Simple Steps to Reduce the Carbs - and Feel Great Now!

This book really works. I have been type 2 diabetic for 13 years, on insulin for 6, the program in this book has lowered my insulin use dramatically, and improved my A1c by nearly 1.5 points. Follow it!

This had a relatively practical approach to lowering blood sugar without having to read through all the usual background material on diabetes. I only wish it had more recipes using "normal" products found in my house, not grains and other "natural" products I don't have and have no intention of buying. It had SOME info on high glycemic vs. low glycemic veggies and fruit that I had been searching for. Wish it had more such info.

This book has become my diabetic bible , what an awsome educational book to read . It all talks about food items bos and donts , so easy to read and to understand , my pharmacist has recomended it for me , since then I have been buying the books for others as a gift , please if you are diabetic or become one , read this book , I have been loosing weight as well and might be able to get off the meds ,
take it to Heart and enjoy reading , you might be a blessing or insperation to a friend
Bless
Marliese

I loved this book. It is very informative and has many practical ideas to implement if you would like to control your blood sugar. I would recommend buying this book in print form so you can mark the pages and have it handy for quick reference.

As a diabetic, even though I am well controlled, I am always looking for new insight on how to keep it under control. That is the reason I requested to read and review, 60 Ways to Lower Your Blood Sugar by Dennis Pollack. As you can see by the book cover, this book is about simple steps to reduce the carbs, shed the weight and feel great now.

This book is a mere 189 pages but it is packed with enough information that the reader can learn pretty much everything they need to keep their sugar levels in check. Another added bonus is that there are a few recipes sprinkled throughout some of which I definitely want to prepare for my family.

One thing that some readers may have a problem with is there are some ideas and concepts repeated throughout the book. This however was done with purpose. The author knows that we, as normal human beings need to hear or read things more than once in order to grasp the concept.

There is a total of 60 chapters in the book, each one discussing a way to lower your blood sugar. You will find suggestions on foods to avoid, foods to eat, things to do and not to do throughout the book. Personally I found it a great tool especially for someone newly diagnosed as a diabetic.

I would highly recommend 60 Ways to Lower Your Blood Sugar to anyone who is diabetic or has a family member or friend who is diabetic.

I would like to thank Harvest House Publishers for my review copy. I received my copy for free in order to read and give my honest opinion, which I have done.

This book goes against everything I've ever learned about nutrition. He actually says that he takes a bag full of almonds to eat in lieu of french fries when he orders a hamburger and Coke from McDonald's! Aaaaacccckkkk!!!

The Guy knows nothing about health; just the world. He says he is Bible based, yet says in his book, "Fry one egg and one slice of ham. Melt a slice of cheese on a low-carb bagel. Guess he never read Gen 7:2 or Lev. 11. If you are part of "Gospel Ministries", at least read the Bible - it is a matter of integrity to say you follow something but never read it. He uses recipes with Splenda ( a very artificial sweetener, inflammatory to the body). Drink cow's milk (the intense proteins in cow's milk have been linked, as well as meat, to inciting the immune factors that cause more insulin resistance. He gives no advise on how to approach insulin resistance.
Much better books would include "The 30 day Diabetes Miracle", by House, and "The Full Plate Diet", which advocate in harmony with the health reform visions given prophetically, which encourages a vegetarian diet. Yes, it should be low carb. Vegans have the lowest incidence of diabetes in the world, statistically. Meat can be deceiving - yes today it won't register the blood sugar as much as high carb, but it inflames the immunoglobulins to be more resistant to insulin, the basic problem. What about Berberine and Gymnema Sylvestre? He doesn't seem to know anything about it (they regulate insulin resistance, the basic problem). This guy is just a selfish exploiter who wanted to make money writing a book.

Before chemo I routinely followed the practices outlined in this book. And they worked. But after my second chemo treatment my blood sugars started oscillating widely. I could not get them under control UNTIL I fasted for 3 days, nothing but water for 72 hours. Then, FINALLY, I got under 100 for the first time since that second chemo treatment. Now I am trying once again to get back on my pre-chemo diet. I'm still using intermittent fasting but am hopeful that I can eventually get back to 3 meals. So--it's a good book with lots of good ideas. If you find it's not quite enough, try adding a water fast. As an atheist I don't appreciate hearing about others beliefs in mythology. I'm happy to say there was very little of that in this book. So don't be put off by the ministry thing. No one is perfect. Bottom line: Worth the price of admission!

I don't normally peruse the revolving rack of books by religious publishers that every chain drugstore seems to have. But while waiting for my Rx at a local CVS, this one caught my eye, and having blood sugar challenges myself, I picked it up and I sure glad I did. I have read a number of books on this topic (blood sugar, weight loss, diabetes) and this is one of the best, because:

-- It is very user-friendly. 60 short chapters (2 to 4 pages each), each one giving good, solid, practical advice.
-- The author understands not only the basic science but also understands PEOPLE so the way he writes, it's like he's talking right to you, in a very personable and credible way.
-- So much of the advice in the book is actionable. I.e., you can do it.
-- Not only does he give the practical advice, he helps put you in proper mindset to follow the advice (as we know, it's hard to change behavior without changing attitude).

