Books by Dr. Kessler
Decades of clinical experience, written for the kitchen and the gym.
Dr. Kessler co-authored a trilogy on bone health and joint pain with writer Colleen Kapklein. The books make the same approach he uses in practice available to anyone with a fork, a pair of sneakers, and an interest in their own health. He also authored the bone density section of a medical textbook used in physician training.
Published 2000
The Bone Density Diet6 Weeks to a Strong Body and Mind
With co-author Colleen Kapklein
A six-week framework for protecting and rebuilding bone — from baseline labs and DEXA, to a Mediterranean-style food plan, to weight-bearing movement, to the supplements and trace minerals most physicians never mention.
Inside the book
- Why bone is living tissue and how it remodels
- Foods that build bone (and the foods that quietly steal it)
- Calcium, vitamin D, K2, magnesium, and protein — the team
- Weight-bearing and resistance exercise programs by ability
- Stress, sleep, and the cortisol–bone connection
Related articles in the Health Library
Published 2001
The Bone Density Program6 Weeks to Strong Bones and a Healthy Body
With co-author Colleen Kapklein
An expanded program that goes deeper into nutrition, movement, hormones, and lifestyle for stronger bones at every age — for women navigating menopause and for anyone with a family history of osteoporosis.
Inside the book
- How perimenopause and menopause change bone
- Hormones, thyroid, and bone — what to test and when
- Resistance and impact training that actually works
- Practical meal plans, recipes, and shopping lists
- When prescription medication makes sense — and when it doesn't
Related articles in the Health Library
Published 2004
No More Knee PainA Woman's Guide to Natural Prevention and Relief
With co-author Colleen J. Kapklein
An integrative, non-surgical approach to chronic knee pain. Why the knee depends on the hip and the foot, the strength and weight changes that quiet osteoarthritis pain, anti-inflammatory eating, manual therapy, and when imaging or injections genuinely help.
Inside the book
- Why women develop knee pain differently than men
- The 7-step non-surgical recovery framework
- Anti-inflammatory eating for joint pain
- Targeted strengthening for the quads, glutes, and hips
- How to know when surgery is — and isn't — the right call