The Diabetes Lifestyle Book

by Gregg, Jennifer A.; Callaghan, Glenn M., Ph.D.; Hayes, Steven C.; Singer, Michael

• ISBN13: 9781572245167
• ISBN10: 1572245166
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-09-01
• Publisher: New Harbinger Pubns Inc

Summary

This revolutionary book focuses on a two-pronged approach to diabetes management. First, it provides in-depth education about diabetes, focusing on the difficulties inherent in the self-management of the disease. This includes information about diet, exercise, medication compliance, blood glucose testing and insulin administration, as well as potential complications and how to avoid them. It's clear with diabetes, though, that good information alone is not enough to bring about lasting change. So the book also addresses the enormous emotional and psychological component of diabetes. This involves acknowledging the negative emotions and experiences that accompany a diagnosis of diabetes. The book offers concrete steps for managing these emotions and experiences in a way that does not require readers to get rid of or control them. Instead, readers learn to make healthful decisions while being mindful of negative thoughts and feelings. The acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) approach on which the book is based assumes that the difficulty many people face in managing diabetes lies in their avoidance of negative or unpleasant experiences. These experiences may be thoughts about having diabetes, urges to eat sweets, smoke, drink, not exercise, and so forth. They may also be anxiety at having to regularly test blood sugar and deal with poor results. This avoidance makes it less likely that the individual with diabetes will engage in those behaviours required to manage the disease, which can lead to further complications. The book focuses on teaching readers how to break this cycle by noticing thoughts, urges, and stresses without having to act on them or eliminate them.