Get a Handle on Herbs and Nutritional Supplements

Every time I work our library's Circulation Desk I discover a really interesting book that I just have to read! The book I found yesterday is Guide to Herbs & Nutritional Supplements: What You Need to Know from Aloe to Zinc by Laura Shane-McWhorter. Endorsed by the American Diabetes Association, this book is essential reading for anyone, diabetic or not, who decides to treat their ailments with natural dietary supplements. The best part of this book is the beginning--the author's preface quickly notes that dietary supplements are not the "end-all-be-all" answer to curing a person's disease. Shane-McWhorter states that all patients should use dietary supplements with guidance from a medical professional on their benefits and cautions. The book does not recommend specific supplements or brands, but gives general information on the safety and effectiveness of many commonly used supplements. Each entry lists the supplements common name (and other names it is called by), uses, the dosage amount, and studies completed on the supplement, and a list of side effects and drug interactions. The only thing that might have made this book better would be pictures of the individual supplements in the forms you would take them. I think this book would be an excellent choice for persons seeking information on the pros and cons of dietary supplements.

New Cookbooks for Diabetics

As more people in the United States, and our community, are diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, more books are published to help these folks win the fight over this disease. The library recently received two new book donations to help with meal planning for diabetics. The first title, Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy gives lots of tips on how to enjoy food while managing your diabetes. Author Hope S. Warshaw, a nationaly recognized expert on healthly eating and diabetes, acknowledges that meal planning can be one of the hardest parts of managing diabetes. This is a new edition of her best-selling guide, and it is divided into three sections: 1) basic nutrition and healthy eating goals for pre-diabetics and diabetics; 2) an explanation of each major food groups with tips and strategies on how to fit the food groups into your diet; and 3) how to put your healthy eating plan into action. The book is easy to read and would be a helpful guide for someone newly-diagnosed with diabetes or needing a "refresher course" on how to keep their blood glucose levels on target. I especially enjoyed the section on how to read food labels! So, once you've figured out how to eat when you are a diabetic, exactly what do you eat? Nancy S. Hughes' The 4-Ingredient Diabetes Cookbook gives lots of simple, quick and delicious recipes using just four ingredients or less! The book opens with some handy tips about kitchen tools and preparation basics. There are recipes for each food course, from beverages to snacks, vegetarian dishes, seafood, vegetables and fruit sides and desserts. The book has a big typeface and includes "Cook's Tips" on each recipe. The book also includes the Exchanges and nutrition information for each recipe and both books have been endorsed by the American Diabetes Association.