help you personalize your plan”
OVERALL IMPRESSION:
I just finished a year of monthly Evenity infusions, and am due to visit the rheumatologist who provided it to me for a final assessment tomorrow. I’ve had the before and after DEXA scans. Evenity is a medication that doesn’t just stop bones from breaking down, but also builds them up. The final result was mildly disappointing: I went from a -4.0 T score at the lumbar spine to a -3.8, so just a .2 improvement. But considering it didn’t get worse in that year, and did get marginally better, I count it as a win.
On my final visit as I was telling them I'd miss them, the infusionists mentioned that I'd probably see them every 6 months after this, as most people are transferred to Prolia therapy when they finish the year of Evenity. I’ve had several minor side effects from this medication, and while Prolia is different, one of its functions is similar, moving calcium from the blood to the bones--and I believe most of my side effects are a result of that function. My blood tests do not indicate any hypocalcemia, but some of my symptoms are shared with that condition and I think the medication has something to do with it and other little annoyances that only started showing up a couple of months after starting the treatments. So I plan to focus on exercise and nutrition rather than move to a different medicine.
Therefore, I read this book to gather information about the efficacy of my plan, and to support my decision if my doctor pushes for the medicine. I expect him to, because all of the info about Evenity states that, if no other medication is used after Evenity, one’s bone density may revert to where it was before treatment, within a year. At 67, with no history of fractures, I’d rather focus on life-style changes than accept mild as well as risky side effects. This book was VERY helpful!
AUTHOR:
AUTHOR’S NAME
McCormick, R. Keith
R. Keith McCormick (born June 17, 1954) is an American modern pentathlete and U.S. Army veteran who represented the United States at the 1976 Summer Olympics, as an alternate.[1][2] He finished second in the Junior World Championships in 1973, won the North American Pentathlon Championships in 1975,[3][4] and briefly held the American record for points scored in the Modern Pentathlon.[5] He was considered a contender to win the gold medal in 1980, when the United States boycotted the Olympics because of Russia's invasion of Afghanistan.
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
McCormick was born in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania and later earned his bachelor's degree in Human Biology at Stanford University and his doctorate at the National College of Chiropractic. While at Stanford, McCormick competed on the cross-country and fencing teams and also competed in the World Modern Pentathlon Championships during his junior year.[6]
PROFESSIONAL CAREER
Since 1982, Dr. R. Keith McCormick has been a Doctor of Chiropractic in the states of Massachusetts, Colorado, and California. Dr. McCormick is also a Sports Chiropractic Physician who treats collegiate, high school and recreational athletes in Western Massachusetts.[6] He is a certified chiropractic sports physician and author of the 2009 book The Whole-Body Approach to Osteoporosis.[7][8]
McCormick suffered 12 osteoporosis-related fractures over the span of 5 years. As a response to his personal history with severe osteoporosis, McCormick founded OsteoNaturals, LLC to develop supplements.
McCormick wrote a second book in 2023, Great Bones, Taking Control of Your Osteoporosis. In this book, he explains the fundamentals of osteoporosis, as well as the pathophysiology of bone loss. This book targets a wide audience, from patients suffering with osteoporosis to the physicians and specialists treating it, and explains what it takes to regain skeletal health.”
[ME: This is the first book of this author’s I have read. I see a second one talked about there that I will look for at my local library as it is not available digitally.]
GENRE:
Nonfiction; Self-help; Medical
SUBJECTS (Not comprehensive):
Osteoporosis; Prevention; Popular Works
DEDICATION:
“To Ty and Colten, my daily reminders to strive for a strong, healthy body.”
SHORT EXCERPT From the Introduction:
“Why a Whole-Body Approach to Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a chronic disorder. It’s not a condition you can fix by swallowing a daily or weekly pill, or even by a yearly intravenous infusion of an extremely powerful bone-specific medication. Unfortunately, in our country the same approach used to treat acute conditions is also used with chronic disorders such as osteoporosis. For example, in crisis care management, the doctor visually examines a patient, possibly scrapes for a culture or analyzes the patient’s blood, and then prescribes a pill or a shot to reduce the symptoms. The underlying physiological vulnerability is usually never questioned—let alone assessed. The patient feels better, the crisis is satisfactorily averted, and yet the nutrient deficiency or physiological dysfunction that might eventually damage his or her long-term health is not addressed and stays unchanged.
Pharmaceuticals for osteoporosis can be extremely valuable, but they are overprescribed and almost never used as they should be—as an adjunct to a solid therapeutic protocol based on nutrition and lifestyle. To help someone with a chronic condition, that person’s whole physiology must be assessed and a plan made to restore their failing biological functions. And it can be done. Optimal skeletal health can be achieved through the use of nutrition and exercise. In such a program, medications are best used to bail out the person from a bad situation.
