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Product Description

Covers the latest glucose meters and insulin treatments The straight facts on treating diabetes successfully and living a full life

Want to know how to manage diabetes? Leading diabetes expert Dr. Alan Rubin gives you reassuring, authoritative guidance in putting together a state-of-the-art treatment program. You'll learn about all the advances in monitoring glucose, the latest medications, and how to develop a diet and exercise plan to stay healthy. You'll also see how to overcome insurance and on-the-job obstacles.

Discover how to:

• Reduce your diabetes risk
• Understand the different types of diabetes
• Manage diabetes in children and the elderly
• Prevent long-term complications
• Get the support you need

The book is divided into sections on "Dealing with the Onset of Diabetes," "How Diabetes Affects Your Body," "Managing Diabetes: The 'Thriving with Diabetes' Lifestyle Plan," and "Special Considerations for Living with Diabetes." Each chapter is packed with facts and strategies on topics such as monitoring, battling complications, medications, diet, and exercise. If you skim, it's an introduction to diabetes; if you read it carefully, it's a textbook. Web surfers will appreciate the "Dr. W.W. Web" appendix, where Rubin lists many useful diabetes Web sites. (If you'd rather click than type, you can visit Rubin's Web site, where he offers links to all the diabetes sites.) Also included is a mini-cookbook of multiethnic recipes from noted restaurants, mostly in San Francisco (with the restaurant address, in case you want to order instead of cook). --Joan Price

Customer Reviews:

• One of the best books for people with diabetes
  One of the best books that is also very easy to read for busy people with diabetes.
  
  This book is easy to understand with up to date pictures, and information it even covers myths that are out there about diabetes that you might have heard.
  
  This book was very educational and easily understood by people from different age ranges. Even the person who has had diabetes for years would benefit from this book. A person with diabetes might even want to give this book as a gift to other people in thier families, or close friends so that they may too learn more about the disease.
  My mom loved it....more info
• You Should Have This
  No matter how long you deal with diabetes, sometimes it helps to see things in writing. This book is the place to go. My doctor actually told me about it for that very reason....more info
• Very reassuring
  My husband and I have both been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes (within a week of each other). This book really helped get us up to speed on what we need to know. The tone is calm and reassuring, just what we needed. The recipe section in the back I thought was way too complicated for the sort of cooking we do, though. ...more info
• Good Information, But Flawed
  This review only applies to the Kindle version of the book. It is book which is full of very useful information. However, the Kindle version is deeply flawed.
  
  1. There are many tables of information in the book. They are almost useless on the Kindle. The tables come out as screen after screen of columns of numbers. The Kindle conversion was very poorly done.
  
  2. Several places in the Kindle version there are whole paragraphs of text formatting instructions. Again, the conversion to Kindle was done sloppily.
  
  I plan to buy the print version of the book to be able to use it to control my diabetes. The book has the best information I have seen on how diabetes affects other parts of the body. This is important to me since I already have kidney damage....more info
• Excellent!
  If you are new to diabetes, this book has all the information that you are looking for, in easy to understand explanations. A must have if you are diabetic or live with someone who is....more info
• Lots of good information - badly organized
  Let the title of this book guide you. I found the book to be frustrating. It is a collection of fragments of helpful hints. There are better organized books available. Originally the book was quite expensive. I'm glad to see they lowered the price. From a publisher that is the "expert" on everything from gardening to car repair, you can do better for diabetes management....more info
• Great Book
  OK. Hubby's just been diagosed with type II diabetes. Go the to library and get a million confusing books. I don't have time for this. No, wait, there's GOT to be a "Dummies" book on this subject. Amazon.com - "Diabetes for Dummies" - BINGO! Aaaahhhh, all the information I need in an easy-to-understand format.

  The only problem we found in this this book is that the calculation for body mass index (BMI) was a bit confusing, and some of the websites have changed, but the rest of the book was EXTREMELY helpful and presented in a non-threatening way.

