Diabetes for dummies / by Alan L. Rubin.

Includes index.

Dealing with the Onset of Diabetes -- Dealing with Diabetes -- You Are Not Alone -- Reacting to Your Diagnosis -- Maintaining a High Quality of Life -- It Starts with the Glucose -- Detecting Prediabetes -- Understanding What Diabetes Does -- Tracing the History of Diabetes Treatment -- Sharing Some Real Patient Stories -- What Type of Diabetes Do You Have? -- Getting to Know Your Pancreas -- Having Type 1 Diabetes -- Having Type 2 Diabetes -- Having Gestational Diabetes -- Recognizing Other Types of Diabetes -- How Diabetes Affects Your Body -- Battling Short-Term Complications -- Solving Short-Term Complications -- Understanding Hypoglycemia -- Combating Ketoacidosis -- Managing the Hyperosmolar Syndrome -- Preventing Long-Term Complications -- How Long-Term Complications Develop -- Kidney Disease -- Eye Disease -- Nerve Disease, or Neuropathy -- Heart Disease -- Diabetic Blood Vessel Disease Away from the Heart -- Diabetic Foot Disease -- Skin Disease in Diabetes -- Gum Disease in Diabetes -- Diabetes, Sexual Function, and Pregnancy -- Examining Erection Problems -- Facing Female Sexual Problems -- Striving for a Healthy Pregnancy -- Identifying Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome -- Managing Diabetes: The "Thriving with Diabetes" Lifestyle Plan -- Glucose Monitoring and Other Tests -- Testing, Testing: Tests You Need to Stay Healthy -- Monitoring Blood Glucose: It's a Must -- Choosing a Blood Glucose Meter -- Tracking Your Glucose Over Time: Hemoglobin Alc -- Testing for Kidney Damage: Microalbuminuria -- Checking for Eye Problems -- Examining Your Feet -- Tracking Cholesterol and Other Fats -- Measuring Blood Pressure -- Checking Your Weight and BMI -- Testing for Ketones -- Testing the C-reactive Protein -- Diabetes Diet Plan -- Considering Total Calories First -- Getting Enough Vitamins, Minerals, and Water -- Counting Alcohol as Part of Your Diet -- Using Sugar Substitutes -- Eating Well for Type 1 Diabetes -- Eating Well for Type 2 Diabetes -- Reducing Your Weight -- Coping with Eating Disorders -- Keeping It Moving: Exercise Plan -- Getting Off the Couch: Why Exercise Is Essential -- Exercising When You Have Diabetes -- Determining How Much Exercise to Do -- Is Golf a Sport? Choosing Your Activity -- Walking 10K a Day -- Lifting Weights -- Medications: What You Should Know -- Taking Drugs by Mouth: Oral Agents -- Insulin -- Using Other Medications -- Avoiding Drug Interactions -- Finding Financial Assistance -- Diabetes Is Your Show -- Your Role as Author, Producer, Director, and Star -- The Primary Physician--Your Assistant Director -- The Diabetologist or Endocrinologist--Your Technical Consultant -- The Eye Doctor--Your Lighting Designer -- The Foot Doctor--Your Dance Instructor -- The Dietitian--Your Food Services Provider -- The Diabetes Educator--Your Researcher -- The Pharmacist--Your Usher -- The Mental Health Worker--Your Supporting Actor -- Your Family and Friends--Your Captivated and Caring Audience -- Putting Your Knowledge to Work for You -- Developing Positive Thinking -- Monitoring and Testing -- Using Medications -- Following a Diet -- Exercising Regularly -- Using Expertise Available to You -- Special Considerations for Living with Diabetes -- Your Child Has Diabetes -- Your Baby or Preschooler Has Diabetes -- Your Primary School Child Has Diabetes -- Your Adolescent Has Diabetes -- Your Young Adult Child Has Diabetes -- Off to College -- Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in Children -- Sick Day Solutions -- Thyroid Disease in Type 1 Children -- The Extra Value of Team Care -- Diabetes and the Elderly -- Diagnosing Diabetes in the Elderly -- Evaluating Intellectual Functioning -- Considering Heart Disease -- Preparing a Proper Diet -- Avoiding Hypoglycemia -- Using Medications -- Dealing with Eye Problems -- Coping with Urinary and Sexual Problems -- Considering Treatment Approaches -- Understanding the Medicare Law -- Occupational and Insurance Problems -- Traveling with Diabetes -- Knowing Where You Can't Work -- Becoming Familiar with Workplace Law -- Navigating the Health Insurance System -- Changing or Losing a Job -- Considering Long-Term Care Insurance -- Shopping for Life Insurance -- What's New in Diabetes Care -- Understanding Drug Discoveries -- Delivering Insulin Without Needles -- Transplanting Cells for a Cure -- Assessing Body Iron Stores -- Finding Unexpected Treatments -- Connecting Obesity with Diabetes -- Addressing Morbid Obesity -- Learning from the National Weight Control Registry -- Improving Diabetes Education -- What Doesn't Work When You Treat Diabetes -- Developing a Critical Eye -- Identifying Drugs That Don't Work -- Avoiding Illegal Drugs -- Knowing the Dangers of Some Legal Drugs -- Recognizing Diets That Don't Work -- Ten Ways to Prevent or Reverse the Effects of Diabetes -- Major Monitoring -- Devout Dieting -- Tenacious Testing -- Enthusiastic Exercising -- Lifelong Learning -- Meticulous Medicating -- Appropriate Attitude -- Preventive Planning -- Fastidious Foot Care -- Essential Eye Care -- Ten Myths about Diabetes That You Can Forget -- Perfect Treatment Yields Perfect Glucoses -- A Piece of Cake Can Kill You -- Unorthodox Methods Can Cure Diabetes -- Diabetes Ends Spontaneity -- Hypoglycemia Kills Brain Cells -- If You Need Insulin, You're Doomed -- People with Diabetes Shouldn't Exercise -- You Can't Get Life and Health Insurance -- Most Diabetes Is Inherited -- Diabetes Wrecks Your Sense of Humor -- Ten Ways to Get Others to Help You -- Explain Hypoglycemia -- Follow the Standards of Care -- Find an Exercise Partner -- Use Your Foot Doctor -- Enlist Help to Fight Food Temptation -- Expand Your Education -- Fit Your Favorite Foods into Your Diet -- Seek Out a Specialist -- Understand Your Medications -- Share This Book -- Mini-Cookbook -- Aqua -- Border Grill -- Charlie Trotter's -- Fringale -- Gaylord India Restaurant -- Greens -- Harbor Village -- Il Fornaio -- Exchange Lists -- Listing the Foods -- Using Exchanges to Create a Diet -- Dr. W.W. Web -- My Web Site -- General Sites -- Companies That Make Diabetes Products -- Diabetic Exercise and Sports Association -- Government Web sites -- Diabetes Information in Other Languages -- Sites for the Visually Impaired -- Animals with Diabetes -- Recipes for People with Diabetes.

Don't just survive -- thrive! From causes, symptoms, and side effects to medications, diet, and exercise, this friendly guide delivers sound advice on managing diabetes, staying fit, and feeling great. You get up-to-date coverage of the latest treatments and glucose meters, as well as diabetic exchanges and delicious recipes from top chefs.