Insulin Resistance Solution ****
by Dr Rob Thompson and Dana Carpender
This American based book explains the scientific basis of insulin resistance and the relationship between increased sugar and starch consumption and the development of obesity and the different features of metabolic syndrome. It gives information on the benefits of exercise particularly walking. It contains various charts that help you design your own low glycaemic load diet. It explains how you can eat so that you will feel fuller faster and for longer. The second half of the book has many recipes that range from snacks, soups, main courses of all kinds and desserts. Some of these contain items that are only available in the USA. This book is aimed for people who are overweight, have a big belly, hypertension, lipid abnormalities or have pre-diabetes. The dietary strategy is at the moderate range of a low carb diet and may contain some sugars and starch. Following the dietary and exercise strategies are doable and will improve the health of anyone on the insulin resistance spectrum.
Diabetes Solution *****
by Dr Eric Westman and Dana Carpender
This book covers what you will need to know about following a low carb ketogenic diet for maximum control over type two diabetes. The scientific basis is explained by Dr Eric Westman and readers are strongly encouraged to involve their doctor in their plans to follow the diet due to the marked improvement in blood sugars and blood pressure that you are likely to see with such a strict low carb diet. If you are on medications for diabetes or hypertension these will usually need to be cut back or discontinued because of the rapid reversal in the diabetic state that occurs. Dana Carpender has provided a good range of classical low carb recipes from simple to more complex and all are a maximum of 5g carb per serving.
I preferred Diabetes Solution because the dietary strategy was more straightforward to follow and I liked the recipes more. It is a good idea to have both books because many people are so carb addicted that they can’t contemplate a world without a starch fix. I think Dr Thompson has given readers as many options as possible but although the flexibility is good it was not that easy to figure out what exactly to eat from the various charts. A fair number of the recipes also included condiments that are not available in the UK.
Our own book, Diabetes Diet, covers a broader range of material than either of these books. We cover the issues for type ones, type twos and those on the obesity/metabolic syndrome. In addition we have presented the scientific material more directly, included meal plans, detailed information on precision meal to insulin matching and adjustment of the medications for type twos. We also tackle some of the other health issues including contraception. What these books do have is many more recipes and this can be a big advantage for those who are starting out and needing to cook new types of meals from scratch.
Diabetes Diet 