  Knowledge is power and banishes fear. This book helped save my sanity.

  Also, when I had a question, I sent an e-mail and got a prompt response from Dr. Rubin himself!...more info

• Maybe I'm Dumber Than I Thought
  Although most of the books for "dummies" are very readable, I found this one to be a bit clinical and geared more toward full-blown diabetes instead of focusing on prediabetes which was what I was looking for.
  It goes into lots a detail about the causes and effect but I found that after reading "Prediabetes: What You Need To Know To Keep Diabetes Away" by Gretchen Becker I really did not need to purchase this dummie book too. If, heaven forbid, the prediabetes turns into the full-blown type the Dummies book would probably be helpful....more info
• Excellent
  When I heard that my wife was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and I wanted to know all about it, my first thought was if there was a "for Dummies" book on it. Sure enought, there is. My second thought was if it would be up to the excellent standards of most of the other "for Dummies" books. It was. This book has a lot. My wife had to go to a four-day program to be informed about diabetes and how to live with it. This book contains a surprising amount of the same material. It got me up to speed at almost the rate she was. Impressive. If you want to know about diabetes, get this book....more info
• whimsical and informative
  With an air of humor and facts this dummies book is a gentle introduction to the lifestyle change we call diabetes. Tells the good the bad the history and the possible future. If you have to know the bad news, what better way to do it but with plenty of entertaining distractions.
  
  I imagine there will be many reprints to update information as the treatements and break throughs in diabetes evolve....more info
• BOOK REVIEWS
  I can't tell you how many times I've recently accessed the new Diabetes For Dummies, by Alan L. Rubin, MD. Don't let the title put you off, it's one of the best guides to diabetes management I've read. From causes, symptoms, and side effects to treatments, diet and exercise--this book delivers! Parents may be interested to know that there's even a chapter on managing a baby or preschooler with diabetes. Dr. Rubin is way ahead of the headlines, as he's even included dealing with obesity and type 2 diabetes in children in this book.

  Being a "checklist" type of person, I like the way this book is laid out, highlighting and summarizing important points in each area, along with chapter references for expanded information on the topic at hand. For example, one short checklist identifies six things you should be able to do if your child is controlling his diabetes with insulin:

  1. Identify the signs and symptoms of hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia and diabetic ketoacidosis (with chapter reference)

  2. Administer insulin (with chapter reference)

  3. Measure the blood glucose and urine ketones (with chapter reference)

  4. Treat hypoglycemia with food or glucagon (with chapter reference)

  5. Feed your diabetic child (with chapter reference)

  6. Know what to do when your child is sick with another childhood illness (with chapter reference).

  Diabetes For Dummies is a book you can pick up and read from chapter to chapter, or use as a reference source to answer your questions. The index is very complete and the Appendixes include a mini-cookbook (my type of book!), diabetic exchange lists, website references (even including one for animals with diabetes) and a good glossary of terms.

  I would give Diabetes For Dummies a five-star rating....more info

• A MUST HAVE FOR NEWBIES
  This is a must have for anyone that has or is taking care of someone with type I or II diabetes. EASY TO UNDERSTAND! ...more info
• Get this book!
  I am now confined for the second time for my Diabetes 2. My doctor decided to confine me for another thorough check after I was rushed on an ambulance when my blood pressure went up to 230/140. I had this book and the Diabetec Cookbook on my shelf for a long while already, but I never had the chance to read it until now. Dr. Rubin made things so simple for me. Everything my doctor used to tell me make sense now. I am sure I will not make the same mistakes again when I get out of the hospital....more info
• Diabetes for Dummies
  Finding out I have diabetes in October 2005 was terrifying. My bookshelf is running over with every kind of book on Diabetes 2. But, Diabetes for Dummies, gets right to the point. Easy to understand and helpful to those of us with diabetes and our families....more info
• Very Helpful
  This book has a lot of good information and written so it can be understood....more info
• Read this so that you can help your endocrinologist
  After my primary care physician diagnosed my diabetes, I was referred to an endocrinologist. With a month between diagnosis and that appointment, I started reading on the Internet and looking for good books. I picked up one that I'd bought months earlier about preventing diabetes, then bought "Dummies" for it's nuts-and-bolts information for someone already diagnosed.
  
