Diabetes and You: A Comprehensive, Holistic Approach

Intended for a popular readership but remarkably comprehensive, this reference manual begins with the important distinction between the relatively rare Type I form of Diabetes (which mostly afflicts people at a young age and affects only 5 to 10% of diabetics) and the increasingly more common Type II, which is related to obesity, lifestyle, genetic predisposition and, in a small number of cases, pregnancy. Ali (Are You Fit to Live?) reviews signs of the disease, such as thirst, frequent urination, and fatigue; discusses a simple blood-sugar test that can be administered by a primary-care physician; and provides in-depth treatment options. Diet and exercise, he states, may lower blood sugar in early-stage Type II Diabetes sufficiently to prevent the need for insulin, but careful monitoring is stressed. An overview of different methods of administering medication is also included, and Ali reviews potential medical complications from failure to receive proper treatment, including the slowing of mental functions and a greater risk of heart attack. The author also gives advice on food: what to avoid, what to eat, and in what amounts. This guide will prove very useful for Diabetics and their families. (Feb.)