This is a book for food for Diabetics, especially type II. The recipes and methods follow Dr Bernstein's other book (The Diabetes Solution: The Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugars - which I highly recommend from seeing it actually work on on my mother and my spouse).
First things first: There have been other reviewers who seem to not onlyto have missed the point that this is for *diabetics*, but also have an axe to grind with snarky comments about "low carb taliban".Thats an idiotic thing to say when uncontrolled carbs are the very things that are killing the type II diabetic with uncontrollable blood glucose levels.This is not some flavor of the month to be glib about - this is a lifestyle change to treat a life threatening disease.
There is no cure - you will have to change your life; Dr Bernstein is quite clear about that.And Diabetes is all aboutrules you must use to control your blood sugar.It all begins with your food.Control your food intake and you will enable control of your blood sugar.And thats is where the "strict" and "forever" come from.Regardless of how snarky some people wish to be about it, this is a choice between eating that cinnabon and dying of diabetic complications, or moving along and realizing that you are making a trade-off: the carbs for your health.Either you control your diabetes or you will die from it.
There have been comments made about the "outlawing" of Splenda (and Equal as well, had that the review bothered to read further), but thisapplies only to the *powdered form*. Dr Bernstein instead recommends Stevia if you wish to use a powder, or the *tablet* form if you wish to use Equal or Splenda.In fact, the tablet form of Equal is what Dr Bernstein writes that he himself uses.
All the facts: dieters should note that many of the artificial sweeteners in the dry form you find in those blue or yellow or pink packets actually contain sugars other than sucrose in order to provide bulk and avoid bitterness.Read the label in the grocery store and you will see that is the truth about a vast majority of the powdered forms, especially things like dextrose.
Beware of poeple who cavalierly and foolishly dismisses the presence of those substances, even though they are sugars!This causes me to seriously question whether that such people did much more than skim the book to reinforce thier biases.I urge people to go browse this book or the reviews for the other Bernstein book (or other sections of the book as published online at Dr Bernsteins web site).
Back to this book now that some common erros and misconceptions have been pointed out:
The recipes in here fit very well into almost any low-carb diet.But unlike the typical "Atkins" recipes (which some people use as an excuse to have a bacon-grease free-for-all),they also take into account protein and fat content to a much greater extent.There is a lot of difficulty in coming up with a menu that keeps your carbohydrates in line with Dr Bernstein's inescapable "Laws of Small Numbers", but this cookbook is a great starting place.
The recipes do not use many exotic items, and are reasonably easy for an experienced home-cook to prepare.There is a lot of "flavor" in these dishes, so, unlike some other low-carb diet plans I've had, there is no need to eat with your fork in one hand and the tabasco sauce in the other.
However, after a while, even these recipes will get "stale" if this cookbook is all you are using.There are not really as many recipes as most other low-carb cookbooks.But by examining how this book put together the proper amounts of protein and carbohydrate, proper portioning, and the proper types of carbohydrates, you can readily take other low-carb recipes and menus and adapt them to fit into the Bernstein Diabetes Solution.For example I was able to adapt many of the recipes in Carpender's "500 Low-Carb Recipes" and "15 minute Low Carb Recipes" books with little trouble at all.
Bottom line: For the casual dieter, there are probably easier ways of doing that, but for the diabetic, this is the gold mine.This book, along with the main "Solution" book will be invaluable for those working with their doctors to implement their own personalized "Diabetes Solution" to control and achieve normal blood sugars.
Product DescriptionA revolutionary new low-carb diet for diabetics by the doctor who pioneered a successful new approach to the disease--with 100 original mouth watering recipes.For diabetics, diet is more than a lifestyle choice--it*s the key to controlling the course of their disease. Many diabetics struggle their entire lives to maintain a healthy weight, but the guidelines given to them by the American Diabetes Association have proven unhelpful in regulating blood sugar--the critical component in keeping diabetes in check. In THE DIABETES DIET, Dr. Bernstein serves up the groundbreaking low-carbohydrate approach to diabetes care that has enabled his patients to take control of their disease by regulating their blood sugar without the usual swings. Dr. Bernstein himself is living proof of the success of this method, and he has the science to back it up. Plunging into the current debate on low-fat vs. low-carb diets, he shows that, especially for diabetics, low-carb is what will change lives--and he offers 100 delicious all-new recipes to help keep diabetics on track for life. The recipes and advice in THE DIABETES DIET will provide readers with an easy-to-follow guide for controlling their disease and regaining their health and well-being.* There are an estimated 18 million diabetics in America, and their number is increasing every year--yet there are no low-carb diet books appropriate for diabetics.* Since publication in 1997, Dr. Bernstein*s Diabetes Solution and its revised 2003 edition have sold more than 120,000 copies.* An engineer by training, Bernstein pioneered blood glucose self-monitoring and the tight control of blood sugar that is now accepted as the standard treatment of diabetes. He entered medical school at the age of 45 in order to publish his findings.
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The Diabetes Diet: Dr. Bernstein's Low-Carbohydrate Solution (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.