Osteoporosis is not just the weakening of bones; it is a weakening of the body’s entire physiology. To put it more accurately, a weakened physiology leads to bone loss and requires a broader evaluation than just an assessment of bone. When you have a chronic disease, you have to treat your whole body.”
RATING:
5 stars.
READ FROM:
01/02/2026 – 01/14/2026
FORMAT(s) CONSUMED (no longer detailing all available formats-just ones used)
PRINT: Available in this format.
DIGITAL:
© May 1, 2009; ISBN: 978-1572245952; PUBLISHER: Raincoast Books; 294 pages; Unabridged; English
AUDIO: Not available in this format.
FILM ADAPTATION:
No.
SERIES:
The New Harbinger Whole-Body Healing (12 books)
SUMMARY/ EVALUATION:
SELECTED:
I selected this book after a Libby (library app) search on the subject “Osteoporosis”. It’s a little old for a medical book (Denosumab (Prolia) is mentioned as a drug seeking approval, and romosozumab (Evenity) didn’t exist for another 10 years.), but I found the nutritional and physiological information quite useful.
ABOUT (Sorry. These reviews were taking too long to write, so I’ve stopped creating a summary—I know that’s a large part of a “real” review, but I am trying to spend much less time on my computer. So this is the Publisher’s Summary on Amazon—apologies –it’s probably not much use, since it’s likely what Goodreads already provided you.):
“No pill will cure you of osteoporosis. While medication can sometimes help, it won't fully address the underlying causes of your osteoporosis or osteopenia. To restore bone health, you'll need a targeted program combining the best bone-building strategies from traditional and holistic medicine. The Whole-Body Approach to Osteoporosis distills these complex strategies into a whole-body plan you can begin today to dramatically improve your bone strength and overall vitality.
This comprehensive guide includes information on:
• What to eat for stronger bones
• Choosing bone-building supplements and osteoporosis medications
• Foods and medications that may be contributing to bone loss
• Signs and symptoms that can help you monitor your bone health
• How lab tests can help you personalize your plan”
OVERALL IMPRESSION:
I just finished a year of monthly Evenity infusions, and am due to visit the rheumatologist who provided it to me for a final assessment tomorrow. I’ve had the before and after DEXA scans. Evenity is a medication that doesn’t just stop bones from breaking down, but also builds them up. The final result was mildly disappointing: I went from a -4.0 T score at the lumbar spine to a -3.8, so just a .2 improvement. But considering it didn’t get worse in that year, and did get marginally better, I count it as a win.
On my final visit as I was telling them I'd miss them, the infusionists mentioned that I'd probably see them every 6 months after this, as most people are transferred to Prolia therapy when they finish the year of Evenity. I’ve had several minor side effects from this medication, and while Prolia is different, one of its functions is similar, moving calcium from the blood to the bones--and I believe most of my side effects are a result of that function. My blood tests do not indicate any hypocalcemia, but some of my symptoms are shared with that condition and I think the medication has something to do with it and other little annoyances that only started showing up a couple of months after starting the treatments. So I plan to focus on exercise and nutrition rather than move to a different medicine.
Therefore, I read this book to gather information about the efficacy of my plan, and to support my decision if my doctor pushes for the medicine. I expect him to, because all of the info about Evenity states that, if no other medication is used after Evenity, one’s bone density may revert to where it was before treatment, within a year. At 67, with no history of fractures, I’d rather focus on life-style changes than accept mild as well as risky side effects. This book was VERY helpful!
AUTHOR:
AUTHOR’S NAME
McCormick, R. Keith
R. Keith McCormick (born June 17, 1954) is an American modern pentathlete and U.S. Army veteran who represented the United States at the 1976 Summer Olympics, as an alternate.[1][2] He finished second in the Junior World Championships in 1973, won the North American Pentathlon Championships in 1975,[3][4] and briefly held the American record for points scored in the Modern Pentathlon.[5] He was considered a contender to win the gold medal in 1980, when the United States boycotted the Olympics because of Russia's invasion of Afghanistan.
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
McCormick was born in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania and later earned his bachelor's degree in Human Biology at Stanford University and his doctorate at the National College of Chiropractic. While at Stanford, McCormick competed on the cross-country and fencing teams and also competed in the World Modern Pentathlon Championships during his junior year.[6]
PROFESSIONAL CAREER
Since 1982, Dr. R. Keith McCormick has been a Doctor of Chiropractic in the states of Massachusetts, Colorado, and California. Dr. McCormick is also a Sports Chiropractic Physician who treats collegiate, high school and recreational athletes in Western Massachusetts.[6] He is a certified chiropractic sports physician and author of the 2009 book The Whole-Body Approach to Osteoporosis.[7][8]
McCormick suffered 12 osteoporosis-related fractures over the span of 5 years. As a response to his personal history with severe osteoporosis, McCormick founded OsteoNaturals, LLC to develop supplements.
