Diabetes and You: A Comprehensive, Holistic Approach

In this well-organized guidebook, physician Ali gives diabetics and their families understandable information about an increasingly common and ultimately debilitating disease. More than 23 million people suffer from diabetes in the U.S. alone. Ali expertly covers the causes, treatment, and early and later symptoms. (The first signs are excessive thirst, urination, and appetite. Later, people can suffer from erectile dysfunction, acne, headaches, and cramps.) Ali also explains the disease’s mind-boggling alphabet-acronym soup: BMI, SMBG, DCCT, NP, DKA. Rather than blaming type 2 diabetics for sufferers’ condition, which is often brought on by obesity, Ali tries to motivate them to exercise and lose weight. He also includes a thorough glossary (whoever heard of Goodpasture’s syndrome?) and several pages with contact information for research groups, diabetes centers and clinics, and other resources. His advice isn’t always earthshaking; learn portion size, keep a food diary, eat more fruits and vegetables, quit smoking. But it may be lifesaving.