I requested this book from Netgalley in hopes of finding a way to help my mum with getting her type 1 Diabetes in some kind of check. Unfortunately it wasn't what I thought it would be and was more about his personal experience without any medical help.

This was a very interesting book. The author discusses how he monitored his own blood sugar through blood testing. He provides some interesting thoughts and ideas, but as he isn't a doctor it would be wise to seek medical advice if you are thinking of following in his footsteps.

The writer shares some interesting facts in this book. It would have carried more weight coming from a doctor, but nonetheless I read to the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book full of helpful facts! With a close loved one with type 1 diabetes this piece of non fiction has been extremely helpful! Definitely a recommended read.🌟

I have mixed feelings about this book. The author writes about trying different foods and testing his blood sugar to see how it is affected. Much of it is based on low-carbohydrate foods and which ones affect him most and which he can eat without raising his blood sugar too much. It is important to note that he isn’t a medical doctor and what works for him, may not be right for you. However, he does make some interesting observations and points that might be helpful to some people.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

As a type 1 diabetic, I cannot in good faith recommend this book to people unless they can take it with a grain of salt. On the one hand, I respect that he repeats throughout that his experiments on himself led him to find what works for him, and might vary for others. Everyone is different, and if your takeaway from this book is the inspiration to try to find out what works for you, then that's a good thing, but check with your doctor first and find out what he/she feels your target blood sugar range should be. If you're a diabetic trying to lower your blood sugars, your best bet is to see a dietician, preferably one that is also a CDE (Certified Diabetes Educator) who can help you figure out how different foods affect your sugars, and can help you learn to make better choices about what you eat. Also, this book is definitely geared toward type 2 diabetics, as the levels in the 70s that he considers good are on the verge of dangerously low for me. This isn't really a horrible book, but it's not great either.

Unlike many diet and heath books, this one isn't written by a medical doctor. Nor does the author make any claims of his methods being the One True Way to cure yourself from diabetes—something I have seen in other books, and which never makes sense. Surely if there was One True Way to manage diabetes, the medical establishment would have discovered it by now.

Instead, Dennis Pollock takes us through his personal journey of discovery—what has worked for him to reduce his blood sugar levels to mostly normal, how he has learned what foods cause blood sugar spikes for him.

That is a key point: this book is what works for him. He has undertaken dozens and possibly hundreds of food experiments, comparing one food against another in terms of the affect it has on his blood sugar. He has also occasionally tested others (usually his wife, but sometimes his cameraman or someone else) and found they have different results.

As he points out:

What makes a diabetic a diabetic is their inability to process carbs and sugars the way normal people do.

This is why normal people (including his wife and cameraman) can eat foods he can't: because their bodies are better at processing carbohydrates than his. However, many of the foods we consider normal (such as bread, potatoes, rice, and pasta) cause elevated blood sugar levels in normal people as well, suggesting we'd all do well to avoid overlarge portions.

Pollack's central idea is nothing new: the idea that eating carbohydrates (and especially sugar) is bad for our overall health has been around since the 1950s. But the American health establishment ignored the low-sugar, low-carbohydrate diet promoted by British researcher John Yudkin (and others), and instead told us fat was the dietary evil.

Fat might be bad for some people, but Pollack's personal research shows that eating protein and fat has negligible effect on his personal blood sugar levels. But eating carbohydrates—especially carbohydrates alone, without fat or protein—causes massive blood sugar spikes. And there are scientific reasons behind this, which he explains in everyday language. That is the strength of this book: it's not written in medical language. It's written so the average person can read and understand it.

You Can Achieve Normal Blood Sugar is written for people who have received a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, and I do recommend it. I'd also recommend it as a good read for family members and those who plan meals or cook for Type 2 diabetics.

Thanks to Harvest House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

The book talks about checking your blood sugar after you eat to see how meals impact your sugar levels. Too high of sugar levels impacts your organs and leads to diabetes complications. The author demonstrated this by usually using himself as a guinea pig and telling about his experiences with testing his blood sugar. I found myself zoning out after the first 50 pages of reading about his testing of blood sugars. His purpose is to teach you that certain foods will bring up your sugar. He thought he couldn't eat beans but he realized that he could eat beans as they are a good source of fiber but he had to do it in moderation. Basically, he needed to go lo-carb.. The author talks about the evolution of monitors and the importance of testing. He talks of the 4 blood tests for diabetics, the H1AC, fasting blood, glucose, glucose tolerance test, and the post meal test. Most people are familar with the H1AC as the test that doctors use most. The author reminds us that we must check our serving size and carb count on our foods to keep our insulin low. He also reminds us that breads, pasta, potatoes, and rice are not a diabetic's friend..

Quite interesting book if you want to do a good observation of the effects of different types of food in sugar blood levels.
The author shares his observations in detail, as well as his personal experience as former pre-diabetic and how he managed to change it.
Quite recommended for anyone who wants to expand knowledge on this topic.

*I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

More religious and anecdotal than I expected. I was reviewing this for consideration in our public library collection, and I will not be purchasing it because it's not quite what I was looking for, but readers may be inspired by Pollock's story.

This book may be ideal for those who are interested in reading the author's personal experience and success in controlling his diabetes. The work focuses almost totally on the importance of testing your blood regularly to inform your eating decision making. My husband has not been told by the doctor yet that he needs to be using a glucose monitor, so this book wasn't really what I personally was looking for at this time. I would recommend it to someone who would like to know more about using Mr. Pollock's method to control diabetes, and to someone who has access to a glucose monitor.

I am grateful to have received a copy form Harvest House Publications via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review and received no monetary compensation.

