The Blood Sugar Solution – by Mark Hyman, MD
Reviewed by Terry Pollock, MS

“Doctors are not expected, trained, or paid to diagnose and treat the single biggest chronic disease in America…”

Dr. Hyman’s latest book offers his characteristic comprehensive approach to an ultra-costly and prevalent health problem – Type II diabetes. Everyone needs to read this book because without wise, practical information such as this, there go you and I. For example, overdoing carbohydrates and underdoing exercise is a ubiquitous “trap” in the US! As a nutritionist, I always thought the “diabetes diets” were ineffective. Eating several small meals per day seemed to help most people, but making sure everyone ate unspecified carbohydrates daily was mostly counter-productive. Finally, when the glycemic index was developed, people at risk of insulin resistance, hypoglycemia, and Type II diabetes had a powerful dietary tool to help manage insulin and blood glucose – without drugs.

In The Blood Sugar Solution, Hyman expands on the real cause: insulin resistance, not just too much blood sugar. We learn that while doctors routinely look at glucose, they don’t check insulin…yet it’s insulin levels that are at the root of this epidemic. If this fact is not sufficient to coax us into becoming “educated patients”, then I don’t know what is. A giant leap toward self-care (taking responsibility for your own health) starts by reading The Blood Sugar Solution.

Hyman convincingly “busts” some common misconceptions about obesity and diabetes. Perhaps this section should be read first, because there is widespread opinion (compliments of the conventional medicine/big-pharma media machine) that you cannot prevent, let alone undo, diabetes Type II. Through documented research, clinical experience, and critical thinking Hyman demonstrates that his plan will not only help us to reverse diabetes, but will allow us to emerge leaner, cleaner, and more energetic. How lucky we are that health begets health!

Chapters on food addiction, the triple threat of big food/big farming/big pharma, inflammation, boosting energy metabolism, and other topics offer “pagefuls”of useful insights, with easy reading. Eye-opening, brief quizzes help readers determine their personal needs for action in various health concerns, such as thyroid function. The journey to health is clearly delineated in Dr. Hyman’s basic and (for more severe “diabesity”) advanced action plans. More than 100 pages are devoted to getting the reader properly on the path to health. Once six weeks of the plan are done, then the same quizzes are taken again to gauge improvement. The Blood Sugar Solution covers every angle, from toxic substances preventing weight loss to gluten-free diets to supplements and hormones, to relaxation, community support, and much more.

With healthy, tasty recipes and pages of resources, this book is one complete, clear, and achievable guide to health for anyone with diabetes or at risk of it. And that is all of us. Highly recommended!

~ Terry Pollock, MS