Diabetes Books

I had a really hard time finding this book, and I was amazed when I received a free autographed copy of it when I joined Brenda's fan club. I immediately opened it and settled down to read. I was not disappointed. I would recommend this book to everyone. It was well written and a very satisfying read. Brenda Novak is definetly on my auto buy list. Everything she's written is excellent!

Outstanding book. I have never read anything by Brenda Novak and my first book of hers was not a disappointment at all. It kept me interested throughout the entire book. The bravery of Emma is totally unforgettable.

I have just recently found Brenda Novak as a new author to read.
This was my second book of hers.......the first kept me reading till the end.......this one .....found a little boring....kept putting it down.....and re-reading pages.....till I finished the book. Have looked up other books she written and will give them a try.

This book is one of the best suspense/romance novels I have read in years! I only wonder why Brenda Novak didn't ride the top of the bestseller lists with this superior book.

Emma is trying to escape with her diabetic son, Max, from her abusive "husband" Manuel (who can only be described as OILY- this guy really makes my skin crawl!) Manuel relentlessly chases her cross-country...but Emma finds reluctant help in Preston Holman, who is deeply troubled and on a quest of his own. Emma and Preston certainly don't love-or even really like-one another at first, but they DO need each other, and the story is built realistically in that vein.

The way this book is written, I didn't become frustrated with the book when an exasperating situation arose- just got angrier with creepy Manuel. And I was touched by Preston's slow (and therefore believable) change of attitude.

The end of this book is very charming and I cried a little. This is my second Brenda Novak book, and I liked it enough that I'll recommend it frequently.

Vanessa is on the run from her abusive lover Manuel with their son Dominick in tow. She has reinvented herself as Emma, and now calls her son Max. It won't be easy to hide - Max has juvenile diabetes, and requires medication and insulin. If Manuel pinpoints their location, he can contact local pharmacies to try to locate them. While on the run she hooks up with a fellow tortured soul - Preston Holman, who has spent the better part of the last two years searching for the doctor he holds responsible for the death of his son.

At first, Preston wants nothing to do with the rag tag duo, mostly because Max reminds him of his son Dallas. But a touch of guilt and his instant lust for Emma has him offering them a ride to Iowa. As Max worms his way into Preston's heart, and he and Emma embark on a passionate affair, Preston is able to open up and feel something more than his grief and his need for vengeance.

Manuel, a drug runner with an emasculating mama that makes Norman Bates look functional, will never let his lover get the best of him. He vows to find her and bring her home for punishment. He and his henchman follow up on clues but the trio on the run keeps one step ahead of them. Will their luck ever run out?

With a villain you cannot help but hate, and endearing child you cannot help but love, and a passionate but damaged couple who find a second chance for love, you won't be able to help but become entangled in this story and hope for that Hollywood ending.

I think this is a great cookbook. A lot of very good recipes with a good variety of ingredients. Its hard to find diabetic recipes that dont have a lot of beans or veggies (hubby doesnt eat them) and have them still taste good. I have been impressed with everything i have made. The carb count is a little high on some recipes, but the calories and fat are usually low. I also love that you can look up in the index something you have on hand and it will give you a list of recipes that call for that item. Very helpful.

Many of the recipes in this cookbook have in excess of 50-60 carbs per serving. Many times a serving is way less then what actually we put on our plates. As a diabetic I could not recommend this book to someone new to diabetes control. A+ for the quanity and quality of the recipes but NOT for a diabetic.

I'm not diabetic, but as I looked through the appetizers section of this cookbook, I just had to try it. The recipes sounded that yummy. I bought the book and recommend it highly to anyone who wants to cook tasty food without resorting to lots of fat and sugar to do it.

I am on Weight Watchers, and the recipes are points-friendly without being tasteless, and "tasteless" is how I would describe every WW recipe and every "healthy" frozen dinner I have tried--sorry to say. By contrast, the food from this cookbook is great. I made the monkfish-cheddar chowder from the book last week and that recipe will be a longterm keeper. [By the way, it works with talapia or another firm white fish if you don't want to spend $$ on monkfish or can't find it at your local, land-locked grocery. :-)]

One of the best things about the book is that it teaches without being at all preachy. For instance, the chowder recipe called for pureeing some of the vegetables and broth before adding the fish. I first thought, "That's a pain in the neck," to this apparently unnecessary step, but I did it, and realized that the soup is much thicker and creamier--without cream--because a portion of the veggies were pureed. I learned something AND I got a great soup out of the deal.

