The Paleo Diabetes Diet Solution: Manage Your Blood Sugar

Hillhouse and Cantkier, who both take a holistic approach to nutrition, explain that food is more than fuel: it “tells the body to turn on this pathway or release this hormone.” They describe how blood sugar works in the body and suggest that the paleo approach to eating can help restore healthy blood sugar function and possibly halt blood sugar dysfunction in type 2 diabetes. Paleo refers to the Paleolithic era, when early humans ate the meat and fish they caught and the shoots, berries, roots, eggs, and nuts they gathered. The authors argue that this diet of unprocessed “low GI [glycemic index] foods... results in lower, slower increases in blood sugar and therefore lower insulin demands on the pancreatic beta cells.” The book provides background information about blood sugar and cites research in support of a paleo diet. There is an extensive list of foods to avoid, including most grain and dairy products and all alcohol and fruit drinks, which may prove challenging for many people. The second half of the book includes 125 appealing paleo-inspired recipes and a 30-day meal plan. This work is recommended with the caveat that anyone embarking on a restrictive diet should first consult with a doctor. (Sept.)