The Smart Woman's Guide to Diabetes [Paperback]

Amy Stockwell Mercer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 15, 2011

Of the 17 million Americans who have diabetes, approximately 9.3 of that number are women. And it appears that number of women with diabetes is increasing each year. Diabetes is particularly difficult for women in large part due to the hormonal changes associated with the menstrual cycle, changes that affect blood sugar levels. As a consequence women with diabetes have higher rates of chest pain, heart attack, coronary heart disease and stroke. And women with diabetes face special challenges.

The Smart Woman's Guide to Diabetes provides advice, tips, and research from a diverse community of women living with diabetes. It provides practical insight and references for the optimal management of diabetes from women living with the disease as well as doctors, nurses, nutritionists, and educators. Personal anecdotes from nearly one hundred women throughout the book reveal both the good and the bad of living with diabetes, including the frustration, sense of shame, sense of isolation as well as the capacity for strength and the opportunity for growth.

The Smart Woman's Guide to Diabetes lets you know that you are not alone but rather it will make you feel like you are sitting in your favorite coffee shop with your friends who share the same disease.

Special Features of Smart Woman's Guide to Diabetes include:

• Personal anecdotes on a wide variety of topics are in every chapter
• Authentic advice from women living with diabetes
• Expert tips from female endocrinologists, educators, and nutritionists who are also living with diabetes
• Comprehensive in scope this books examines all the challenges and issues women with diabetes face
• Research and statistics are provided for each topic

Editorial Reviews

Review

"We can't think of a better researched guide to the nuanced life of a woman with diabetes than Amy Stockwell Mercer's new book The Smart Woman's Guide to Diabetes."-DiabetesMine

"This is not a very large book, but I was surprised how complete and comprehensive it is. It feels as if you are chatting with a group of friends who truly understand what it is like to live as a woman with diabetes and it does not get boring or become a chore to read. I highly recommend this one."-Elizabeth Woolley, about.com Type 2 Diabetes Guide

" Imparting critical information for diabetic women in pursuit of a healthy and fulfilling life, Mercer covers a range of topics, including finding the right medical team, gaining control through information and communication, managing adolescence, diet, and exercise. Special attention is given to eating disorders and body image; dating, sex, and marriage; pregnancy and motherhood; and telling others about one's condition. An excellent resource for those seeking information about the impact of diabetes on women's lives; the many personal stories lend warmth and accessibility."-Library Journal

"Well worth a look it presents a wide variety of experiences, viewpoints and approaches to diabetes management. This is the greatest strength of this book, making it of most use to recently diagnosed women (whatever stage of life they may be) who are trying to navigate unfamiliar thoughts, feelings and concerns about themselves, their health and their safety."-Emily Coles, tu diabetes

"Amy Stockwell Mercer calls her new book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Diabetes, a labor of love. It's the result of interviews with scores of women from all walks of life. And it covers aspects of women's lives ranging from eating to dating to raising children, all while coping with diabetes."-Diabetes Forecast

"No matter what stage of life you are in, if you are a woman with diabetes, this book will help you navigate each stage with sound, practical advice from your peers with diabetes. If you are like me and you spent many years dreaming of having a friend with diabetes to talk to or relate to, this book will be your 'ultimate girlfriend with diabetes."-From the Foreword by Brandy Barnes, Founder/CEO, DiabetesSisters

"Amy's book covers every aspect of being female and living with diabetes, beginning with a diagnosis at any age. She covers schooling, relationships, exercising, eating, traveling, pregnancy, parenting, menopause, and more. This great guide is packed with solid wisdom, advice, and guidance that will help any woman with this condition live a happier and healthier life."-Cheryl Alkon, Author, Balancing Pregnancy With Pre-Existing Diabetes: Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby

"Having had type 1 diabetes for more than 25 years and having written 2 books on the subject, I enjoyed reading Amy Mercer's book very much. It is well written and covers every aspect of living with diabetes across the life span from a woman's perspective. I especially liked the chapters on diagnosis, pregnancy, travel, and aging gracefully. It is worth reading for women living with diabetes at whatever stage in life they are and for the family and friends who love them."-Rita G. Mertig, MS, RNC, CNS, DE, Author, What Nurses Know Diabetes and Guide to Teaching Diabetes Self-Management

****4Stars****
"This book covers issues from initial diagnosis of diabetes through the various life stages and social issues women face. Because it is written from the perspective of women who have gone through the experience of living with diabetes, it has valuable insights into the unique needs of women with diabetes. The book is well written and provides credible and helpful information for women with diabetes. It addresses both physical and emotional --Elizabeth Woolley, about.com

About the Author

Amy Stockwell Mercer is a freelance writer in Charleston, SC. She graduated with her MFA in creative writing from Queens University in Charlotte, NC. Her writing has appeared in Charleston Magazine, skirt! Magazine, Literary Mama, Cup of Comfort For Writers, Chicken Soup for the Power Mom's Soul, Art Magazine, The City Paper, Charleston Style and Design, Diabetes Health, and Diabetes Forecast.  Amy has lived with type 1 Diabetes for 25 years and blogs about living with diabetes at A Sweet Life. Read more of her writing at amystockwellmercer.com

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Demos Health; 1 edition (July 15, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1936303132
• ISBN-13: 978-1936303137
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #901,886 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Amy Stockwell Mercer is a freelance writer living in Charleston, SC with her husband and three sons. She likes to write about people, art, and living with diabetes, and her work can be found in a variety of publications including Charleston Magazine, The City Paper, Art Papers, Diabetes Health, Literary Mama and skirt magazine. She graduated with an MFA in Creative Writing from Queen's University in Charlotte, NC in 2010.

