Beating Diabetes
A Five-Step Program for Weight Loss and Disease Control
November is American Diabetes month and a time to help raise awareness of this killer disease. One in four people who have diabetes don’t know it. In fact in the U.S. right now there are about 5.7 million adults and children who have undiagnosed diabetes.
Complications of Diabetes
Without appropriate treatment, diabetes causes a multitude of complications such as kidney and heart disease, blindness and neuropathy. High blood pressure and stroke are often related to diabetes. More than 60% of those who have non-traumatic amputations of the lower limb also have diabetes.
On U.S. death certificates in 2006, diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death. This statistic comes from the 2007 National Diabetes Fact Sheet which is the most recent data collection available.
The Obesity Epidemic
Obesity is one of the major factors in controlling blood glucose levels for diabetics and pre-diabetics. Weight loss is also one of the most difficult goals to achieve for those who have diabetes. Obesity is becoming one of the largest health care issues world wide; especially among children.
In the book, The Weight Loss Plan for Beating Diabetes, Dr. Frederic J. Vagninin, MD, FACS, describes his own issues with weight. In fact, at one point he weighed 325 pounds and suffered from a carbohydrate addition.
A Practical Five-step Program
The five-step program presented by Dr. Vagnini and his co-author, Lawrence D. Chilnick offers down to earth solutions to remove metabolic roadblocks, shed pounds, and even reverse pre-diabetes and diabetes in many instances.
The authors share their own struggles and educate. They don’t pontificate. They offer realistic information, advice and help. Of course, it is up to the reader to follow through and find his or her own level of success.
Easy to Read Information and Tips
The book provides information about diabetes, including the most common medications, diet and lifestyle choices and how to cope with them in real world situations. A month's worth of menus is provided for breakfast, lunch, dinner and appropriate snacks. Many delicious recipes are also provided.
Tips for avoiding pitfall and roadblocks to success include ways to improve grocery shopping, what to keep stocked in the pantry and how to cope with and reduce stress level. There is a practical discussion about nutraceuticals, the vitamins and minerals needed by most diabetics.
Success is Built In
Exercise and other important lifestyle changes needed to achieve and maintain weight loss and glucose control are also discussed in a realistic manner. The plan doesn’t involve counting calories, although an awareness of caloric intake is needed, and it is fully adaptable to vegetarians as well as the meat and potato eater. It’s safe and healthy and anyone can follow it. There are no special prepackaged foods to order.
The Weight Loss Plan for Beating Diabetes, by Frederic J. Vagnini, MD, FACS and Lawrence D. Chilnick ©2009 Fair Winds Press, Beverly, MA. ISBN- 13: 978-1-59233-384-4. In the interest of full disclosure, Kathy Quan received a free review copy of this book.
Other Reading:
A Ballerina's Triumph Over Diabetes
The Weight Loss Plan for Beating Diabetes
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