After reading Dr. Bernstein’s “Diabetes Solution” we came across the name “Dana Carpender” and bought her 500 Low Carb cookbook. In various related books, we found his book “How I Ditched My Low-Fat Diet And Lost 40 Pounds – And How You Can Too!” camera highly recommended.
As a diabetic, I was fed up with hypoglycemia and high sugar levels on a regular diet and was ready to try Dr. Bernstein’s suggestion of cutting back on carbs, but didn’t even know where to start. He was also fed up with bland food, low fat foods and avoiding the foods I loved.
Dana’s cookbook was a great place to start with some new ideas, but this book was just fascinating. I ended up taking turns reading it with my mom as we were looking forward to talking about the different chapters and what it could mean for my health and lifestyle.
What draws is Dana’s honesty: she doesn’t just propose 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 calculate your own carbohydrate and protein requirements – some simple calculations that empower you to take control of his own diet. Another benefit of the book is that Dana bases his suggestions on medical research; It’s comforting to know that it’s not just an idea he came up with, but that his diet suggestions are based on years of research.
Best of all, most of your friends won’t even notice that you’re on a diet. On a low carb diet, you can still eat meats, most vegetables, butter and cream; This is not a diet where you feel deprived or go hungry, you’ll feel full 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 faltering willpower. In some ways, understanding the processes involved and what sugar is doing to your body can give you the motivation to improve your diet that you’ve been looking for. Dana also explains the interaction between insulin and food, clearly explaining for the first time why a low carb diet should and does work for many diabetics.
If you’re sick of not understanding your life-threatening illness, but want to understand about food and your body, this is a book you really shouldn’t be without.