Review of Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution: A Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugars (Hardcover)

I wrote a review of Dr. Bernstein's book in June of 2000. At that time, I had lost 15 pounds and had normalized my blood sugars using his regimen. Eighteen months later, I am still following his diet and routines. Most of the time my blood sugar is between 75 and 90 and my hemoglobin a1c is 4.6. I visited his office in ... and have had phone contact and occasional visits to his New York office since that time. (I live in Pittsburgh, PA) I have now lost over 55 pounds and kept it off. My cholesterol has improved so that it is normal to low normal. Dr. Bernstein also diagnosed a thyroid condition—which other doctors told me I did not have—and with treatment, I am now in the completely normal range of both T3 and T4 and my energy levels are normal for the first time in years. I do not find the lack of carbohydrates to be that much of a sacrifice, especially considering the damage that high blood sugars can cause. I have found food items that help make up for the lack of regular bread and potatoes (made by Ketogenics) that help when I am hungry for bread, but do not adversely affect my blood sugar. Dr. Bernstein is indeed available 24 hours a day. Last December, I awoke at 2 A.M. with severe vomiting and diarrhea—very serious for diabetics and I called his emergency number. He answered the phone, gave me excellent instructions, and had me contact him every few hours—through Christmas Day—until I had recovered somewhat. I wish doctors in my area would take his treatment and ideas more seriously because they do work. When I have attempted to add extra carbs to my diet, it ALWAYS raises my blood sugar to unacceptable levels (over 110). If I were to eat the diet recommended by the A.D.A., I would have severe problems with my blood sugar, which would in turn affect my cholesterol and my heart. I know because I used their diet and developed diabetes while on it. Low fat, high carb (and I ate mostly complex carbs—whole grains, beans, fruit, carrots, beets) and avoided foods considered to be unhealthy. I liked that food, but it certainly did not help my condition, and I quickly gained weight on it after initially losing weight. I have lost the weight on the Bernstein diet and have NOT regained it. The Bernstein program works for those who follow it. I am very, very grateful I found the book and I still highly recommend it to anyone who is diabetic, is likely to be one or who has a loved one who has the disease.



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Review of Natural Treatments for Diabetes (Paperback)

I found this book helpful in identifying natural treatments for diabetes and pre-diabetes. It provided a balanced view of pros and cons,and contraindications of each as well as providing therapeutic dosages.
J. Harris



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Review of Diabetic Athlete's Handbook (Paperback)

Energizing! In one word, that is how to describe this book. As a proponent of exercise for people with diabetes, I have found this book and Colberg-Ochs previous edition of it the best book out there to inspire us folks with this condition. What it is most powerful in this book is it gives real life stories and solutions to people with diabetes by people with diabetes. In our foundation, we always recommended Colberg-Ochs's Diabetic Athlete's Handbook as the "answer" book for athletes (and those who want to get active) and will continue to with this edition.

Jay Handy, Founder, Diabetes Sports and Wellness Foundation


Product Description
Don't let diabetes slow you down. Whether you're a recreational exerciser or a competitive athlete, the Diabetic Athlete's Handbook has the training and performance advice you need to remain active and at the top of your game.


Renowned researcher and diabetes expert Dr. Sheri Colberg has developed a practical guide specifically for athletes of all ages with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The Diabetic Athlete's Handbook provides you with the most up-to-date information on insulins and other medications, glucose monitors, blood sugar management, nutrition and supplements, injury prevention and treatment, and mental strategies for maximizing performance and optimizing health.


Featuring more than 100 sport-specific training guidelines for fitness, endurance, power, and outdoor activities, the Diabetic Athlete's Handbook is the one resource you can't afford to be without. Rely on it to stay healthy, be more active, train smarter, and reach new levels of athletic success.

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Review of The Type 2 Diabetic Woman (Paperback)

This is the best book on Diabetes Type 2 I've read to date. It'swell-written while remaining informative. Rosenthal succeeds in teaching usabout anatomy, psychology, and medicine in easy-to-read and comprehensive,yet truly interesting text.
The historical background of Diabetes Type 2is fascinating and answers many questions. She covers everything we*really* need to know and understand about the disease. This book is a mustfor all women who either have diabetes or suspect that something is wrongwith their health. It's not just for diabetics, it's for women!! Bravo!

Product Description
The Type 2 Diabetic Woman is designed to address the unique physical and emotional aspects of this disease for women.Stressing the importance of good self-management, bestselling health writer M. Sara Rosenthal presents information on nutrition, exercise, self-testing, medications, sex, and pregnancy in a warm, supportive manner.The book focuses on how to work with your health-care team, how to make the right lifestyle changes, and how to prevent long-term complications.

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Review of Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes: The Scientifically Proven System for Reversing Diabetes Without Drugs (Hardcover)

OK, so the diet is very much like the Dean Ornish program for reversing heart disease. A decade ago, I couldn't follow the diet, but it's funny what diabetes-related eye surgery, plus the wider availability of soy foods, can accomplish.

The basic message is simple: No animal fat or protein, eat all the low glycemic-index carbs you want, and reduce all fats as much as possible. The fat reduction has been the hard part for me, though my fat intake has been greatly reduced.

Results? In one month: Blood glucose average is now what my fasting glucose used to be. I have cut one of my meds in half. My medicated blood pressure is now within a very acceptable range. I have lost more than 10 pounds. I am happier, feel healthier, and I am not hungry all the time!

To make this program work, you need to commit to it. But, I have found this much easier than my Weight Watchers experience five years ago and don't really feel the urge to cheat on this diet.

