The book "Think like a Pancreas" by Gary Scheiner(sp.?)
What group of diabetics was it essentially written for? Some books are intended and written primarily for a very specific group...
Is/was the book intended for Type 2 diabetics fundamentally? Or are the discussions largely about the very invasive methods, tools, those considered in the generic essentially "Type 1".
How would you characterize this book?
Why not ask Gary himself at his TuD talk?
http://www.tudiabetes.org/events/live-interview-with-gary-scheiner-cde-3
I'd say it was focused at new T1's mainly but its really for anyone on an intensive insulin regimen.
I’d say it is focused on insulin dependent diabetics on the high carb diet recommended by the ADA. Lots of the advice needs to be adapted if you are on a lower carb diet and are insulin resistant.
"Think Like a Pancreas" geared for whom?
It is geared for anyone using insulin. And it's a pretty good and helpful read.
If one is going the low carb route almost none of the books other than Dr Bs is very good. I think this book still had some useful information though, and I think that reading many books and getting different viewpoints is useful.
Nice concise description, Brain. I've been using a low carb way of eating for almost three years now and have lost sight of that about TLAP. On one of the TuD live video interviews Gary said he believes that the central nervous system needs a minimum of 130 grams of carbs per day. I remember the ruckus that caused here.
It was written for me! ;) It's the basics and there are many great tools that can help to determine and keep up a good insulin regime! I don't really think that it matters if it is low carb or not. After determining your needs, you can look into low carb which is a whole other subject.
I would recommend it to anyone who is on insulin.
could you give some examples of how it has to be adapted, brian?
At the core of the book is a model of insulin requirements that is based on a 50/50 basal/bolus ratio. The 50/50 ratio is what you need on a high carb ADA style diet. This ratio is at the heart of his derivations of lots of other stuff. Unfortunately with a low carb diet you need much less total bolus so you end up with a ratio of more like 70/30 or even 80/20. If you use his formulas and tables they don't work out. You have to adapt them.
thank you, brian.
you need to find something that works for you, he is higher carb and doesn't see any merit in low carb..yet
http://integrateddiabetes.com/my-diabetes-confession/
I think my practice does a pretty good job helping people to meet their diabetes management goals. But quite frankly, my control stinks. My A1c has crept up to nearly 8%, and despite using a pump and CGM religiously, I still experience more than my fair share of lows. There are plenty of possible reasons:
I do low carb, or lowish carb now and my bolus is higher than basal, I definitely don't need more basal at this point, it lowered on the pump at first. I have never paid attention to ratios and even though I have this book and got some good info, I didn't find any of the formulas seemed to work for me, maybe due to eating lower carb. None of the insulin calculating formulas in any of the books I have have worked for me.
IMHO, “Think Like a Pancreas” is most helpful for those who use insulin, particularly for those with T1D. This book has become our Torah. A carb-restricted diet is not a healthy one for children as their bodies (and more specifically their brains) are growing and developing. I consider Gary Scheiner no less than a god among Type 1 diabetics. Without him and his book, I doubt my Type 1 daughter’s A1C would be anywhere near its current 4.8. And for the record, her honeymoon ended several months ago. And she is “pubertizing”. Her A1C still rocks, thanks to everything I’ve learned from Gary!
(Congratulations for the 4.8. )
Stuart and Brian, I understand now! We are not looking at the same part of the book. I flipped over the first pages and use all the tools to determine basal, correction, sensitivity. I never eat more than 50g carbs a day and his book works well for me. BUT TRUE, I need the basics!
Touché-- I learned a fair bit from this book but I read it within weeks of my initial diagnosis, honestly that seemed like forever ago, and I read so many books on the subject back then that I don’t really remember what made this one remarkable but I do remember it was worthwhile. Hoping to be back in the 4 club myself again-- it’s within reach for me.