Product Description

"There was never any doubt in my mind that if I went after osteoporosis, I could control it and lead a healthy life. That's my message to other women: No one can do this for you-you've got to do it for yourself. And you can." (Ann Richards)

Forty-four million Americans, thirty million of whom are women, will face osteoporosis in some form. Often triggered by hormonal changes that occur after menopause, osteoporosis results in the fracturing of bones, which can prove fatal to the elderly. One out of every six affected women will break her hip; only one out of three will regain her independence.

In 1994, after falling and fracturing her hand, Ann Richards went for a bone density test. She was diagnosed with osteopenia, an early stage of osteoporosis. After witnessing both of her grandmothers and her mother fall victim to the disease, Richards was determined to overcome its incapacitating effects. She began a physician-approved regimen of medication and dramatically changed her lifestyle.

In I'm Not Slowing Down, the former Texas governor, known for her saucy straight talk, and leading osteoporosis authority Sydney Lou Bonnick tell women what they need to know to combat this devastating disease. Nearly a decade after her original diagnosis, Richards's bone density remains essentially stable. Readers will benefit from advice on everything from diet to exercise to the individual histories that must precede the implementation of any bone-building program if women are to begin the second act of their lives with strength, agility, and confidence.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1977657 in Books
• Published on: 2004-07-19
• Original language: English
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 208 pages

From Library Journal
The former Texas governor takes on a disease that cripples many older women.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author
Ann Richards was governor of Texas from 1990 to 1994, and has been active in politics for over half a century. In 1988, she gained national prominence with her keynote address at the Democratic National Convention.

Sydney Lou Bonnick, M.D., F.A.C.P., is medical director of the Institute for Women's Health at Texas Woman's University in Denton, Texas. She was formerly the director of Osteoporosis Services at Dr. Kenneth Cooper's internationally recognized Cooper Clinic in Dallas. Dr. Bonnick is the author of The Osteoporosis Handbook.