If you are skeptical of a book about diabetes written by people without diabetes, I encourage you to toss your uncertainty aside.
Thriving With Diabetes, by Dr. Paul Rosman, an osteopath who specializes in endocrinology, and David Edelman, CEO of Diabetes Daily, guides the reader through the basics of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and delves into all the modern and relevant education and advice a person with diabetes needs to not only to live with diabetes, but to thrive.
As an osteopath, Dr. Rosman takes a holistic approach to managing diabetes. He and Mr. Edelman have sought to give updated information on all the necessary basics, and have honed in on all the ways the body and mind interact with diabetes. We learn how to achieve better blood sugar management, and also to identify the root causes of high and low blood sugars,.
There is no specific medical advice in this book, and instead it encourages awareness for people with diabetes: what they need to know to manage their diabetes and communicate effectively with their health care team and loved ones. A doctor cannot make a hundred decisions a day for every patient with diabetes. And every patient with diabetes is in a unique position to learn as much as possible about how food, medication, exercise, stress, and even pain, each interacts with their diabetes.
Thriving with Diabetes provides a wealth of information and is written in a warm, calm, and professional tone. The diabetes management advice is very actionable. While reading, I felt a sense of encouragement and an urgency to act and to strive for progress versus perfection. It’s true that with diabetes, starting can be the hardest part of any task. This book offers step-by-step advice that’s both practical and uncomplicated. It uses the term “confounders” to describe the issues that impact blood sugars and cause us confusion and frustration. For those who struggle to get a grip on wildly fluctuating blood sugars, the sections on confounders will be enlightening.
The book also provides tips and insight necessary to really understand your diabetes. You also receive guidance in finding professional and peer support for the emotional toll of living with diabetes. Included are handy spreadsheets at the end to use for tracking all manner of data. Peppered throughout are personal anecdotes or quotes from diabetes patient experts to illustrate important points. I found Thriving with Diabetes to cover just about everything I would need to know if I were newly diagnosed with diabetes. It even reminds us of the impact our attitude and outlook has on our diabetes management. (I can personally attest to what a difference a positive outlook makes.) Perhaps most important of all, Thriving with Diabetes urges us to take responsibility for our diabetes and be proactive, however, at the same time, the message on shame and guilt is to release them.
Thriving with Diabetes is available on Amazon.