McCormick wrote a second book in 2023, Great Bones, Taking Control of Your Osteoporosis. In this book, he explains the fundamentals of osteoporosis, as well as the pathophysiology of bone loss. This book targets a wide audience, from patients suffering with osteoporosis to the physicians and specialists treating it, and explains what it takes to regain skeletal health.”
[ME: This is the first book of this author’s I have read. I see a second one talked about there that I will look for at my local library as it is not available digitally.]
GENRE:
Nonfiction; Self-help; Medical
SUBJECTS (Not comprehensive):
Osteoporosis; Prevention; Popular Works
DEDICATION:
“To Ty and Colten, my daily reminders to strive for a strong, healthy body.”
SHORT EXCERPT From the Introduction:
“Why a Whole-Body Approach to Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a chronic disorder. It’s not a condition you can fix by swallowing a daily or weekly pill, or even by a yearly intravenous infusion of an extremely powerful bone-specific medication. Unfortunately, in our country the same approach used to treat acute conditions is also used with chronic disorders such as osteoporosis. For example, in crisis care management, the doctor visually examines a patient, possibly scrapes for a culture or analyzes the patient’s blood, and then prescribes a pill or a shot to reduce the symptoms. The underlying physiological vulnerability is usually never questioned—let alone assessed. The patient feels better, the crisis is satisfactorily averted, and yet the nutrient deficiency or physiological dysfunction that might eventually damage his or her long-term health is not addressed and stays unchanged.
Pharmaceuticals for osteoporosis can be extremely valuable, but they are overprescribed and almost never used as they should be—as an adjunct to a solid therapeutic protocol based on nutrition and lifestyle. To help someone with a chronic condition, that person’s whole physiology must be assessed and a plan made to restore their failing biological functions. And it can be done. Optimal skeletal health can be achieved through the use of nutrition and exercise. In such a program, medications are best used to bail out the person from a bad situation.
Osteoporosis is not just the weakening of bones; it is a weakening of the body’s entire physiology. To put it more accurately, a weakened physiology leads to bone loss and requires a broader evaluation than just an assessment of bone. When you have a chronic disease, you have to treat your whole body.”
RATING:
5 stars.
READ FROM:
01/02/2026 – 01/14/2026
July 31, 2024
I read the first two chapters in full (out of ten) then scanned the rest, to determine that at this stage in my life I myself am not at a great risk of suffering from this ailment. Personally, I think that I eat and exercise at sufficient levels to maintain myself as is. However, this book gave me a nice guideline for figuring out what osteoporosis is and whether I am at risk for suffering from this worldwide problem.
I enjoyed the diagrams the most. It reminded me of why I had picked to play a Cubone when I joined an online RPG 25 years ago. (Her name was Norra Flecka.) I drew a lot of bone-related drawings related to her family. (When she evolved to Marowak she had a daughter several years later named Isna Flecka, in the same vein of thought - as both Norra and Isna were not little flecks to be ignored.) I didn't realise what I had been setting myself up for - it ended up being so much confusing work to get along with worldwide members of a group I decided just to do my classwork since that was more straightforward.
Although I didn't strictly understand what a DHEA plan was I thought the idea was the important thing here. That is easily enough googled and it is Dehydroepiandrosterone. The little box that Google offered says: it is "a hormone produced by the body's adrenal glands. The body uses DHEA to make androgens and estrogens, the male and female sex hormones. DHEA levels peak at about age 25, then go down steadily as you get older." Technically I don't know what an adreal gland is either. I googled that it is "[a] small gland that makes steroid hormones, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. These hormones help control heart rate, blood pressure, and other important body functions. There are two adrenal glands, one on top of each kidney. Also called suprarenal gland."
Well, how about that.
Knowledge is power, right?
I enjoyed the diagrams the most. It reminded me of why I had picked to play a Cubone when I joined an online RPG 25 years ago. (Her name was Norra Flecka.) I drew a lot of bone-related drawings related to her family. (When she evolved to Marowak she had a daughter several years later named Isna Flecka, in the same vein of thought - as both Norra and Isna were not little flecks to be ignored.) I didn't realise what I had been setting myself up for - it ended up being so much confusing work to get along with worldwide members of a group I decided just to do my classwork since that was more straightforward.
Although I didn't strictly understand what a DHEA plan was I thought the idea was the important thing here. That is easily enough googled and it is Dehydroepiandrosterone. The little box that Google offered says: it is "a hormone produced by the body's adrenal glands. The body uses DHEA to make androgens and estrogens, the male and female sex hormones. DHEA levels peak at about age 25, then go down steadily as you get older." Technically I don't know what an adreal gland is either. I googled that it is "[a] small gland that makes steroid hormones, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. These hormones help control heart rate, blood pressure, and other important body functions. There are two adrenal glands, one on top of each kidney. Also called suprarenal gland."
