The Other Diabetes: Living and Eating Well with Type 2 Diabetes

I usually don't write a review for books that have been well-reviewed by others. But there are so many different diabetes advice books available, and, like one of the previous reviewers, I have wasted money on several of them. So I wanted to add my voice in praise of this book. Backing her information with clearly explained scientific evidence, Ms. Hiser debunks many of the myths about type II (the "other", i.e. not juvenile) diabetes, particularly about food. Ms. Hiser's book has the clearest information about the insulin resistance, which is, in fact, what most early type II diabetics or pre, or borderline diabetics have. In other words, we make the insulin, but our cells do not respond to it as efficiently as they should. The key thing to know here is that if you, the patient, do not take control NOW to reduce that insulin resistance, eventually, you will burn out the cells in your pancreas that make insulin and then there really is no turning back. This is why it has been so emphasized that in its early stages, the outcome of type II diabetes is virtually completely in the hands of the patient, not the medical profession. Ms. Hiser puts together all the best scientific data specific to type II diabetes (which is quite different from type I, and therefore leads to considerable confusion), principally the "Mediterranean diet". She explains that counting carbohydrate and fat grams per se is not effective; it is the TYPE of fat and carbohydrate you eat that affects all the factors type II diabetics need to control (LDL, HDL and triglycerides). In fact, if you eat a lowfat diet consisting of refined (fiber-depleted) carbohydrates and hydrogenated (artificially saturated) fats, you are doing yourself more harm than good. Hydrogenated fats, aside from being "bad"/saturated fats, also contain trans fats, which are the absolute worst fats you could be putting into your body, in terms of diabetes, heart disease and cancer risks. So the diabetic diet advice books I have read whose menus consist of processed, fast and junk foods are not only worthless, they are dangerous. Another positive about Ms. Hiser's book is that she emphasizes that her menu plans and recipes are only a starting off point. If the patient does not adapt the eating style to suit their preferences, then the "diet" is useless because the diet is meant to be a way of life from this point onward, not something you struggle to stick to for a few weeks and then go back to your old way of eating. Ms. Hiser also tackles a subject that most books gloss over or give outright misinformation about - including moderate alcohol in your diet. Contrary to other books that have the patient count a serving of alcohol as a fat exchange, Ms. Hiser presents the studies that show that one or two glasses or wine per day may actually reduce insulin resistance. Of course, more alcohol has the opposite effect, raising blood pressure, triglycerides and worsening the cholesterol profile. Exercise plays a role a

I have been just diagonosed Jan 16th with Diabetes 2. After reading Elizabeth Hiser's Book all the things that had been going wrong in my body for a very long time came to light. I could easily understand the workings of diabetes, what it does to the body, the extreme need for exercise (this was the most exciting part for me because it has motivated me to exercise 1 hour a day and actually enjoy doing it because I now understand why I need to do it.)Everything about this book is great. I carry it around each day in case I want to refer to it. Thank you Elizabeth Hiser for writing this book I'm very pleased and feel better now after only 36 days than I have in years. Not to mention I've lost 16 lbs in that time with the exercise, 2 qts of water a day, & the 1500 calorie menu. Sincerely Happy, Ida Brassard Williston, Vt.

Ms. Hiser is a gifted writer because she can write about very complecated scientific topics in a way that is not only easy for the average reader to understand, it is fun and entertaining, as well as extremely informative.I would recommend this all-in-one book to anyone suffering from or at risk for Type II Diabetes, and at Hiser's suggestion, the Mediterranean Diet to anyone who wants to live a long, healthy life!

I always read Hiser's articles in Eating Well Magazine and she continues to be practical and educational in her book. She explains the "whys" of different aspects of Type 2 Diabetes and their affects. She includes the latest research and provides a do-able diet of real food. Even the recipies are great!

As a nurse practitioner student, I will use this as recommended reading to all my Type II diabetics and to anyone genetically predisposed. My husband, who has a strong family history of diabetes, and my whole family have recently begun to follow the diet guidelines in this book. The recipes are wonderful and delicious. The added bonus to this book is that it is a must for those with heart disease. If the American public ate in the manner shown in this book, the incidence of heart disease and Type II diabetes would marketly decreaseEllen