Many people, including most doctors, believe that the only way to manage diabetes is to restrict the diet, closely monitor blood glucose levels, and take expensive diabetes medication for life. Registered pharmacist and author Suzy Cohen begs to differ. Her book, entitled Diabetes Without Drugs, is based on new studies showing that diabetics can reduce their dependence on prescription diabetes medication and minimize the effects of diabetes on the body the natural way.
In her book, Suzy Cohen explains that diabetes can be managed and controlled using safe and natural means. Instead of relying heavily on medication, she recommends a diabetes treatment plan that veers away from blood sugar management and instead focuses on a whole-body approach that includes dietary changes, health supplements, and body cell repair, to name a few.
Diabetes Without Drugs
As the title suggests, this book is all about managing diabetes naturally, without the help of drugs. Just to be clear, Cohen’s program is for type 2 diabetes which is the most common type, although the program may also help alleviate the symptoms in people who suffer from Type 1 diabetes.
Suzy Cohen’s 5-step diabetes program uses natural alternatives to drugs and includes the following:
- drinking nutrition-packed drinks such as green tea
- taking Vitamin D and anti-inflammatory supplements
- Increasing the amount of fiber in the diet
- Including minerals in the diet
In her book, Suzy Cohen explains what diabetic patients can do to protect important organs that are typically affected by diabetes such as the heart, eyes, kidney, hands and feet. With the right foods and the right health supplements, you can maintain blood sugar levels close to normal limits. By following her diabetes program, you can lose extra weight and restore your health.
Natural Products vs. Medications
As a pharmacist, Cohen is in a good position to inform people about how their medications work, and their side effects. Suzy explains that many drugs and medicines are usually synthetic versions of natural products. The advantage of natural products is that they seldom have side effects.
Suzy’s point is that medication does help manage diabetes symptoms but in the process they may cause new complications when taken in the long term.
Natural Foods
In “Diabetes Without Drugs”, the author recommends eating natural foods rather than artificial sweeteners, processed foods, and margarine or butter substitutes. Cohen recommends real butter in small amounts, raw sugar, sea salt, whole grain bread, virgin coconut oil or olive oil, and other natural foods. The book helps you understand how the food you eat can help control your diabetes.
Health Supplements
You will learn that diabetes medications can result in nutritional deficiencies in certain vitamins and minerals. Suzy Cohen supplies a list of nutrients that you may lack, and suggest supplements that you can take.
A Wealth of Information
“Diabetes Without Drugs” helps you understand the disease and how to control it the natural way without depending too much on drugs. It has a solid discussion on supplements, diabetic drugs, their actions on the body, and side effects.
You’ll also find recipes in the book. Many of them are low in carbohydrates but high in fiber, vegetables, and protein. Whole foods are recommended and healthy flour substitutes are sometimes used, such as almond flour.
Pros
- Helps you reduce your dependence on diabetes medication
- Promotes natural foods and supplements to control type 2 diabetes
- Encourages a healthy lifestyle
- Includes recipes that are diabetic-friendly and heart-healthy
Cons
- Not suitable for Type 1 diabetes
- Does not put enough importance on exercise
- Contains a number of typos and factual errors
- Some recipes call for ingredients that are hard to find
- Some people may continue to require diabetes medication in order to control their condition
What Customers Say
Many customers who reviewed the book say it is very informative. It helped them understand how natural foods and methods are more effective in controlling diabetes symptoms compared to some medications.
A number of customers reported that before they read the book, they suffered from side effects caused by diabetes medication such as chronic fatigue, leg cramps, stomachaches, etc. After reading the book and following the recommended meal plans and taking the supplements recommended by Cohen, they felt a lot better and they were also able to control their disease.
According to one customer, one of the most useful things in “Diabetes Without Drugs” is the listing of vitamins and minerals that may become deficient when you take certain diabetes drugs. Suzy Cohen recommends a number of supplements. This is very useful advice.
Natural and whole foods are promoted as part of a healthy diabetic diet, but one customer noted that some of the smoothie recipes contain high amounts of carbohydrates which is bad for diabetics. Some of the recipes also require specialty ingredients that may be expensive or hard to find.
In general, however, customers find the book useful and informative. If you are diabetic, this book will give you a strong insight into the causes and treatment of type 2 diabetes. Even non-diabetics will find plenty of useful information in this book. The paperback edition of “Diabetes Without Drugs” is available at Amazon and other online stores.
