Since getting my hands on a review copy of Jenny Ruhl's new book, "Blood Sugar 101: What they don't tell you about diabetes" (Technion Books), I haven't been able to put it down.

Finally, an intellegent book about type 2 diabetes that tells it like it is and offers practical advice without talking down to me or engaging in quackery. Reading it, I feel like I did when met best friend Sue in middle school or when first found Diabetic Mommy. There's someone else who gets it! (READ MORE)

At the end of this month, I'll see my endocrinologist for the first time since leaving the hospital with that adorable little bundle of joy. Prior to getting pregnant, I started taking insulin and I'm still on it. When I see the doctor again, I'll have the opportunity to change things up. Now that I'm done breastfeeding, I can go back on oral medications and put the insulin behind me.

Today, I started questioning if I really want to do that. What are the pros and cons of oral meds versus insulin? The obvious is a pill versus a shot, but after 15 months on insulin, I really don't have a problem with needles. Insulin is natural and the only real side effect is low blood sugar. Most oral meds have much worse side effects, like upset stomachs, headaches and rashes, in addition to hypoglycemia. (READ MORE)

So I was at work the other day and one of my co-workers and I had the, "diabetes talk". Let's just say she acted as if she knew all about diabetes. I was sitting there humoring her as she dove into topics of nutrition, exercise, and stress. And right as I was about to completely tune her out and continue what I was doing, she caught my attention with a few words that I HAD NEVER heard associated with diabetes. Chromium Picolinate.
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When I was first diagnosed with diabetes, I read everything I could get my hands on about it. The fear of complications kept me in line. In fact, when faced with the temptation of cookies and cake, the phrase "blindness, dialysis and amputation" helped me walk away with not so much as a taste.

I guess that's why I took it so hard when my vision started blurring recently. At my post-pregnancy opthalmalogist visit, my eyeglass prescription had changed so much in the last six months, the doctor suggested checking again in a few months instead of getting a new prescription now. He explained my recent high blood sugars (thanks to that third attempt at diet and exercise "control") had temporarily distorted my vision. There are no signs of perminent damage, yet. Get my sugars under tighter control for a two to three months and we'll check again. (READ MORE)

When it comes to sitting down to eat a meal, I've always been a bit of a shoveler. Growing up we ate in front of the TV and we still do from time to time. I'm embarrassed to admit I usually go in for seconds too. Sometimes, if I'm eating something particularly tasty, I'll start planning my second bowlful before I'm even halfway finished with my first round.

So trying Paul McKenna's concept of eating conciously has been a bit of an eye opener. What really convinced me to give it a go is when he explained how many of us spend so much time thinking about food yet so little time eating it. It's true. I spend a lot of time thinking about food, planning meals, craving things I won't allow myself, etc. But when it comes time to sit down to eat, I shovel it in so fast I barely taste it. (READ MORE)

Did anyone catch the new TLC show, "I Can Make You Thin"? I saw the commercials for it and thought it sounded a bit wacky, but I wanted to check it out anyway. I set the DVR to record it, but it recorded Jon & Kate Plus 8 instead.

I watched part of the show as a rerun this weekend and I have to say it really does sound like such a common sense approach to eating. On the first show, he premiered his 4 Golden Rules, which are:

1. When You Are Hungry, Eat. This sounds like such a no-brainer, doesn't it? But I have to admit, there are plenty of times when I'm hungry and don't eat because it's not meal time and I'm "on a diet." I didn't see the whole show, but I have to guess part of this is if you aren't hungry, don't eat. And I'm sure many of us have eaten when we weren't hungry. (READ MORE)