Product Description
Offering new hope to millions, this new nutritional approach to diabetes will dramatically alter the way we think about treating the disease

Until now, most health professionals have considered diabetes a one-way street. Once you developed it, you were stuck with it-and you could anticipate one complication after another, from worsening eyesight and nerve symptoms to heart and kidney problems.

Enter Dr. Neal Barnard, who through a series of groundbreaking studies, the latest funded by the National Institutes for Health, has shown it doesn't have to be that way. By following the diet outlined in this book, readers can control blood sugar three times more effectively than with the American Diabetes Association's diet and, beyond that, improve their bodies' ability to respond to insulin-in effect reversing the defining symptom of the disease. And there's more. Study participants lost weight, were able to cut back on and sometimes even discontinue medications, and left behind tedious exchange plans in favor of delicious foods in generous portions.

It's a new way to treat diabetes. It's about time.

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Review of The Thinking Person's Guide to Diabetes: The Draznin Plan (Hardcover)

anyone with Diabetes needs to read this book


The Thinking Person's Guide to Diabetes: The Draznin Plan by Boris Draznin

Product Description
Based on his successful treatment of thousands of diabetic patients for over 30 years, Dr. Draznin has developed a specific and easy-to-follow plan that combines increased physical activity with critical dietary restrictions.His scientific expertise as one of the nation's leading diabetologists shines through in his descriptions of how body weight is regulated and what we can do to impact these regulatory mechanisms.Dr. Draznin's clincial experience is evident in his inclusion of real life cases as well as his empahasis on practical advice.

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Review of Syndrome X: The Complete Nutritional Program to Prevent and Reverse Insulin Resistance (Paperback)

I have been on this diet for three weeks and have lost 6lbs. Recently diagnosed with PCOS, I have been researching insulin-resistance with a fervor. "Syndrome X" does an excellent job of explaining insulin-resistance and its causes. However the eating plan outlined in the book is too hard to follow. The advice to avoid high-glycemic foods is sound, but after three weeks I was finding this increasingly difficult. This is not a lifestyle that I could live with forever.
I just read the book, "The Insulin-Resistance Diet: How to Turn Off Your Body's Fat-Making Machine". This book is more current than "Syndrome X" and provides an eating plan more congruent with the typical American lifestyle. The book explains how to balance carbohydrates (even high-glycemic carbs such as sugar and pasta) with protein to avoid insulin spikes, promote weight loss, and avoid disease. I started the new eating plan yesterday and my energy has greatly increased. On our evening walk last night, my husband commented that I had much more energy than I used to. I think that energy was a result of allowing myself the small serving of carbohydrates with dinner (1/2 cup of pasta and 1oz of chocolate) that I had been denying myself on the "Syndrome X" plan.
The "Syndrome X" eating plan is difficult to follow but effective.I do not know how effective the plan outlined in "The Insulin-Resistance Diet" is but I will write a review of it in a few weeks and cite my progress.
UPDATE: "The Insulin-Resistance Diet" did not work for me.As difficult as the "Syndrom X" diet is to stick to, it is really the only diet that shown me good results.Therefore I have upgraded my rating from 3 stars to 4 stars.I suppose that diets are supposed to be hard, otherwise everyone would be thin...



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Review of Low Carb Made Easy: Weight loss, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Cholesterol, Chronic Fatigue, Sugar Addiction, and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (Paperback)

Bought this book but thought it would be like most other diet books which you read but never put into practice. However, it is simply written and thr diet, although not really aa "diet" is realistic and easy to follow on a daily basis. This low carb diet does work as well, within a few weeks the results were obvious and my cholestrol had fallen. Definetly recommend this book to anyone wanting to lose weight and reduce cholesterol.



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Review of The First Year Type 2 Diabetes: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed (Paperback)

You won't regret getting this book!
Gretchen Becker's "The First Year Type 2 Diabetes" is very well-organized, easy to read, and wonderfully educational. It is organized based on the information you need and the amount of detail you can assimilate -- in other words, first things first, with finer points and expanded details later in the book.
The information she presents includes the most recent research. She discusses the merits and myths of the most popular diets and treatments you will hear about.
I got her book when I was first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, before talking with a diabetes educator or attending any classes on diabetes. By the time I was formally educated, I had already heard everything from Gretchen's book, and was also able to identify some dated traditional information. She really helped me understand why there isn't a consensus of opinion on the "best" diet for diabetics, and the source of many unfounded and/or unsubstantiated arguments for and against the popular approaches. For example, she discusses the pros and cons of the Food Pyramid (USDA, ADA), low-fat diets (Ornish, etc), exchange diets (ADA, Zone, Weight Watchers, etc), low-carb diets (Atkins, etc).
If you are in the "Your body, your science experiment" camp, she tells you several easy experiments to learn more about your own body processes various foods so you can take control and fine tune your own treatment.

Product Description
If you read only one book after you are diagnosed with diabetes, make it The First Year--Type 2 Diabetes
Gretchen Becker was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1996. Since then she has educated herself on every aspect of this chronic condition--by reading medical and scientific books and journals, talking with doctors, using the Internet to communicate daily with other people who have diabetes, and by listening to her own body. Now, as a "patient-expert," she guides all those newly diagnosed step-by-step through their first year with diabetes. In a unique format, The First Year--Type 2 Diabetes walks you through everything you need to learn and do each day of your first week after diagnosis, each subsequent week of the first month, and each subsequent month of The First Year.

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