The Diabetic Cookbook and Meal Plan for the Newly Diagnosed: A 4-Week Introductory Guide to Manage Type 2 Diabetes Paperback – June 12, 2018

I am afflicted with Type 2 Diabetes. Not so much a newly diagnosed, however. I have been working with medical staff and a nutritionist at the Veteran’s Administration. Despite the media headlines, at least in North Dakota, the people have been very good to work with and to perform the necessary tests and treatments. It also is noted that I am a Health & Safety employee (certified First Aid/CPR & AED Instructor). I also am a disabled veteran, having served during Vietnam. I have health issues in addition to diabetes that may be a result of occupational exposure to radiation (my lifetime dose is less then 10 REM and, possibly due to exposure to Agent Orange.Such information is offered so readers may understand that I may, or may not, have a better grasp on certain health issues addressed by this book. It is not offered to seek sympathy or to clutter my review of this book. Only to advise readers that I might have learned some points from my nutritionist and my doctors and nurses.I am going to state right at the start that the information this writer provides is spot-on in agreement with everything I have learned thus far. I am so appreciative of her east-to-read explanations and instructions for getting control of one’s A1C, etc. So appreciative I am including two excerpts and three screen shots. As I stated, most of this information I did know, but, simple-minded and stubborn as I sometimes can be, I needed the reinforcement provided. Also, the explanation of what constitutes pre-diabetes and non-diabetes was helpful and straightforward.But, the greatest value in this book comes from it easy-to-use meals. You’ll get a glimpse by looking over the screen shots wherein links to, for example, egg bites makes preparing such entrees easier than using a hardbound cookbook. The screenshots were taken using my iPhone, but it would be better to use an iPad for preparing these dishes.Aside from the above comments, I will let the two excerpts speak for themselves.Excerpt 1‘…number to know. Your A1c is the average of what your blood sugar level has been throughout the day for the past two to three months. It measures how much sugar is attached to your red blood cells. Knowing this number will give you the big picture of how well you are controlling your diabetes.HERE ARE THE RANGES:• Normal: Less than 5.7 percent• Borderline (also called prediabetes): 5.7 to 6.4 percent• Diabetes: 6.5 percent or greaterOnce someone has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the aim is to keep hemoglobin A1c below 7 percent. You always want to check with your doctor to see if he or she has specific and personal goals for you, but these are the general guidelines from the American Diabetes Association.HOW DO MY MEDICATIONS WORK? When should I take them? What should I do if I forget a dose? If you have been given any medications to help with your blood sugar levels, it’s important to understand the why and the how. Ask your doctor to explain why he or she is choosing the particular medication and how you should take it. Make sure it is a medication you are able to afford every day. The more you know about your medications, the better you will be able to take them and recognize how well they are working or report any unusual side effects.CAN I HAVE A BLOOD SUGAR MONITOR? Checking blood sugar levels at home is one of the best ways to immediately understand how food, exercise, sleep, and other lifestyle habits affect your blood sugar daily. Ask your doctor when you should check your blood sugar level and what your goal levels should be.’Zanini RD CDE, Lori. Diabetic Cookbook and Meal Plan for the Newly Diagnosed: A 4-Week Introductory Guide to Manage Type 2 Diabetes (Kindle Locations 280-295). Rockridge Press. Kindle Edition.EXCERPT 2You’ll notice that the plan includes a snack after every meal. As I point out in my diabetes management program, For the Love of Diabetes, snacks should be eaten about 2 to 3 hours after your main meals. If you are hungry less than 2 hours after a meal, you will likely need to evaluate whether you are eating balanced, satisfying meals. If it has been between 2 and 3 hours since your last meal, focus on snacks that are low in carbs: nonstarchy veggies, proteins, and healthy fats. If it has been more than 3 to 4 hours since your last meal, include at least 1 serving of carbs (15 grams of carbs) in addition to a veggie, protein, and/or healthy fat.Having a snack after dinner can be helpful if eaten at least an hour or more before you go to sleep. Since it is recommended to avoid going more than 10 hours without eating, a bedtime snack containing 15 to 20 grams of carbs, combined with a protein, prevents the liver from releasing stored glucose in the bloodstream and assists in the management of fasting blood sugars the next morning.Zanini RD CDE, Lori. Diabetic Cookbook and Meal Plan for the Newly Diagnosed: A 4-Week Introductory Guide to Manage Type 2 Diabetes (Kindle Locations 867-874). Rockridge Press. Kindle Edition.BOTTOM LINEA solid five stars for this book.Did this review answer most of your questions and concerns? I encourage you to leave a comment below to help me provide reviews that work for you. Further, I am writing a book for aspiring reviewers and for product suppliers seeking reviews in an effort to help improve the process and to understand the value of Amazon’s Customer Review process.Together, you and I can build something great. Will you join me?One request: Be respectful and courteous in your comments and emails to me. I will do likewise with you.Thank you.

Very nice cookbook that explains about diabetes, its symptoms, dietary needs, and how to adapt your food intake and cooking to best deal with its requirements. Uses common words and very little jargon in introductory chapters before going into the 4 week plan and then into chapters of easy to use recipes for everyday meals. Any person with food allergies or sensitivity will have to adapt to their own requirements.

This book is full of great information and put together very well. It is amazing for the price!! I paid much more for another diabetes cookbook that I was not impressed with. My only complaint would be that the meal plan relies on leftovers often. I will be using these recipes for our family so don’t see having many leftovers.

Format is easy to read and understand. I’ve been a diabetic for about 7 years and I have learned so much. Especially loved the meal planning with recipes in the book.

I was drawn to this book particularly for the meal plan, since the hardest thing for me is the planning, not the cooking itself. I was overwhelmed by the amount of dishes in each week's meal plan, and the amount if ingredients on the shopping list. Just for fun, I priced out Week 1's shopping list and it came to over $250 - for one week! I spend that much on food for a month, not just one week.The lack of photos next to the recipes, with just a couple of photos at the start of each chapter, not always identifying what the dish is, was also off-putting. And the graphic for how to "fill your plate" that accompanies each recipe isn't explained, so I was left wondering what the various shades of blue and gray were supposed to represent.Not great for someone struggling with diabetes (or pre-diabetes like myself) to have to struggle with this on top of everything else. Worth it if you're fine without any images of what things should look like and have $1000/month to blow on food, I guess.

Best cookbook I've ever had. Great varieties of menu planning and exciting healthy foods simple and beautifully. Highly recommend!!

Haven't had a chance to actually use it, but looks like it will serve our purpose well. Thank you.

Being on the pre-diabetes bubble for awhile now, I own several “healthy” cookbooks and this is by far my favorite. Many of the recipes in my other “healthy” cookbooks are bland and uninspiring, making a healthy diet difficult to stick to. By contrast, every recipe I’ve tried in Zanini’s cookbook has been delicious! I also love how she suggests pairings of main dishes and sides, showing how to complete a “whole balanced plate” making meal planning easier. I bought this about a year ago and am so glad I did!