All recipes list calories, sodium, fat, protein, carbs and the like, as well as "exchanges" for those to whom that language is useful. No fiber grams are listed, which makes the recipes a little harder to estimate WW points for than they would be otherwise. Perhaps in a future edition, the authors can list fiber grams. In the meantime, I'm very much enjoying the book and the food I can make with it.

I'M A RECENT DIABETIC. I HAVE LOOKED OVER COOKBOOK AFTER COOKBOOK. NONE ADAPTED TO MY TASTE OR LIFE STYLE. THIS ONE IS TOTALLY GREAT. I MADE THE WALDORF SALAD FOR THANKGIVING. MY FAMILY'S WAS CRAZY ABOUT IT. THE HUNGARIAN GOULASH WAS GREAT ALSO. I HAVE BOUGHT, BUT I HAVEN'T TRIED THE 1,001 DESSERTS BOOK YET. IF IT IS AS GOOD AS THE RECIPE BOOK, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING THE DESSERTS ALSO. IF YOU ARE DIEBETIC, YOU HAVE TO TRY THESE BOOKS. I CAN'T RECOMMEND THEM ENOUGH.

On the plus side, there are 1001 recipes, so you have to be able to find some you will enjoy and the directions are easy to follow. Most of the recipes keep an eye on carbs, sugars and fat, but make sure you pay attention to the sodium and cholesterol content or your meal might get out of hand. I would like to have seen them include fiber and maybe even a breakdown of the carbs and fats in the nutritional info like some other cookbooks are doing. I ran into a couple of recipes that had minor errors in them, such as a listed ingredient not being used in the steps or vice-versa. The most troubling thing I found is that some of the nutritional information doesn't seem to add up. The "Chicken-Vegetable Manicotti with Creamed Spinach Sauce" lists 435 grams of carbs for a 2 manicotti serving. I guess errors are bound to happen when you have 1000 recipes, and I expect they will be fixed for future editions, but make sure you take a good look at the nutritional info and exchanges to see if it makes sense. All in all though, it makes a decent choice for your cookbook collection.

This is a good resource but it takes quite a bit of time to make plans and progress - guess there is no easy way, just like life itself.

This book was OK for basic information, but not up to date on current requirements suggested by the ADA. It's publication date is not that old, so I felt it was way off base.

This is a very handy and excellent source for people with Diabetes, or
for anyone else who most restrict their carbs on a daily basis. It is
very easy to use.

THIS BOOK IS VERY USEFUL. I RECOMMEND IT TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HAVE A GUIDE LIKE THIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH

Very important information to help anyone with carb counts. Highly recommend.

I ordered the Snack Attack book for my wife, since she rarely orders on line. She loves it!!! and I enjoy the rewards! Great book, fantastic snack ideas, recipes and organization. May order a few more for gifts! Great snacks for everyone, not just diabetics.

Lots of great quick recipes for the diabetic.

The volume I got has been evidently used by a 'heavy' smoker and still carries the scent. Nothing against this book, but the particular seller. This means I will buy more new and less used books in the future.

It had some good recipes to try but for the most part not anything great. A lot of it is time consuming and not a "ready" snack.

This book has made it easier to find tasty recipes that I can eat. I am loosing weight but not feeling deprived because I can snack and even eat desserts and the recipes that I have tried from this book have been tasty and easy to make.

A great book. Lots of healthy alternative snack choices for all occasions. I love it.

Great book for diabetics who are vegans or who want a few vegetarian meals a week.

We bought this book about 12-15 years ago and I wanted to see if it was updated. The book was real good then and I tried lots of things that didn't even sound like something we would eat. They were all good and passable then and probably still are. It must have been put together by someone who know what they were doing. The only thing I object to is when premade items (like soup, or roll mixes) are used in the "homemade" recipes.

