Large Print Reviews - The Joslin Guide to Diabetes, by Dr. Richard S. Beaser

Large Print Reviews

The Joslin Guide to Diabetes
By Dr. Richard S. Beaser and Amy P. Campbell

The Joslin Guide to Diabetes
Completely Revised and Updated 2nd Edition
A Program for Managing Your Treatment
By Richard S. Beaser, M.D., with Amy P. Campbell, R.D., M.S., C.D.E
A Fireside Book, (2005)
Standard Print - ISBN: 0-7432-5784-7
Genre: Medicine, Health

Reviewed by Auggie Moore - December 1, 2005

Please note, The Joslin Guide to Diabetes is not yet available in a large print edition.

Diabetes is the third leading cause of death in adults, and one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. However, with proper care and treatment, people with diabetes can live long and productive lives, while minimizing their risk of long term complications from this disease. The Joslin Guide to Diabetes serves as a guide book showing you how you can, and should, be an active participant in your own treatment. Whether you are an insulin or non-insulin dependent diabetic, this book provides essential and accurate information on every aspect of your care and treatment, and provides helpful tips on making those lifestyle changes that are essential to your health, from exercising and healthy eating to glucose monitoring and coping strategies.

The main text of The Joslin Guide to Diabetes is organized into six main parts:

Understanding Diabetes - includes information on the types of diabetes and treatment goals for each type. Symptoms and risk factors for diabetes are also covered.
Treating Diabetes With Nutrition Therapy and Physical Activity - this section offers advice on lifestyle changes you may need to make, as well as tips on dining out, eating for a healthy heart, losing weight, exercising, and nutrition and meal planning.
Monitoring and Treating Diabetes With Medications - a concise overview on glucose monitoring, diabetes pills, insulin pumps, insulin pens, and other insulin treatments. Explains what insulin is, how it is used to treat diabetes, how to choose an insulin program, and the importance of monitoring your glucose levels. Detailed, illustrated instructions on injecting insulin are also provided.
Adjusting Your Treatment Program - advice on how to adjust your treatment when you have low blood glucose (hypoglycemia), high blood glucose (hyperglycemia), and managing your diabetes when you are ill. This section also deals with foot care and the long term complications of diabetes, and steps that you can take to help avoid suffering from any of these complications. Complications discussed include Diabetic Retinopathy (a major cause of blindness), High Blood Pressure (Hypertension), Nephropathy (a kidney disease), Nerve damage, and skin problems.
Special Challenges of Diabetes - provides information on diabetes in children, adolescents, and during pregnancy. Sexual issues are also discussed.
Living Well With Diabetes - this final section covers issues related to living with diabetes when you are an 'older' adult and while traveling. The physical and psychological aspects of coping with diabetes are also covered. Most important, tips are provided on how to find, and get, good diabetes care.

The Joslin Guide to Diabetes is essential reading for anyone with diabetes, or who has a family member with this disease. Written by Dr. Richard S. Beaser and Amy P. Campbell. Dr. Beaser is the Medical Executive Director of Professional Education at the Joslin Diabetes Center, as well as the Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the Harvard Medical School. Campbell is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator. She is also the education program manager of the Disease Management Department at Joslin Diabetes Center. Together they have written a book that outlines a concise and easy to understand program which will help you to manage your diabetes, make the necessary lifestyle changes, and aid you in taking an active role in your care and treatment.

Written for a general audience, this book uses little technical jargon, and when it does, it is clearly explained. This new, second edition has been thoroughly revised and updated and includes essential information on everything from what exactly diabetes is and how it can be treated and managed to potential long term consequences of the disease and meal planning. The text is enhanced by the inclusion of illustrations, charts, tables, and check lists that expound upon the material in the text.

In conclusion, The Joslin Guide to Diabetes provides a comprehensive and accessible guide to the care and treatment of diabetes, and this book will help you make informed decisions about your own care, deal more effectively with the medical community, and to take charge of managing your diabetes. If you are a diabetic, or if you know someone who is, this book is essential reading!

Related Articles & Reviews:

Diabetic Retinopathy
General information about Diabetic Retinopathy and how it is treated.
Don't Lose Sight of Diabetic Eye Disease
Information for People With Diabetes - an informational guide that explains what diabetic eye disease is, its causes and treatments.
Atkins Diabetes Revolution, by Robert C. Atkins.
Dr. Robert C. Atkins presents the Atkins Blood Sugar Control Program to identify metabolic signposts that indicate the onset of Type 2 diabetes and a strategy for blood sugar control, while minimizing exposure to insulin and other drugs.

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