  I agree with the other reviewer, that the type I and type II info is somewhat scrambled together. And I wish there were information on Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, but those are the only two negatives I've found.
  
  I read 2/3s of the book before meeting with my endocrinologist. I knew what we'd be discussing at the appointment. I knew that if I tested more than the 3 times that the pcp had recommended that I'd have solid data on how I was doing. I already knew the vocabulary, knew what the A1c test would tell us, etc. This gave us more time to talk about my future care and, most importantly, I had a list of questions that he could answer.
  
  Now I'm trying to decide if I should buy one for my mother who is also having some problems with her glucose levels. I was planning on giving her my copy when I'd finished it, but I'm thinking of holding on to it....more info
• Excellent Help!
  This book was used by me to write a report for a class I am taking. My boyfriend was recently diagnosed with deiabetes and this book not only helped with my school work it has helped us greatly in his day to day living( not that he's a dummy). Thank you so much for explaining it without all the big medical terms that no one understands.

  WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DID FOR THE DIABETIC COMMUNITY!!!!...more info

• Removing some of the fear
  Like a lot of people, when first diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, panic sets in. Your physician gives you a brief description of what you have. No matter how long he or she talks...all you hear is the echo of you have diabetes, you have diabetes. This book gives you a clear concise guide of what to expect and how to tackle this common issue. Using this book over and over as a reference tool is so beneficial, even more so than just sitting down and reading it cover to cover. Another addition I would recommend is the Diabetes Cookbook...more info
• BOOK REVIEWS
  Current books on diabetes reviewed by Rick Mendosa

  The "praise" page of Diabetes for Dummies reads, "As one of the country's leading endocrinologists, Alan Rubin could be expected to know a lot about diabetes. But the surprising thing about his new book is how well he says it, and his support of the glycemic index shows in particular that he is current with the latest thinking on how to deal with diabetes."

  This blurb summarizes the way I feel about the book because I wrote the blurb after reading unbound galley proofs.

  Dr. Rubin does bring impeccable credentials to writing this important new book about diabetes. For the past quarter of a century he has been in private practice in endocrinology and metabolism in San Francisco. During that period he has also taught at the University of California Medical Center.

  However, few experts on diabetes can communicate their knowledge as well as Dr. Rubin has. Two who come to mind June Biermann and Barbara Toohey, the editors-in-chief of DiabetesWebSite.com share my enthusiasm for Dr. Rubin's book. In their own blurb for the book, they write, "This lively and lucid tell-it-all guide will provide you with the information you need to leap from the valley of diabetes ignorance to the peaks of understanding."

  That this book is intended as a reference makes its readability even more exceptional. Dr. Rubin notes that he doesn't expect us to read it all the way through like a novel, although that's what I found myself doing.

  Dr. Rubin covers all the bases about diabetes, but what found me saying "yes" to myself the most was his chapter on Diabetes Diet Plan. He faces up to the biggest issue. "If there were a more controversial area in nutrition for the diabetic person than carbohydrates, I would like to know about it," Dr. Rubin writes. "You are free to disagree with me and use whatever level of carbohydrate you like as long as it helps to promote a lower blood glucose without increasing blood fats or weight."

  Likewise, he recognizes that "all carbohydrates are not alike in the degree to which they raise the blood glucose." The glycemic index was created to quantify these differences. If only all endocrinologists could be that open-minded.

