After reading “The Diabetes Solution” by Dr. Bernstein we came across the name “Dana Carpender” and bought her book 500 Low Carb Recipes. Among several related books, we found that his book “How I Gave Up My Low-Fat Diet and Lost 40 Pounds – And How You Can Too!” Came highly recommended.
As a diabetic, I was sick of hypo and high sugar levels on a regular diet and was ready to try Dr. Bernstein’s suggestion of cutting down on carbs, but didn’t even know where to start. I was also fed up with bland food, low fat meals and abstaining from my favorite foods.
Dana’s recipe book was a great place to start with some new ideas, but this book was just as tempting. I ended up reading it in Pali with my mother as we looked forward to talking about the different chapters and what this might mean for my health and lifestyle.
What appeals is Dana’s honesty – she’s not just proposing a diet, she explores the benefits of the Atkins diet (not suitable for diabetics) and the newcomer on the scene, the Primal diet. The book also provides information on how to work out your own carbohydrate and protein requirements – some simple calculations that will empower you to take control of your diet. Another advantage of the book is that Dana bases her suggestions on medical research – it’s comforting to know that this isn’t just some idea she came up with, but that her dietary suggestions are based on years of research. .
The best part is that most of your friends won’t even know you’re dieting. You can still eat meat, most vegetables, butter and cream on a low-carb diet – this isn’t a diet where you feel deprived or starve, you’ll feel indulgent and satiated after every meal.
If you’re considering switching to a low-carb diet, the book clearly explains why you should, an explanation that’s a better deterrent to sugary snacks than your wavering willpower. Somehow understanding the processes involved and what sugar is doing to your body may provide the inspiration you’re looking for to improve your diet. Dana explains the interaction between insulin and food by clearly explaining for the first time why low-carb diets should and do work for many diabetics.
If you’re tired of not understanding your life-threatening illness, but want to understand more about food and your body – this is one book you really shouldn’t live without.