Seriously, if you are dealing with pre-diabetes or diabetes (especially type 2), I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Or if you know someone who is, buy this for them. Again,I am NOT a religious person and so would not normally be reading or recommending a book by a self-described evangelist published by a Christian publishing house! Just trust me on this one -- even if you are seeing a good endocrinologist, you will benefit from this book if you're wresting with blood sugar issues.

SUMMARY:
With the rise in diabetes in America, author Dennis Pollock offers and shares many ideas and ways to control the blood sugar in diets. Not just for those with diabetes but ideal for anyone wishing to lead a more healthy lifestyle, 60 Ways to Lower Your Blood Sugar is full of personal stories, encouragement, advice, healthy recipes and nutritional values. Easy to read, valuable suggestions, a bit of faith and important information combine to help control and balance blood sugar.

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:
As a reliable yet perhaps a bit outdated resource, though interesting and informative, I would have preferred an updated version to be released. With constant advancements in medicine, technology and nutritional advice, a more current version (2016) would have been even more welcomed. Overall though, I learned quite a bit from this book, took some of the ideas to apply to my own lifestyle and actually enjoyed some of the included recipes. Definitely something to consider if trying to maintain and monitor blood sugar levels.

RATING:
4 (out of 5) pennies

*I received a complimentary copy of 60 Ways to Lower Your Blood Sugar from Harvest House Publishers for my honest review*

Bought book (numerous copies). Gave one to my daughter. When she called and said that she now does not know what to eat, I realized that I had solidly hit the target.

This I not a diet book. It is an awareness book. There are undoubtedlyvery many on the market. I just like the way it easily and smoothly conveyed its "if you didn't know, now you know" and leave you inescapably considering the implications of your food consumption choices, options, and feeling fully empowered to easily control actually making a difference in this area.

P.S. "MY" copy is now on loan!

I purchased this book for my elderly diabetic mother, figuring that the reportedly straightforward style and short chapter format (see other reviews) would be a good fit for her limited tolerance for learning about her disease. Upon purchase, I previewed it before giving it to her, and I'm glad I did.

What I wasn't banking on was the religious tone of the book. It begins with the foreword, written by an MD. Given that the author, Pollock, appears to lack formal medical or other relevant academic credentials (no MD, PhD, MA, nor MPH), what I'm really looking for in a foreword written by an MD is something to the effect of either, "the author is my patient, and I've seen him make tremendous strides implementing his own plan," or preferably, "the author is no doctor, but his suggestions are founded upon current scientific research." What I read instead stopped me cold: "As I would tell my patients, all the food God made is good" (p. 7). Uh-oh.

What I quickly discovered is that 1) author Dennis Pollock is an evangelist who hasn't tabled that particular vocation in order to write this seemingly unrelated book, and 2) of course the book is religious, it's published by Harvest House, a publisher of religious books. Shame on me for buying based solely on previous reviews and not vetting the publisher nor reading the author profile.

So while some of the chapters hold helpful advice, especially for beginners, one also comes across passages like this (from the chapter titled, "Two or Three Witnesses"):

"One of the Bible's principles says, 'By the mouth of two or three witnesses let every word be established.' Anything God seems to feel is worth saying, He says it more than once. This is why there are four Gospels--Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John--in the New Testament--not just one. God is so determined that you learn of his son Jesus Christ that He says it four times over" (p. 165).

So if you want your patient/advocate written advice to be peppered with passages like this, along with repeated references to "God the creator," this is the book for you. However if you identify as a skeptic of religion, don't happen to identify as Christian, or simply don't think these references belong in a book that is ostensibly about taking your healthcare into your own hands, looking elsewhere might be a better bet.

On another note, Pollock oversimplifies the ease with which lasting weight loss can be achieved. Statistics indicate that that long term weight loss is not maintainable for about 95% of people. This is not a simple matter of motivation, as Pollock's book appears to suggest, but because the outmoded "calories in, calories out" model of weight loss (to which Pollock largely adheres) simply doesn't hold water. There are numerous reasons why weight loss is difficult, and they have more to do with a host of interrelated biological factors, including genetics, side effects of medications, effects of disease and bodily disorder, as well as hormones and the body's regulatory systems which actively work to stabilize weight.

Just diagnosed, and researching my way through all the info is overwhelming and some information is downright misleading, like the Better Home and Gardens diet book.

However, this book is just right, simple to understand and written in a straightforward dialogue with the reader and taken from the author's personal experience. It just answered a lot of my questions, and made it clear I had to change since Diabetes type 2 is almost all about lifestyle. I liked that he dealt in specific regarding glucose levels and I like his common sense approach to what I am actually going through. Someone wrote here that there are religious overtones in the book, that is just totally untrue, the book is about how to go about and realistically change your life so that diabetes does not `degrade you body.

Thank you Dennis Pollock.

I have struggled with diabetes for years. This book communicates effective ways to get in control in a way my doctor never did. My lifestyle and diet have changed forever and for the better. This is one book every diabetic should read.