The Family and Friends' Guide to Diabetes: Everything You Need to Know

This book contains everything you need to know about how to support your friends and family members who have diabetes. My mom was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes a few months ago and I have 3 co-workers with diabetes. Two of them are on insulin, and one wears an insulin pump. I feel so much more comfortable after reading this book...it's amazing! I now know exactly what to do if one of them is having an episode of low blood sugar. This book told me just what to expect when a person has a low blood sugar reaction, and how to treat a reaction. I really love the section on how to handle special situations such as weddings, birthdays, and holidays. Since I invite my mom over for dinner frequently, it's important for me to know what kinds of meals to prepare. This book has it all. Great meal plans, practical tips, up-to-date sound advice and more. The question and answer format is easy-to-read and covers so much information about diabetes. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who has a family member or a friend who has diabetes. It's even helpful for the person who has diabetes.

The Family & Friends Guide to Diabetes is a wonderful compilation of helpful information for people with diabetes as well as those who love them. It is filled to the brim with up-to-date informtion and helpful tips, explaining medical facts and offering helpful suggestions on how to be supportive of your loved one with diabetes. The 282 page book answers questions about everything from what to serve for holiday meals to emotional challenges faced by people whith diabetes. If you cook or entertain people with diabetes, you will enjoy the many practical cooking and meal planning suggestions offered. There is a section in the book about high protein diets which doesn't encourage their use, though people have tried these diets and a few individuals may have been successful initially. The American Diabetes Association does not endorse the high protein, low carbohydrate diet at this point as a means for treating diabetes due to the possible harmful side effects they may cause. Thus far these diets have not been shown to be successful for individuals in scientific studies. The American Diabetes Association and Geihling cannot endorse their use for this reason anymore than using a medication or other medical treatment which may be medically harmful and has not been proven to be successful in scientific studies. As friends, family members or coworkers of people who have diabetes, we often feel helpless and unable to do anything other than stand by and watch the individual grapple with challenges of the disease. This book offers us a positive resource to learn how we can take an active role, helping friends or family members take good care of themselves and their diabetes.

Based in science but translated for the everage person, this question and answer format resource provides just what friends and families need to know to learn to deal with someone's diabetes. The book does an excellent job dispelling common myths about the disease and it't treatment, especially important myths like eating sugar causes diabetes, or once you have diabetes you will lose your limbs. Interactive opportunities are sprinkled throughout, so readers have the chance to explore their own feelings, methods of interacting with others, how they support the person with diabetes in the way food is made available and prepared. Definitely a book to read and keep as a reference for those times when the diabetes seems overwhelming and confusing. Included is a thorough list of resources to read, explore and contact. This book makes the reader able to take a deep breath and feel like things are going to be ok.