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DiDonovan
, February 15, 2015
(view all comments by DiDonovan)
There are so many books on the market about diabetes, one might wonder at the need for yet another. Hasn't everything - including the latest research and options - already been covered elsewhere?
The answer is 'yes' - and it's also couched in caution, because most competing diabetes self-help books are not only far weightier, but far more daunting to the non-medically trained diabetic who may be overwhelmed with so many new facts (and so much of it sounding conflicting) that it's hard to tell how to actually apply the information to daily routines.
That's where Taming the Diabetes Wave kicks in. Don't let its pamphlet-like appearance (a little over fifty pages, 8.5 x 11 format, no spine lettering) dissuade you: this competes with the best of them and even better, it presents its information using larger print than most, which is easy on an older Type 2's eyes, and more inviting.
The details are presented using large, full-page color diagrams and easy charts complimented by bulleted text and headliners which address the daily concerns of diabetics, from 'What's On Your Plate?' to 'What is Good Control' and 'Medications'. Knowing how food reacts in the body, how medications affect sugar levels, and the pros and cons of various choices is key to taming what O'Brien describes as a 'wave' of up and down sugar levels - and this metaphor is both accessible and an appropriate description of what the diabetic struggles with daily.
There are many facts here which simply vanish in weightier presentations, from the fact that vigorous exercise can actually increase sugar levels temporarily, making it necessary to test an hour or more after such an effort, to how (and more importantly, when) to introduce appropriate snacks in the diabetic diet.
My husband has been a diet and medication controlled diabetic for 20 years and you can bet he's read just about all the books on the market. Most of them are loaded with facts that simply don't make sense when applied to one's daily life.
That's the beauty of Taming the Diabetes Wave: it holds unparalleled accessibility - and that means a diabetic can actually read, comprehend, and more importantly, apply its tips to daily life.
Librarians looking to acquire this for collections may find its lack of spine (and thus, spine lettering) and slim appearance relegates it to the pamphlet file - but it would be a shame to bury it there. Taming the Diabetes Wave deserves to be on display, where it will attract an audience of diabetics who tire of weighty, confusing approaches to the subject and who just want clear, simple, easy access to information that requires no special educational background to immediately apply to daily routines.
Very highly recommended!
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