Endorsements
Praise for Defeating Dementia
I had always thought that there was little one could do to prevent or slow the symptoms of Alzheimers. However, in this amazing book, Defeating Dementia , Dr. Richard Furman explains in an easy to understand and detailed way that there are actually things you can be doing right now to decrease your odds of developing Alzheimers dementia. This book can change the way you live. It can give you a new hope and practical steps to deal withand even help preventAlzheimers.
Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and founder of Samaritans Purse, from the foreword
While many books have been written about individuals with Alzheimers, none has so seamlessly connected the disease biology, the patient experience, and the preventative science as Dr. Furman does so skillfully. Dr. Furmans work will serve as the definitive guide on preventative measures to decrease ones chances of developing Alzheimers dementia.
Senator Bill Frist, nationally recognized heart and lung transplant surgeon, former US Senate majority leader, and chairman of the executive council of Cressey and Company, from the foreword
Dr. Furman has created a unique book for the publicone that synthesizes decades of research on the prevention and early treatment of dementia into understandable chunks and practical advice. Pairing the science with personal story provides immediacy, underscoring that this advice is not just a good idea, its crucial and matters now.
Dr. Richard Ackermann, director, Hospice & Palliative Medicine Fellowship, Mercer University School of Medicine; Hospice physician of Mrs. Dell
Praise for Your Cholesterol Matters
A wealth of knowledge for everyone interested in improving their health. Excellent guidelines with clear understanding.
Tim Edmisten, MD, FACS, past president, North Carolina American College of Surgeons
Praise for Prescription for Life
Dr. Furman lays out a thorough review of the medical literature, written in laymans terms in such a way that is easily understood. Read it. Apply it. If you are like the majority of Americans, you will become 712 years younger physiologically than you presently are chronologically.
Bill Frist, nationally recognized heart and lung transplant surgeon, former US Senate majority leader, and chairman of the executive council of Cressey and Company
While many respond negatively to the thought of exercising, dieting, and changing their lifestyle, Dr. Furman has managed to take what is threatening and make it thrilling. When you finish this read, you will actually be excited about the possibility of a longer, healthier life.
Dr. David Jeremiah, from the foreword
Title Page
Copyright Page
2019 by Richard Furman
Published by Revell
a division of Baker Publishing Group
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.revellbooks.com
Ebook edition created 2019
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-4934-1659-2
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.
Scripture quotations labeled NLT are from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Some names and details have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals involved.
This publication is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subjects addressed. Readers should consult their personal health professionals before adopting any of the suggestions in this book or drawing inferences from it. The author and publisher expressly disclaim responsibility for any adverse effects arising from the use or application of the information contained in this book.
The author is represented by the literary agency of Wolgemuth & Associates, Inc.
Dedication
To my sweet wife, Harriet.
There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
but you surpass them all!
PROVERBS 31:29 (NLT)
Contents
Cover
Endorsements
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Introduction
PART 1: UNDERSTANDING DIABETES
1. The Diabetes Problem
2. Understanding Diabetes
3. Medicine vs. Lifestyle Change
4. Understanding Insulin Resistance
5. Diabetes and Your Heart
6. Diabetes and Your Brain
7. The Midlife Years
PART 2: DEFEATING DIABETES: LIFESTYLE CHOICES FOR YOUR HEALTH
8. Habits
9. Exercise
10. What Should You Eat?
11. The Importance of Ideal Weight
Conclusion
Afterword
Medical References
About the Author
Back Ads
Back Cover
Introduction
The woman looked distraught as she approached me, and I could detect a tear forming at the edge of each eye. I waited for her to speak.
She slipped a tissue out of her pocket and lightly dabbed her eyes. I just saw my doctor, and he told me I have diabetes. Type 2.
I looked at her without showing emotion. She was a nurse, and I didnt think being told she had diabetes was enough to make her cry. But then she broke down and let the tears flow.
The bad part, she said, the part I dont understand, is that he said being told I have diabetes is just like being told Ive had my first heart attack.
Now I understood why she was so emotional. Being told she had diabetes was bad enough. Learning it was the equivalent of having a heart attack was almost more than she could take.
Im not sure where to begin doing something about it, she said. Im a nurse, but Ive never really studied diabetes. Ive seen a lot of the results of heart attacks, though.
She had no idea what relationship diabetes had to the health of her heart, but I knew what she was up against. I also knew she could make lifestyle changes to reduce the medication she would have to take, or even to get her off medication completely.
The complications from diabetes are the seventh leading cause of death in America, yet this book is about hope. Combating diabetes takes much more than medicine, and with lifestyle changes, you can not only treat diabetes; you can prevent it.
Lets take this journey together.
Part 1: Understanding Diabetes
The Diabetes Problem
The 2017 National Diabetes Statistics Report states that 30.3 million adults in the United States have been diagnosed with diabetes. Thats over 12 percent of all adults, and most of them were no doubt surprised to learn they had it.
Approximately 84 million American adults have whats called prediabetes, which means their blood sugar is above the normal range but not high enough to be medically diagnosed as diabetes. Yet 90 percent of them dont know they have it.
Either way, one out of three adults has something going on in their body that can lead to an extremely serious disease.
Both prediabetes and diabetes place you at a greater risk of having heart attacks and strokes. The information about prediabetes in this book applies to diabetes because the ongoing process in your body is the same with both. Advancing from being prediabetic to diabetic is the same process as progressing further with diabetes. So study the reports concerning prediabetes as intensely as you study the ones that cover diabetes. Its all the same disease, just in different degrees.