Brenda Davis - Kick Diabetes Essentials: The Diet and Lifestyle Guide

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Davis, Brenda, 1959- author.

Title: Kick diabetes essentials : the diet and lifestyle guide / Brenda Davis, RD.

Description: Summertown, Tennessee : Book Publishing Company, [2019] | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019021050 | ISBN 9781570673764 (pbk.)

Subjects: LCSH: DiabetesPopular works. | DiabetesDiet therapyRecipes. | Self-care, HealthPopular works.

Classification: LCC RC660.4 .D384 2019 | DDC 641.5/6314dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019021050

We chose to print this title on paper certified by The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), a global, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of responsible forest management worldwide.

2019 Brenda Davis

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced by any means whatsoever, except for brief quotations in reviews, without written permission from the publisher.

Cover and interior design: John Wincek

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN: 978-1-57067-376-4

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Contents

To my father, the late John Charbonneau; my mother, Doreen Charbonneau; and my brother, Andy Charbonneau. Growing up in a home filled with love and laughter is a gift that I will always treasure.

My dad was my superheroalways there when I needed him, with wise and carefully thought-out advice and unfailing support.

My mom is my angel on eartha beautiful, positive spirit, deeply devoted to family, and constantly inspiring creativity, character, and compassion.

My brother is my most cherished lifelong friendloyal, caring, and generousthe kind of brother who stands with you through all the joys and tears of life.

With love and a grateful heart,

Brenda

Foreword

T he case for using plant-based diets to reduce the burden of diabetes and improve overall health has never been stronger. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented, arrested, and even reversed with plant-based diets; weve known this since the 1930s.

The effectiveness of plant-based diets was long assumed to be the result of weight loss. However, in the 1970s, a research team proved that even with no weight loss, plant-based diets were effective. In one study, plant-based diets reduced insulin requirements by about 60 percent, and half of the participants with diabetes were able to eliminate insulin completelyand they were forced to eat so much that they did not lose weight! How long did this take? Only sixteen days! Since the 1970s, research has continued to accumulate, proving that healthy plant-based diets are the most powerful medicine we have to treat type 2 diabetes.

There is a stepwise drop in insulin resistance and insulin-producing beta cell dysfunction as more and more plant-based foods are added to the diet. In the Adventist Health Study-2, people eating a semi-vegetarian diet had a 31 percent lower diabetes risk, those eating a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet had a 57 percent lower risk, and those eating a 100 percent plant-based (vegan) diet had a 62 percent lower risk when compared to similar health-conscious omnivores. People eating a standard American diet obtain only about 12.6 percent of calories from whole plant foods, which could help explain why North Americans are experiencing an epidemic of diabetes.

Plant-based diets are not just effective for the prevention and management of diabetes but also for the prevention of its complications. One of the most devastating complications of diabetes is kidney failure. Kidney function tends to decline at a steady, inexorable rate in people with diabetes. However, when people switch to a plant-based diet, kidney decline is stopped in its tracks. Plant-based diets also simultaneously treat cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of premature mortality in people with diabetes and the number one cause of death for men and women in the United States. The advantages of eating plant-based diets also extend to a reduced risk of cancer, the second leading cause of death in the United States.

Kick Diabetes Essentials is a gold mine for people with diabetes. It is packed with solid scientific evidence, practical guidelines, and carefully constructed recipes. Brenda Davis is my favorite go-to dietitian. You can rest assured that you are in very capable hands.

Michael Greger, MD

Acknowledgments

M any thanks to the outstanding team at Book Publishing Company: my exceptionally skilled and insightful editors and advisors, Cynthia Holzapfel and Jo Stepaniak, and the entire Book Publishing Company team, particularly Bob Holzapfel, Anna Pope, and Michael Thomas. It is a privilege and a joy to work with such talented and dedicated professionals.

Heartfelt appreciation to my cherished writing partner of twenty-seven years, Vesanto Melina, and her partner, Cam Dor, who are a constant source of support and wisdom. Thank you, Vesanto, for your delicious recipe contributions: Green Giant Juice, Spiced Creamy Barley Bowl, Apple Pie Oats, Smokin Lentil Soup, and Healing Greens, Beans, and Vegetable Soup.

Deepest gratitude to my recipe testers and dear friends Margie Colclough, Lynn Isted, and Daneen Agecoutay. You were committed to getting every recipe to the highest rating, and the results are simply outstanding. Thank you so much for your attention to detail, your willingness to test and retest, and your incredible generosity. Your contribution is invaluable, and readers will reap the rewards of your efforts for many years to come. Special thanks to Margie for coordinating the effort and for your continued love, support, and brilliance; to Lynn for your unfailing dedication to this task and your determination to get every recipe just right; and to Daneen for your culinary expertise and for contributing the delicious Creamy Dill Dip, Creamy Dill Dressing, and Nut Parmesan recipes.

Many thanks to special friends who provided support with recipe and taste testing: Sheanne and Dan Moskaluk, Sonya Looney and Matt Ewonus, Art Isted, and Stacey Agecoutay.

With sincere appreciation to my cherished colleagues John and Sally Kelly, Michael and Alese Klaper, and Wes Youngberg, who have provided advice, support, and inspiration over many years.

With love and respect to my treasured friends Andres, Lily, and Carlos Vallejo for sharing their inspiring stories and for their astute advice, generosity, and delightful companionship.

Last but not least, many thanks to my family, who provides endless love, encouragement, and support: my beloved husband, Paul Davis; my cherished children, Leena Markatchev and Cory Davis; their spouses, Nayden Markatchev and Josie Mengmeng Jiang Davis; my precious grandchildren; my dear mother-in-law, Linda Davis; and my sister-in-laws, Peggy Davis and Jaclyn Labchuk.