The Carbohydrate Addict's Healthy Heart Program: Break Your Carbo-Insulin Connection to Heart Disease

The authors acknowledge that this book is not for everybody. It is not for the healthy eater who may enjoy second helpings of pasta but isn't compulsive or excessive about eating carbs. It is for the true carbohydrate addict who intensely craves sweets and starches and has a hormonal imbalance that can lead to heart disease if untreated.

The aim of this program is to "help balance insulin levels and reduce the insulin resistance that leads to carbohydrate cravings, easy weight gain, high blood pressure, abnormal blood fats, adult-onset diabetes, and heart disease." The program involves three basic steps: (1) reducing the high-carbohydrate foods that you eat and increasing their quality; (2) choosing supplements that balance insulin levels; and (3) choosing insulin-regulating physical activities. The writing is clear and inviting. The authors explain medical concepts such as Insulin Resistance Syndrome simply and clearly. They also narrate their own health and weight-loss struggles, adding a personal touch. About 60 recipes are included.

This program, while it does emphasize eating more protein and fewer starchy foods, does not raise the fat and protein intake to unhealthy levels, like many low-carbohydrate diets. You are encouraged to eat one "Reward Meal" that is one-third high-carbohydrate (preferably a high-fiber rather than sugary choice); the other meals include "low-carbohydrate vegetables" that are fibrous but not starchy. An appendix explains how to make this program compatible with the dietary guidelines of the American Heart Association and other health organizations. --Joan Price