  Whether you have just been diagnosed or have an M.D., here's one of the first books about diabetes to buy and read. Yes, it takes humility to admit that you are a dummy. But as June and Barbara say in their blurb, "When it comes to diabetes, almost everyone is a dummy, including, alas, a number of health care professionals." Dr. Rubin, fortunately, is not one of them....more info

• Makes it simple
  An ideal overview for newly diagnosed diabetics, not a lot here for someone with experience coping with it. This is the only book I found that also had a Spanish version....more info
• It's a good precurser, but not a complete reference
  As a newly dialognosed Type 2 Diabetic, I had a lot of questions. Being familiar with the "Dummie" series, I thought this book would answer most, if not all of my questions...but, I have to say that it left me a litte short. The major issue I have with it is that it's kind of all over the place. Most of the information is about Type 1 Diabetes, with information on Type 2 interspersed into the particular topic. It has very little useful info on self-care & alternative options, other than to say that most don't work. I could of did without the recipe section, since there are only a few listed. Aside from all of that, I do know more than I did before I had it. It didn't totally quench my thirst, but it is a first step in what will be a lifetime journey in dealing with this condition....more info
• excellent review of the subject
  An epidemic of Diabetes is sweeping across the world and South Asians who adopt a modern diet are developing the disease at especially high rates. While no one has yet found a cure for diabetes, there have been great advances in the management of the disease. A diabetic who truly understands his disease and correctly uses all the tools available to manage it can expect decades of good health. On the other hand, poorly managed diabetes will soon lead to complications that range from amputations and infections to blindness, kidney failure and heart disease. As millions of people develop diabetes, there is no way any society can provide enough doctors to manage their disease on a day to day basis. It thus becomes essential that the patients and their caretakers learn enough about the disease to be able to take most of the responsibility for their own care. This has led to an explosion of self help books for diabetics and Dr. Rubin's "Diabetes for dummies" is one of the best in the field.
  The editors of the "Dummies" series made an inspired choice when they asked Dr. Rubin to write this book. While Dr. Rubin is a very well known diabetologist with solid scientific credentials, he is not an academic who spends more time on research than he does seeing real patients. Rather, he is primarily a clinician, with decades of practical experience managing thousands of diabetics. This perspective helped him write a book that is focused first and foremost on being practically useful. The book is easy to read and understand and the reader needs no prior scientific knowledge to follow it. The book begins with an account of how a typical person reacts to the diagnosis of diabetes. After some practical advice on dealing with the initial shock and dismay, Dr. Rubin explains what diabetes is and what we know about its causes. The only weakness in the book may be the fact that he tries to explain all the different types of diabetes (type 1 is what children usually get, type 2 is the more common adult type and gestational diabetes is seen in pregnant women) and this may unnecessarily confuse some of his readers. Since most of the target audience will have type 2 diabetes (it is at least 10 times more common than type 1, its increasing even faster, and it's the kind overweight adults usually get) he might have done better to focus purely on type 2 and write a separate book for the type 1 diabetics. Still, this is not a serious problem and with a little bit of effort any reader should be able to focus on the parts of the book which are most relevant to his or her problem.
  After explaining what diabetes is and what it can do to you, he comes to the most useful part of the book: how to manage your diabetes. The advice is up to date, practical and served up with wit and humor. The reader will learn all about the importance of testing your own blood sugar every single day (an occasional test at your doctors office is practically useless) and how to keep it in the acceptable range. All the complications of diabetes can be slowed or even prevented altogether if glucose is tightly controlled. Starting with diet and exercise and moving on to pills and insulin shots, the tools to control your sugar are out there and Dr. Rubin explains each of them in detail. Once you read the book, you will easily know more than most doctors know about this stuff. And you should! It's your health; the era when doctors behaved like God and the patient was little more than the passive recipient of care he could never hope to comprehend is well and truly past. Patients need to take more and more responsibility for their own care and books like this are exactly what they need to make informed decisions about their health.
  The book includes a section on what doesn't work (unfortunately, the quack remedies mentioned are mostly the ones being advertised in the US, the Pakistani reader will have to evaluate his local quacks on his own) and what may be available in the future. There is a cookbook at the end, but the recipes are mostly American and may be less useful in [Asia]. There is also a very nice list of websites where even more information is available. In short, a very useful book and a must for every person who has diabetes or cares for a diabetic. While it is obviously intended for an American audience, the information is universally useful and is needed even more in a country where access to quality healthcare is so problematic....more info
• A Great Resource for Diabetics AND Non-Diabetics
  This was the first book on diabetes I bought after being diagnosed. I've bought LOTS more. But this is the one I continually go back to for information, reminders, and research. Dr. Rubin's approach to managing diabetes makes a lot of sense. I particularly like his recommended division of carbs/protein/fat (40-30-30). After attending a daylong nutrition class on diabetes, being given a diet with a 60% carb ratio, failing to avoid "spikes" in glucose, and failing to continue losing the weight I'd been losing using Dr. Rubin's approach, I returned to this book. My weight loss picked back up, I felt better and -- best of all -- I was again successful at managing my Type II diabetes. I highly recommend this book to diabetics and those with risk factors for developing diabetes, as well as to friends and relatives of diabetics who just want to learn a little bit more. Check out Diabetes for Dummies Cookbook, too!...more info
• If You Love Someone Who Has Diabetes Buy Them The Book!
  This is by far one of the better books I ever read on Diabetes and related symptoms and conditions. It is organize in an easy to read manner, provides checklists, promotes good health, and explains why you must control your diabetes before it hurts you.