I found this book to be helpful in understanding the basic proportions of a healthful vegetarian diabetic diet, but have some reservations about it overall.

First of all, this book, which is sub-titled "Vegetarian Pleasures" might lead a practicing vegetarian to believe that it is focused on vegetarians, but ...throughout the book, vegetable protein sources are referred to as "meat substitutes". To a practicing vegetarian, there is no such thing as a meat substitute because there is no meat on your plate. The editors should take note of this for the next edition or be more up front about the fact that this book is really for non-vegetarians trying to add meatless meals to their diabetic routine. Which I completely support, by the way!

I also found some of the meals a little awkward, like this one: 1 soy dog, 1/2 c EACH carrot and celery sticks, 1/2 brussels sprouts AND 1 c bean salad, made with legumes. I really didn't know what to make of this either from an aesthetic or nutritional viewpoint. And I found the use of a certain brandname dried soup mix throughout to be annoying when it's so easy to make up and freeze nutritious home-made soups.

All that being said, though, I would still recommend this book to anyone who wants to have a selection of usually tasty, nutritious vegetarian diabetic meals, in a easy to read format. I liked the mix and match concept, the meals provide good templates for designing your own favorites, and the nutritional information in the back is very helpful. The menus tend to be the :30 quick-fix at home sort, but some of them are really good and they appeal to a contemporary palate in their mix of ethnic and old standard recipies. The use of soy product is minimal and most folks trying to just add some vegetarian variety to their diets will find many appealing options. The value to the practicing vegetarian is in the way menus are modelled on proper amounts of fats, carbs and proteins, so that you can train yourself to make appropriate and well-balanced meals of the correct portion size. So, despite flaws, I do recommend this helpful and useful book.

First I must admit that I hate every book that doesn't have at least one image every two recipes. This book has about 10 images for the entire book.
I think the recipes are what some could qualify as simple, but really the good term would be obvious, you could figure it out yourself. Imagine what you would put in a spinach lasagna... Did you guess? lasagna pasta, tomato sauce of some sort, cheese and spinach. A little bit more taste? add onion and garlic and a little bit of dried oregano. Come on! Can't you make it up yourself? The recipes in that book have nothing new at all. Boring.
An other thing that infuriates me when I use a cooking book is when it uses prepared food. When a book tells me that I could cook spaghetti and use canned spaghetti sauce, but spice it up with dried italian herbs, I would slap its author with a cooking mitt... And you call that a recipe? I call that a college student meal.

I have always enjoyed vegetarian meals but find that sometimes they take too much time and a lot of trouble to prepare until I found the Month of Meals; Vegetarian Pleasures. The recipes are easy to prepare and they are very tasty. I am very pleased with this book and would recommend it for anyone with diabetes or not to become a healthier individual through vegetables.

While his little show makes me want to jump out a window, his cookbook lives up to its name. Quick and easy, and the recipes actually work, unlike with many other cookbooks where the recipes do not turn out. I give it 4 out of 5 stars because the book lives up to its name and is affordable.

THE TRUTH ABOUT SUGAR As a Registered Dietitian, for more than 20 years, and Certified Diabetes Educator, for over 10 years, I was so distressed by reviewer comments regarding sugar in the diabetic diet, that I am taking time to respond. Since 1994 dietitians and educators working with people with diabetes have been trying to get the truth out about sucrose (sugar). Sugar is NOT a forbidden food for people with diabetes. Scientific evidence from more than a dozen studies has shown that the use of sugar does impair blood glucose control in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Sugar and foods containing sugar must be substituted for other carbohydrates, gram for gram, and not simply added to the diabetes meal plan. In making such substitutions, the nutrient content of concentrated sweets and sucrose-containing foods, as well as the presence of other nutrients frequently ingested with sucrose, such as fat, must be considered. The bottom line for people with diabetes is to check the total carbohydrate in a recipe or on a food label and work that into their diabetes meal plan. Because there are individual variations in blood glucose response, self-monitoring is an important part of diabetes control.