Well, how about that.
Knowledge is power, right?
November 28, 2019
A refreshing blend of practical nutritional advice and medical science
Identifies nutritional approaches to normalizing the body's skeletal health processes bad upon conical research and scientific findings.
Derives pharmaceutical approaches, their power and lunatics, and advocates for use where necessary, but only in conjunction with an approach to systemic health through nutrition and supplements.
Identifies biomarkers that can be tested to monitor the different mechanisms at work, so one can fine tune an approach to one's specific issues.
Identifies nutritional approaches to normalizing the body's skeletal health processes bad upon conical research and scientific findings.
Derives pharmaceutical approaches, their power and lunatics, and advocates for use where necessary, but only in conjunction with an approach to systemic health through nutrition and supplements.
Identifies biomarkers that can be tested to monitor the different mechanisms at work, so one can fine tune an approach to one's specific issues.
August 25, 2020
Interesting and very helpful source to improve your bone strength and reduce your fracture use. Osteoporosis does not only affect women, men can also suffer from it. This book explains the disease clearly, and also discusses the medications and life style changes that a person can do to help with the issue. This is a very informative source and a answer to many questions.
January 14, 2022
A full-spectrum look at osteoporosis and ways to combat it. I made four pages of notes while reading this book. I wish Dr. McCormick was located in CA. Alas, he is not, so I will do the best I can with the doctors locally available. His suggestions about nutrition, exercise, lab tests, and supplemental intake will be helpful on my osteoporotic journey.
I've heard there is a new book by Dr. McCormick being published & should be coming out in 2022.
I will be watching for it.
I've heard there is a new book by Dr. McCormick being published & should be coming out in 2022.
I will be watching for it.
November 21, 2023
Dr. McCormick himself was diagnosed with osteoporosis himself in his forties, though he was fit, athletic and had a healthy lifestyle. He made it his mission to find the cause of osteoporosis, rather than just getting treatment. I recommend this book for everyone. With Dr. McCormick's advice and tips, it could be possible to prevent or at least delay the onset of osteoporosis.
January 24, 2020
Quite thorough
This book was very thorough in ways to deal with osteoporosis. The bias is against traditional medicine and more for natural remedies. I do think it is worthwhile for a different approach.
This book was very thorough in ways to deal with osteoporosis. The bias is against traditional medicine and more for natural remedies. I do think it is worthwhile for a different approach.
January 31, 2022
This comprehensive, informative book dispenses lots of practical advice on using food, supplements, and exercise to improve bone health. It could have used more discussion about specific recommended exercises, but that feels like a minor flaw. Overall, it’s empowering and thorough. Recommended.
September 27, 2023
Easy to read and follow approach to optimize your bone strength. A must read for anyone with a family history of fractures or osteoporosis. Get your DEXA scan to measure your bone density and follow these diet, lifestyle, supplement, and lab recommendations to maintain and monitor your bones.
May 10, 2024
Much of this book is too technical for me to appreciate, but the author deftly makes his case for avoiding osteoporosis. The summary of what the author has found to work in this regard is included in the final chapter, and it is quite helpful.
July 19, 2018
Because of my recent diagnosis and so much confusion after seeing three doctors, I found this book one of the best to give me a complete understanding of my disease and what comes next.
November 10, 2020
Good information, although the book is from 2008 so perhaps the information may be dated. I skimmed past parts of it.
May 1, 2022
So far this been the most helpful information on bone health. It's too bad women wait until dexa scores pass the .2.5 to deal with bone health.
September 30, 2023
I think a degree in biochemistry would help me with this book. It was a lot to process.
October 17, 2012
Picked this out because osteopenia has shown up on my recent Dexa scans - and I need to continue with my prednisone.
It's full of information that boils down (in my mind) to the obvious - eat really well - exercise - don't lose too much weight - take care of your digestive system.
The way he pushed gluten-free diets and the evils of PPI's annoyed me a lot. But I finished the book and will keep it around for reference. I think.
Now I'm looking for a good exercise/stretching guide to be in the best shape in case my bone density gets worse.
The book cover is a bit deceiving...
It's full of information that boils down (in my mind) to the obvious - eat really well - exercise - don't lose too much weight - take care of your digestive system.
The way he pushed gluten-free diets and the evils of PPI's annoyed me a lot. But I finished the book and will keep it around for reference. I think.
Now I'm looking for a good exercise/stretching guide to be in the best shape in case my bone density gets worse.
The book cover is a bit deceiving...
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews