Dennis Pollock

This book fulfills the "non-fiction book about science" category of the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge-2 2016.

[a:Dennis Pollock|190828|Dennis Pollock|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] has a ministry, Spirit of Grace, so there are a few references to his Christian deities and his religious traditions. That said, this is a popular science book geared toward the layperson to help the reader understand the basic facts about diabetes, and what to do in order to get it under control and maintain a healthy lifestyle. One thing I liked about this book was that the author is a "tell it like it is" kind of guy, and he doesn't mince words when it comes to telling the reader what they have to do to stay healthy. He doesn't say there's a cure for diabetes, or if your blood sugar is maintained at a steady, healthy level, then you're no longer considered a diabetic, like I've heard some doctors tell their patients. He stresses the important of eating the right foods, seriously limiting carbs, exercising and maintaining a healthy weight and testing blood glucose levels regularly, before and after meals, regardless of whether one's blood sugar has been stable or not.

He also writes about how misguided early nutritionists were when it came to healthy recommendations for the American diet, and for diabetes specifically. THe previous emphasis on cutting fat in the belief that fat is bad and leads to heart disease and a host of other ailments that currently plague Americans was incorrect, as has been proven by research done on populations that eat a protein and fat rich diet, such as the Inuit and the Masai. When individuals from those tribes came to live in cities, it was discovered that their previously good health (no heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes, etc.) deteriorated when they began eating a typical modern diet, which is high in carbohydrates.

This was an eye-opener for me. This book was a gift from my sister-in-law Delia, and I'm glad she thought to give it to me. Thanks, Delia!… (altro)

This was a completely impulse purchase while I was waiting to pick up my diabetes medicine prescription. Even more impulsive, it was on the Christian inspiration book kiosk, a location I usually ignore. However, the title caught my eye, it didn't seem too "Christian," and it seemed to be informative enough for my needs. And, I enjoyed the read. I have followed the advice and bought the recipe ingredients and have seen a marked decrease in my blood sugar numbers, after several years of being stuck on a high plateau. It just goes to show that useful advice can come from unexpected sources.… (altro)