Subject Index: Appetizers, Beans, Beef, Cabbage, Cakes, Chicken, Chili, Chocolate, Clams, Cookies, Cornish Hens, Couscous, Cucumbers, Desserts, Dips, Eggs, Fruit, Fruit Desserts, Green Beans, Mushrooms, Onions, Ostrich, Pasta, Peppers, Pies, Pizza, Pork, Potatoes, Poultry, Quesadillas, Salads, Sandwiches, Sausage, Seafood, Shrimp, Soups, Spinach, Stir-Fry, Tomatoes, Turkey, Veal and Vegetables.

Before I started on a diabetic diet I had a few of Mr. Food's other recipe books. I was so excited to find out he, Art Ginsburg, had written a recipe book for those with diabetes. My diabetic diet had become so boring and plain until I received this book from Amazon.com. Now I look forward to planning my next meal.
The Double Chocolate Brownies were a hit with an Irish club I
belong to. People were happy to see something they were allowed to eat on our snack table instead of the usual sugary treats.

My husband and I aren't diabetic, but we both need to lose weight. We didn't have much success with any of the brand-name diets, so we went to a registered dietician who put us on a diabetic exchange diet. Initially we had a hard time sticking to it, because it was hard to figure out ways to make food tasty with limited fat and starch intake, not to mention trying to figure out correct portion sizes to fit our exchanges.

This book, however, is making it much easier. I'm learning how to make subsitutions so food tastes good but is still healthy and within our dietary limits. The food may not always be as full-flavored as our favorite old fat-laden recipes, but there are recipes my husband is actually requesting, instead of wishing he could have his favorite fast food or Thai food!

The intro to the book has tips on portion sizes and subsitutionswhich are helpful in knowing what to eat and how much of it. Couple this information with a good kitchen scale, and you'll find that you'll be preparing meals you're actually looking forward to eating!

Brief and to the point, this book was just WONDERFUL. Mr. Food's TV recipes always seem so deliciously decedant. This book is also delicious ... but very far from decadent! Loved it!

The beginning of answers for chronic illnesses are found in this book. I have a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmune thyroid disease and abnormal rapid weight gain related to both. I believe that learning to control the chronic infections underlying these will improve the health of millions of people such as myself. We should all take notes on this book, especially on the treatment protocols mentioned, take the notes to our doctors and GET THE HELP WE NEED TO GET WELL!

First and foremost, this book made me think. It opened up perspectives I would never of stumbled upon otherwise. If insulin resistance does precede obesity, that drastically changes research perspectives and treatment options.

The evidence that infectious disease is at the heart of obesity, heart disease -- is fascinating, but IMO, still quite weak.

The evidence that excess cortisol is (basically) to blame for everything was well supported. Even things we know are beneficial, such as low-sugar eating, may be beneficial because they decrease hypoglycemia episodes (associated with cortisol production).

Being skeptical, I'm going to have to go back through all the literature with this new explanation in mind.

The facts on obesity, appestat, were very interesting as well.

I may not have found this book if I had not entered "apple shape" in my search. Thankfully, it popped up, and I'm tickled pink, since I've found many profound ideas here. My biggest shock was on coffee, which I always defend 'cause it's a natural product of the earth. And it is, but its purpose is, according to these authors, not exactly what I preached. You'll have to read it for yourself, that way you'll buy this book and read it through.

The authors reverse causes to effects, they turn things sideways, and they keep you reading. The one (I think it's Farris), is a droll comedian in his writing. He had me practically in stitches.

Several friends need this wisdom, so I probably will have to buy it for them, since they get medical news only on TV shows.

If this was on Oprah, I missed it. If it wasn't, I believe it should have been.

