We have previously reviewed Dr. Panda’s “The Circadian Code” which pertains to the circadian rhythms (yes, plural) in general; this one uses much of the same research, but with a strong focus on the implications for blood sugar management.

It’s first a primer in diabetes (and prediabetes, and, in contrast, what things should look like if healthy). You’ll understand about glucose metabolism and glycogen and insulin and more; you’ll understand what blood sugar readings mean, and you’ll know what an Hb1AC count actually is and what it should look like too, things like that.

After that, it’s indeed about what the subtitle promises: the right times to eat (and what to eat), when to exercise (and how, at which time), and how to optimize your sleep in the context of circadian rhythm and blood sugar management.

You may be wondering: why does circadian rhythm matter for blood sugars? And the answer is explained at some length in the first part of the book, but to oversimplify greatly: your body needs energy all the time, no matter when it was that you last ate. Thus, it has to organize its energy reserves to that at all times you can 1) function, on a cellular level 2) maintain a steady balance of sugar in your blood despite using it at slightly higher or lower levels at different times of day. Because the basal metabolic rate accounts for most of our energy use, the body has to plan for a base rate of so much energy per day, and to do that, it needs to know what a day is. Dr. Panda explains this in detail (the marvels of PER proteins and all that), but basically, that’s the relevance of circadian rhythm.

However, it’s not all theory and biochemistry; there is also a 12-week program to reverse prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (it will not, of course, reverse Type 1 Diabetes, sorry—but the program will still be beneficial even in that case, since more even blood sugars means fewer woes).

They style is friendly and clear, explaining the science simply, yet without patronizing the reader. References are given, with claims sourced in an extensive bibliography.

Bottom line: if you or a loved one have diabetes or prediabetes, or just have a strong desire to avoid getting such and generally keep your metabolic health in good order, this book will definitely help.

Click here to check out The Diabetes Code, and enjoy better blood sugar health than ever!

Sometimes it seems that we know everything we should be doing… We have systems and goals and principles, we know about the importance of habits, and we do our best to live them. Yet, somehow, life has other plans for us and things don’t quite come together they way they did in our genius masterplan.

So, what happened? And more importantly, what are we supposed to do about this? Katy Milkman has answers, right from the start.

Sometimes, it can be as simple as when we try to implement a change. It’s not that there’s a “wrong time” for a good change, so much that there are times that are much more likely to succeed than others… and those times can be identified and used.

Sometimes we’re falling prey to vices—which she explains how to overcome—such as:

• Impulsivity
• Procrastination
• Forgetfulness
• Laziness

We also learn some counterintuitive truths about what can boost or sabotage our confidence along the way!

Milkman writes in a compelling, almost narrative style, that makes for very easy reading. The key ideas, built up to by little (ostensibly true) stories and then revealed, become both clear and memorable. Most importantly, applicable.

Bottom line: this is a great troubleshooting guide for when you know how everything should be working, but somehow, it just doesn’t—and you’d like to fix that.

Click here to check out “How To Change” on Amazon, and get those changes rolling!

We previously reviewed Dr. Li’s excellent “Eat To Beat Disease”, so you may be wondering how much overlap there is. While he does still cover such topics as angiogenesis, organ regeneration, microbiome health, DNA protection, and immunological considerations, and much of the dietary advice is similar, most of the explanation is different.

Because, this time, rather than looking at beating disease in general, there’s a much stronger focus on metabolic disease in particular, and yes, for those who want to do so, losing fat.

The scientific explanations are in-depth, such that you come way with not merely “I should eat an avocado once in a while”, but a comprehensive understanding of the body’s metabolic processes, from the chemistry to the organs involved, from the cellular to the systemic.

The style is on the hard end of pop-science. It’s approachably readable, while having a lot of densely-packed information with minimal fluff. You will be more than getting your money’s worth out of its 496 pages.

Bottom line: if you’d like to perk up your metabolism with a dietary approach that’s enjoyable and very restrictive, then this book will arm you with the knowledge to do that.

Click here to check out Eat To Beat Your Diet, and eat to beat your diet!