[.ca] The Diabetes Food and Nutrition Bible (ISBN 158040037X)

most helpful book so far:
Now that the condition called "pre-diabetic" has been recognized by the medical profession, even more people need information on meals, recipes and menu planning to aid in blood glucose control. I have just recently been diagnosed as pre- or "borderline" diabetic. Pre-diabetes and diabetes are medical conditions that are vastly under the control of the patient. We have all heard that losing weight and increasing exercise are vital to controlling diabetes. At this point I have read about six books on diabetes and this one is by far the best. Some of the books were a complete waste of money, in my opinion; for example, "Tell Me What to Eat if I Have Diabetes" was for processed and fast food junkies. All of the books present information on goals for blood glucose levels, what are carbohydrates, etc. But for me, I needed help with menu planning, balancing proteins, carbos, fats, calories, increasing fiber, etc. "The Diabetes Bible" does have workable recipes - the ones I have made were very tasty. The biggest shock comes when you actually measure the serving sizes specified. A 4-ounce apple did not exist in my grocery store - they were all 8 ounces. So, if you follow their menu plans (I used the 1,200 to 1,400 calorie plan), you can eat only half that apple. It is amazing how small a half-cup portion of cooked vegetables is or two ounces of lean protein is an incredibly tiny piece (I once virtuously ate a small fish fillet, only to find out that I had consumed "four exchanges"). And one cup of milk is only a few swallows. My biggest complaint about the book is that many menus rely on reduced fat cheeses, "lite" sour cream and margarine, although they do admit you can used the real thing, but (obviously) eat even less of it. It is no lie to say that controlling pre-diabetes or diabetes is a heck of a lot of work. Given the risks of not controlling these conditions - eye damage, peripheral neuropathy, risk of heart attack and stroke - patient motivation to lose weight, increase exercise, control blood pressure and blood glucose, reduce cholesterol, etc. should be high, but it certainly is no day at the beach. The "Diabetes Bible" at least gave me some place to start.

Publisher's Description:
A food and nutrition super-resource for people with diabetes, The Diabetes Food & Nutrition Bible is written by Hope S. Warshaw, a certified diabetes educator and registered dietician, and Robyn Webb, an expert in all things culinary and healthy. This book brings you up to date on meal planning, carb counting, vitamins, minerals, and the best ways to prepare healthy, delicious meals. In addition to being a comlete food and nutrition reference, The Diabetes Food & Nutrition Bible is a cookbook that shows you how to prepare foods using Nutritional Superstars, foods such as grains, avocados, leafy green vegetables, fruits, tofu, and many more. It includes more than 100 recipes featuring 20 Nutrition Superstars complete with nutritional information, exchanges, and carb counts. There are selections on: Meal Planning Approaches How to By, Store, and Handle Foods How to Find a Dietitian

More than one hundred healthful and tasty dishes:
In The Diabetes Food & Nutrition Bible: A Complete Guide To Planning, Shopping, Cooking, And Eating, Hope Warshaw and Robyn Web effectively collaborate to draw upon their more than twenty years experience with the challenges of a diabetic lifestyle. They provide the reader with a wealth of information on how to turn out more than one hundred healthful and tasty dishes for the diabetic -- meal time dishes that will be enthusiastically received by their non-diabetic friends and family members as well. All aspects of sound and nutritious cuisine for the diabetic is covered including the what to look for and what to avoid with respect to canned and prepared foods from the supermarket, portion control and the role it plays in a healthy eating plan for diabetics; five "Nutrition Superstars" that compliment any diabetic diet; and the diabetes meal plan based on building blocks of healthful eating for people with diabetes. No diabetics's reference shelf and cookbook collection can be considered complete without the inclusion of The Diabetes Food & Nutrition Bible!