This information-packed book explains the many effects of a naturally occurring stress hormone called cortisol. When the brain needs glucose (blood sugar), cortisol takes glucose from the cells of the muscles and liver, routing it to the brain. The inability of these cells to respond is called "insulin resistance". People with insulin resistance (e.g., those with Type 2 diabetes) must eat more food to obtain the required glucose. The surplus glucose is converted to abdominal fat. When this cycle happens frequently, the result is a potbelly.
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Cortisol is one of three important natural products of the adrenal glands. Cortisol is always present in the bloodstream, so even small changes in stress result in corresponding changes in cortisol levels. Chronic infections can also stimulate the production of cortisol to levels high enough to cause insulin resistance, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes - four conditions associated with the "potbelly syndrome", a term coined by the authors.
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Corticosteroid medications used to treat inflammations and autoimmune diseases introduce more cortisol into the bloodstream, resulting in increased appetite and weight gain. These drugs also lead to various forms of serious heart disease and high blood pressure because they tip the healthy cortisol balance. Thyroid deficiencies may be blamed for health problems that are really the result of excess cortisol.
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This book recommends specific steps to treat chronic hypercortisolism. It provides dozens of useful references and is well footnoted. The title chosen is unfortunate, because the important words "obesity", "diabetes", and "heart disease" don't turn up in a keyword search because they are buried in the subtitle. It is unlikely that someone with these health problems will search on the keyword "potbelly".
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I am an autoimmune disease specialist and endorse the findings presented in this book. My research has found a clear link between so-called autoimmune diseases and infection, but today's prevention and treatment approaches are inadequate. Patients must take charge of their health and become informed about the prescribed painkillers that do not address the root cause of the illness. These drugs merely treat symptoms and often have toxic side effects.
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This book is a great start to understanding three of the most important health problems today and how to deal with them. Armed with this knowledge, a patient is better equipped to work with the doctor as a team player to conquer chronic illness.

This book does an interesting job of describing the problem, but don't buy this book thinking that it will tell you how to lose weight. As the author says on page 124, "There is no safe, effective, and proven way to lose weight. . . . I believe that most cases of abdominal obesity, and perhaps most cases of any kind of obesity, can be traced back to chronic infections. If this is correct, then the best way to fight obesity will be to fight chronic infections. This is, needless to say, an unproven theory." The author holds out the hope that in the future, sophisticated medical treatment will be available. For now, the author recommends reducing stressors: avoid alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, air travel, television, etc. The author also recommends some changes that are easier said than done: marry the right person, live within your means, trust God, and so on. And if you have depression, get that cured somehow. None of this advice has actually made my potbelly any smaller.

This book was written as a labor of love, and the author obviously loves her son without bound and would do anything to help him. The problem with this is that love can sometimes skew our realistic view of certain situations. As a person living with diabetes for 11 years, as well as a member of a family of multiple people living with diabetes, I definitely understand the trials and tribulations, the emotional, physical, and blood sugar ups and downs that can occur with this disease. I can also say that complete and utter control- meaning precise schedules, specific food and excersize plans, etc. are not neccessarily the best and most effective way to deal with diabetes. Of course this method works, but there comes a point in every diabetic's life when they are out of control for whatever reason. It is extremely important for a child with diabetes to learn how to deal with this aspect on his own, and as soon as possible, to prepare him for the inevitable independent adulthood which will come sooner than the parent expects. Yes, it is possible to be a healthy diabetic with controlled blood sugars as well as an independent person who makes his own decisions about his own body. Many parents cannot grasp this part of diabetes, and I worry about the repercussions for this type of life when this child is grown and living on his own.

This is an invaluable resource for anyone who has a child with juvenile diabetes, or know's someone with diabetes. Laura chronicles the first three years after her 7 year old son, Danny, was diagnosed. This book made me laugh and cry. The personal stories are so powerful. Laura's vast amount of research is amazing. Her honesty is refreshing. She has truly mapped out her own path. As a result, Danny's blood sugar levels stay below the suggested guidelines and they have discovered a new sense of "normal". While mainstream medicine has it's place, I don't think it's very good at preventing and treating disease. It was great to read about the alternative holistic health options that Danny has tried to treat his diabetes. Great book!

Nutrition (real food, not FDA corporate profit), family values (not of the fundamentalist disorientation), honest experience (drama, trauma, the ethos of survival) and love (the alternative solution-based commitment that created this book)--all combine to create this as a resource of significant value for any family dealing with the health challenge of diabetes.