Amy has been dreaming about this book ever since she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 14 years old in 1985. (This was before Nick Jonas or Crystal Bowersox--former American Idol runner-up and type 1 diabetic-- changed the face of diabetes). In 1985, the only reading material Amy could find about living with diabetes was the magazine, Diabetes Forecast, and the only role models were (the much older) Wilford Brimley and Mary Tyler Moore. Every time Amy ran up against a wall with diabetes and needed answers about dating or travel or exercise, she came up empty handed. Thankfully much has changed in the past 25 years, and Amy finally got the chance to write her book and add it to the great resources for women with diabetes. She hopes this book will answer questions for other women with diabetes, and help them feel less alone.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book... but needs some editing December 31, 2011

By A. Arnold

Format:Paperback

I have had type 1 diabetes for 16 of my 24 years of life, so this book has - so far - been great for giving me some peace of mind regarding my own health care. I love reading things that seem to have come right out of my own brain - I love knowing that I'm not alone or crazy for thinking or doing the things I do. While there isn't a ton of concrete advice in this quick read, it's great for getting other women's opinions and life stories and maybe even some tips for new things to try to manage your diabetes.

However, I was compelled to review the book simply because of the editing. There are some pretty blatant mistakes, including "you're" for "your," incorrect punctuation, poor flow, etc. I'm not even halfway through and it's getting distracting. I am just very surprised that the book was published with so many mistakes.

Even so, it's worth it for female diabetics to get and read this. I wish I'd had it when I was younger!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Review from The Girl's Guide to Diabetes.com November 17, 2011

By Sysy Carolina Morales

Format:Paperback

The Smart Woman's Guide to Diabetes is written by Amy Stockwell Mercer, who I had the great pleasure of meeting earlier this year at the Diabetes Sisters Conference. Upon meeting her, I was struck by what a great listener and empathetic person she was. Then I found out she was coming out with this book and got the opportunity to read it. Here is my honest review:

Aside from great advice on many aspects of life with diabetes, this book is often a compilation of different voices, gathered and arranged by Amy, into topics such as Eating and Motherhood and Exercise. The result, I found, was a chicken soup for the diabetic woman's soul. Amy talks a lot about her own experience with type 1 diabetes all throughout the book and adds the separate perspectives of many other women with diabetes from all walks of life.

I was particularly surprised by how emotional I became while reading this book. I wasn't expecting this at all. This book portrays the honest and open feelings and thoughts of women struggling with diabetes and since I'm struggling with diabetes, I couldn't help but relate and find comfort in the fact that I certainly am not alone.

I also became very aware of some repressed emotions about my experience with diabetes. For example, I read about women who have struggled with eating disorders and realized that although I have never skipped insulin or thrown up, I have had a very intense and harsh internal battle with myself about the weight gain I experienced after my diabetes diagnosis. I realized that even now, I still have some unhealthy tendencies that I need to work on. There is advice found throughout the book that is gentle and practical and truly helpful in the area of eating and all the other topics the book covers. I imagine that for other women with diabetes, this book could help surface some emotions that need to be properly acknowledged and dealt with. Don't be afraid of this, it's a natural step forward towards healing and feeling better.

I saw someone on Facebook ask why a book would focus on women with diabetes. I think the answer is obvious. We menstruate, can get pregnant, go through menopause, and society puts unique pressures on us as women. This book speaks to us individually through the candid and often funny perspectives of different women with diabetes. I wholeheartedly recommend this book and appreciate Amy's hard work, honesty, and willingness to wear her heart on her sleeve. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to recognize some truths in me and another solid truth: that I'm NOT alone with diabetes. While our experiences are our own, it doesn't mean someone out there doesn't get it. I curled up on the couch with this book, sipped tea, and felt like I was totally understood by girlfriends. It was really nice :)

5.0 out of 5 stars Diabetes from a female's perspective October 19, 2011

By Cassandra

Format:Paperback

A brilliant collection of insightful anecdotes: how women from all walks of life, grappling with a myriad of unique issues; from diagnosis, growing up with diabetes, college, dating and marriage, pregnancy, motherhood and even old age, manage and overcome their diabetes. Liked how anecdotes were interweaved with more scientific information to make for an informative pleasing read.