You Can Achieve Normal Blood Sugar: Discover the Surprising Results from Over 100 Blood Sugar Tests
by Dennis Pollock

Paperback, 224 pages
Expected publication: April 2nd 2019 by Harvest House Publishers



Goodreads synopsis:
Discover the Secret to Successfully Manage Your Blood Sugar

If high blood sugar is something you struggle with, chances are you've been overwhelmed by the wealth of well-meaning information you've heard from doctors, nutritionists, and other sources. Isn't it time to put the theories to the test and determine once and for all how to get your numbers back to normal?

That's exactly what bestselling author Dennis Pollock did. And the results of well over 100 blood sugar tests he conducted for this book, further backed by brand-new research and real-life stories, will give you the answers you've been searching for.

In addition, you'll learn why, how, and when to test, the importance of reading food labels, helpful guidelines for weight control and general nutrition, and so much more.

For the first time in your diabetic journey, you will finally be able to experience what it feels like to know that maintaining normal blood sugar isn't just possible, it's entirely achievable.

***

5 Stars

This book blew my mind. As a pre-diabetic myself, I recognized many of the thing Pollock referred to when dealing with a doctor. I was only told to “eat better” but they don’t really tell you what that means. And like others, I was told to only take my blood reading first thing in the morning to check my fasting blood level.

I want to send a big THANK YOU to Dennis Pollock for writing this book. I did my first 1 hour after eating reading and my blood glucose level jumped from a fasting level of 133 to 251! I was stunned to say the least. My body was effiectively crying out for help and I hadn’t even noticed.

I had done a very strict Atkins diet when I was younger and before my pre-diabetic label had been attached to my name. But now I see that I can eat more low carb and find a better and better reading on my blood glucose monitor.

This is only the beginning of my journey and I hope to attain the success others have had. Another thank you and a request that: EVERY DIABETIC AND PRE-DIABETIC NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK!

I have already bought the other two books that came before this and will soon watch some of his YouTube videos. After all, knowledge is power.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
_____
Dennis Pollock has a popular YouTube channel called Beat Diabetes.

The author shares their own journey with lowering their bliss sugar, yet, constantly states this is his journey she others may receive different results. He souls have titled the book more on his experience. The current title ma have readers thinking the book journeys down a different path.

I am diabetic and have been so for a long time, so I read a lot of books about blood sugar and diabetes. This book is written by an author who has a clear bias towards low-carb eating for both diabetics and pre-diabetics, which he considers himself to be. The book is mostly the results of blood sugar tests he has done on himself and other people he knows, testing before and after a variety of types of meals or foods to see the effects on their blood sugars.

The book is divided into several sections. He talks about blood sugar testing, reading labels, breakfast, nutrition, what he calls the four big starches (bread, pasta, potatoes, and rice), and blood sugar and exercise. He does give brief discussion about two other diets that he believes are in competition with low-carb as THE way to help diabetics control their numbers, low-fat vegan and Keto.

I am always wary of books that take a one-sided approach. Carbs are not evil, and protein is not inherently good. The focus on just blood sugar numbers as a key to health negates the adverse effects of too much animal protein and fat in the diet that is typically espoused in the low-carb way. I think balance in all things, whether carbs or protein, is more important for general health in the long run rather than focusing tightly on before- and after-meal blood glucose numbers. The pancreas is not the only important organ in the body; let’s remember the brain and heart, too, when we choose what to eat.

I would caution readers to not take his testing as gospel. I know from my own blood sugar testing that our bodies are unique, and an individual's reaction to a particular food or combination of foods is just that--individual. For instance, when I have done my own testing, I found that I react more strongly to rice than potatoes; but I don't expect that to be universal for everyone.

Still, it was interesting to watch someone make a science experiment about what he ate!

This is a valid and must read book for all who suffer from diabetes . The author is not another doctor telling you to take more medication just to make his money off big pharma. He is a patient like his readers, who experimented with different foods and his blood levels until he found what works. .His remarkable finds may save you much money and wasted time at the doctor for yet another prescription. I found this very helpful and useful . It all depends on what we eat and our level of activity. If your able to make the changes in eating that he suggest you are well on your way to better blood sugar.
Thank you for the ARC. I recommend this book. My opinions are my own. ,

Dennis Pollock is not a doctor. He is a pre diabetic guy, who has experienced different doctors' advices and diets to try and lower sugar in his blood. He is suggesting checking your blood sugar after eating different meals and see what works for you. It is definitely a much more efficient approach, instead of blindly trying numerous medications that may or may not work. We all respond to food in a different way, so it is very important to not follow someone else's regimen.

I really liked the flow of writing, the book has good information about reading labels, real life stories, role of fat free foods in our nutrition. You do not have to be pre diabetic or diabetic to read this book, it is interesting, and can help understand someone else's struggle.

This book is a must have if you are a diabetic. It is easy to understand and full of helpful tips. This book will change your eating habits. Thank you Harvest House Publishers via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

This book provided a wealth of information and was like listening to the story of a good down to Earth friend.
I recently realized my fasting sugar numbers have risen from high 80’s to 108. Knowing little about controlling sugar as it has never been on my radar, this book provided a wealth of information. The author put forth a big effort to report his own sugar level before and after eating a wide variety of foods proving the connection between high carb food and high readings on his trusted glucose monitor. I now have an understanding of the relationship between what I eat and how to control my blood sugar which is rather simple when it comes down to it. The book begins with the author describing his Mother, a double amputee due to diabetes and how he defeated the same fate over the past 17 years. Excellent read and I will share it with others.

An excellent book, aimed at prediabetics & Type 2 diabetics. It has tons of tables showing the before and after blood sugar readings for many foods and meals. They don't only include Pollock (per-diabetic himself) but readings from diabetics and folks without blood sugar problems, both young and old.

I loved the practical real-world advice, especially because so much given to diabetics as "expert" advice won't help.

It's changing the way my husband and I eat.