The parent of a child newly diagnosed with diabetes can be overwhelmed, terrified, and desperate. Seeing the medical team infrequently, talking to a busy intern on the phone in moments of panic, and trying to make sense of a myriad of how-to books can cause the parent of the newly diagnosed child to struggle during the day and stay awake at night worrying.

This author has been there, hit the depths and emerged to write the tale. Her book offers advice for a new normal with family members closer than ever and the child achieving blood sugar levels below the national average in the range where later complications will be avoided.The book has practical advice to help deal with this difficult situation - about diet and exercise as well as a cooperative spirit of sharing the dailiness of life with those close. Certainly family can pull together. This book should be shared with teachers and the parents of friends of the child so that they can be supportive and understanding.

If you the parent of a child with diabetes and are struggling to keep it together, you can learn alot from this book and make your entire family healthier, emotionally and physically.

I am a twelve year old girl with diabetes, after my mother read the book and said that she loved it I read it and it made me realize that eating healthy is extreamly important and getting excersize after meals will help me control my diabetes. The hospital told me to eat whatever i want, just as long as i take the corespoding amount of insulin. Even though they said that was the best way to do it my blood sugars were out of control. After reading this book me and my family have changed our diet so we eat fairly low carb and take walks after dinner together. I feel better since we changed our ways and i cannot recommend this book more. On top of it being educational, it is also a great story.

This book has some excellent recipes that will help anyone who is working toward improving their health.

This book is awesome! Meal plans included and he recipes look so simple! I'm excited to try some of them. The book arrived right on time!

Prevention magazine is known for great articles on health and healthy living. THis cookbook of diabetic, high fiber, and weightloss recipes is just more of their same high caliber writing. Recipes are tasty and healthy.

I purchased this Diabetes cookbook because first I am a Type 2 Diabetic, secondly I wanted to try and find a cookbook that actually had ideas for breakfast that were healthy,satisfying and most important tasted good.
the recipies in this book along with a sensible diet plan helps me meet my
goals and helps me keep my numbers in a good range. All the recipies are easy to make and taste good too. It would be nice if someone would just
write a breakfast cookbook for diabetics or those who have to watch their
carb intake.

Got for my father in law (type 2 insulin dependent) and my father (type 2 non insulin dependent). Great ideas, everything generally takes about 45 minutesi ncluding prep and cooking, but I suppose all cooking does! We enjoyed teh 2 different phases... offers good meal plans, would definitely recommend to a diabetic who is interested in cooking and helping their diet.

I eat a lot of from scratch food, usually on a vegetarian tilt. I bought this book for myself and my recently diagnosed daughter. To be honest, most of the recipes aren't something I see myself eating. It isn't what I eat, (salads, lean meats) but the quantities that I eat that cause me problems.

For someone who has little idea of how or what to cook, this would be helpful. For someone who has cooked healthy for years, it is redundant and ugly.

Finally, quick recipes! Some of the recipes you get in other books have way too much prep time or are too complicated to make. I think this is the best resource for someone with diabetes who has to watch sugar/carb intake. I hope more versions of this book comes out.

Two of my best friends are diabetics! We often eat our meals together and I was having a tough time trying to find a good recipe that I could use and yet have the food taste good! I love this book....it is so easy to use. Anyone that does not want to fuss....should buy this book! I think it is wonderful!

I am so pleased to have found this book. Type II runs in our family, and I'm trying to prevent it, by being careful about carbs, and balancing them with protein. All the balancing work is done for you. Great to find a cookbook with easy recipes that taste good, and you won't have to eat it all week! It was just what I had been looking for. I've only had it a few days, and have already tried several recipes. And these easy recipes make you realize how easy it could be to create your own variations. As a singleton, I'm glad things serve one or two, and it gives me a better idea of what a right-sized portion should be.

There seems to be two camps developing in the type 2
comunity, those who follow the traditional ADA high-carb
and low-fat way-of-life and those who follow the
low-carb, higher protein/fat way. This book is in the
high-carb group. Since I'm keeping my BG's 2hrs post
meal near the pre-meal targets (<120), the meals here
did not help me. Your milage may vary.