  However, few people ever read an entire book because they find it boring or confusing. So, you need to enroll in Diabetes Educational Classes offer at every medical center or hospital. You will learn how to understand and mange your diabetes within days.

  Also, one thing that all researchers agree that cuts across all races and cultures for anyone who has diabetes, you must walk at least 30+ minutes a day. You will be amazed how this will show immediate results and make you feel better. I know you will find it cumbersome and burdensome at first, but when you see that your excessive thirst goes Away, or your medication is reduced and you sleep better you will want to walk all the time. I suggest you get an AM/FM Radio headphone radio that has push buttons to change channels.

  In this way, you will enjoy listening to Talk Radio; National Public Radio, Sports or Music and you will walk even farther without any effort. The hardest thing about walking is starting to do it every day. Once you start you, will never stop and if you can get up to 3 to 4 miles a day or over an hour, you will feel terrific even with diabetes. If you walk early in the morning or early evening, it is beautiful to see the sunrise or sunset.

  Additionally, be sure to keep you feet clean, dry, and put powder on them using clean socks each time. Purchase "New Balance Tennis Shoes," and make sure they are at least half inch bigger than your feet. One company called San Antonio Shoes, (SAS), actually makes comfortable formal shoes for diabetics to wear too. In this way, your feet will be comfortable as you walk.

  Moreover, in time you will learn to adjust to your diet. You can often eat what you want, but only in portions as the book points out. This book outlines this area but every diabetic is different and you have to adjust to what works for you.

  If you care about anyone with diabetes, get him or her this book. Once you take classes, read this book, start walking, and watching your diet, you will understand that you can control your diabetes so it does not control you.

  Dr. Rueben has done a terrific job by writing this book and you will never know it until you read it!...more info

• I WAS a dummy before I read this book
  I was a terrified dummy when I first learned I had type 2 diabetes in May of 2006. This is the first book I read. I felt like I could live with this disease (after reading it) and it would not be the death sentence I had previously thought it would be. We're only as healthy as we let ourselves be at any time. I plan on living to see my great grandchildren born and I don't have any grandchildren....yet!!...more info
• Diabetes For Dummies
  This book has more of type 1 diabetes. I found not much information on type 2. There is a section on diabetic exchanges that was helpful, but there wasn't very many foods. As usually, the Dummy book was humorous. ...more info
• Great book!
  I've used a lot of the Dummies books, so I was expecting, and got, a great deal. It was even recommended by my diabetes educator and her team! If you are recently diagnosed with diabetes like me, or have a loved one who has diabetes, this is a priceless tool. I highly recommend it!...more info