Diabetes For Dummies, by Dr. Simon Poole, Amy Riolo, and Alan L. Rubin, MD

In general, as someone who has read a large number of books in the dummies series, I have found this book to be a generally solid book when it comes to discussing its topic. Given the book’s obvious intent to be comprehensive, it is perhaps a bit less helpful in specific circumstances than a more carefully targeted book would be, but it is also long enough that this is not a big problem and the book manages to be helpful and informative as well as well-organized. The one striking oddity about the book, and it is not really a flaw so much as an obvious agenda, is the way that one of the authors of the book is a chef and an ambassador for the Mediterranean lifestyle, and so the book tends very heavily in the direction of endorsing the Mediterranean diet pretty heavily. While in general I tend to be hostile to such agendas on the part of authors, the fact that the cover of the book states the agenda pretty clearly and the Mediterranean diet is definitely the one I find most appealing as far as anti-diabetes diets go makes it easier for me not to have a huge problem with the agenda as would be the case with an agenda I am more hostile to. Still, the agenda needs to be noted even if one is not hostile to it.

One of the most striking aspects of diabetes is just how little we know about why the disease has become so common. It appears that there is a strong genetic vulnerability that some people have to diabetes, but equally clear that something in our lifestyles has gone seriously awry. Even when we take into account the sedentary nature of much of contemporary life, it appears somewhat obvious–though it is not exactly clear how–that the tampering with food and nutrition has massive negative effects with regards to the prevalence of diabetes in the general population, especially the shocking rise of type-two or double diabetes among young people. The connection that diabetes has with other diseases related to the inability of the body to take in nutrients effectively also indicates that there is possibly an epigenetic aspect to diabetes that has not been fully explored–and there are also hints that viruses are connected with the rise of type one diabetes in children, though it is not exactly clear which viruses are involved. The authors are not to be blamed for not having a firm understanding of the etiology of diabetes, though it must be admitted that advice of this book–particularly the comments made about weight control–indicate that there are wide differences between how diabetes is treated and what the authors consider to be ideal.

In terms of its contents, this book is a bit more than 400 pages and is divided into five parts and nineteen chapters. After an introduction, the first part of the book encourages the reader to understand diabetes (I) with chapters on how diabetes affects us all (1), how one makes the diagnosis of diabetes (2), and how to recognize the different types of diabetes–some people estimate there are as many as four types, including dementia (3). After this, the authors urge the reader to adopt a multisystem approach to diabetes (II), with chapters on maintaining optimal health on a daily basis (4), preventing long-term complications (5), and preserving sexual function and protecting pregnancy (!) (6). The third section, and longest, discusses how people with diabetes can “live their best life” (III) with chapters on self-testing for glucose and other things (7), diet (8), healthful eating and lifestyle strategies (9), practical tips for success in the kitchen and at the table (10), creating an exercise plan (11), treatment and medication (12), as well as assembling one’s diabetes team (13). This is followed by special considerations for living with diabetes (IV), namely managing diabetes in children (14), healthy aging (15), dealing with occupational and insurance problems (16), and eyeing what’s new in global diabetes care (17). The fifth part is the familiar part of tens (V), with chapters on ten commandments for excellent diabetes care (18) as well as ten myths about the disease (19). The book ends with a mini-cookbook of tomato-filled Mediterranean recipes in an appendix and an index.