I found this an interesting take on managing blood sugar: using intermittent fasting vs. the eating small amounts throughout the day. Between this strategy, maximizing exposure to sunlight, and exercising during optimum times, I might have a couple new arrows in my quiver.

3.5 stars

I thought this was very well-written without a lot of fluff, and didn't belabor points I already knew. Re-convinced me about intermittent fasting, and also that I reaaaaally shouldn't be doing shift work.

This was an informative read that was really simplified for the average reader. Overall, I enjoyed the premises that by working with your circadian rhythm, you can improve your blood glucose levels. I have found this to be true for myself and know that many people do not realize that something as simple as a bedtime can so drastically affect diabetes risk and glucose levels. The book also utilizes circadian rhythm in eating styles as the author advocates for intermittent fasting. This can be a bit tricky for diabetics as not all respond well, however, the 10 hour eating period (and 14 hours fasting) is a pretty lenient IF track that most diabetics can probably attempt without negative side effects. However, the author recommends finding what works for the reader's body individually, as we are all unique. IF helps to utilize the circadian rhythm and give the body a rest from digesting, which results in better sleep.

Diet is examined with certain foods being recommended while others are recommended to be omitted from the diet. Exercise is also promoted with the benefits stated for exercising at specific times of the day, though any time the reader can get exercise in is obviously preferable to not exercising.

There were a few things that stuck out to me that the author said that I found to be inaccurate and I thought the recommendation of aspartame as a safe sweetener after most others were nixed was a terrible recommendation. Aspartame is not even safe for blood sugars for some diabetics and even for those who are not spiked by it, it is terrible for health and has been linked to disrupted gut flora, GI issues, cancer, and a number of other health issues. This research is clear and out there, so I'm not sure how that made the cut and was recommended over safer sweeteners or more natural ones.

I think that this book would help most people with diabetes to improve their health. The author lays out the groundwork in a detailed and easy to understand manner that is concise and the data is simplified for the average reader. While the science is included, it is definitely an abridged version that requires no prior knowledge on the subject.

This is an excellent guide for people who have diabetes or prediabetes, or who just want to avoid getting diabetes and its many dangerous companions. Diabetes and metabolic disorders have skyrocketed in the past couple of decades and many people are completely unaware that they are diabetic or have prediabetes. Panda points out that doctors often don't even tell patients that they have prediabetes and will develop diabetes in the near future at the rate they're going, instead using words like "you need to increase your exercise and eat better." I appreciate that he's worked with many patients who have reversed their diabetes with his plan, and also that the advice is advice we should ALL be following whether we're already sick or not.

The focus is on eating right (stop with the processed carbs, for goodness sake), getting regular exercise and getting enough sleep, but with a massive amount of information to help. He does deep dives into the science behind all of it and keeps it interesting and accessible. I found advice that I passed on to my 14 y/o son about how to help combat his recent insomnia (eating within 2-3 hours of sleep will sabotage getting to sleep because it ramps up digestion and body heat, both of which interfere with rest and the lower body temp we go into to sleep), plus a ton of good advice for myself and my husband and just lots of really interesting stuff. He also goes into lots of step-by-step plans to help you be successful at implementing his plans. A great resource.

I read a digital ARC of this book for review.

I enjoyed this book very much. It has good, easy to understand explanations of the dynamics of how the body utilizes glucose/sugar. The second section on the timing of eating, exercise and sleep was informative and made sense. To me it’s much easier to follow instructions if they are explained and make sense. If they don’t resonate I’m less likely to follow them. The section on the 12 week sounds fairly easy to follow. I like that it works in 2 week segments so as not to be so overwhelming that you end up quitting before really even starting.

Having diabetes myself, i was really interested to learn more theories on how to manage it. This book is very insightful but at times the amount of information was very overwhelming. There are some good points but sometimes I felt like it was hard to put it all together.

4.5 Stars
This is a comprehensive guide to preventing, managing and even potentially reversing type 2 diabetes. No one would argue that eating a moderate, well-balanced diet and getting regular exercise are important to achieving optimal health. Based on his research into the circadian rhythms of our bodies, this author demonstrates that knowing when to eat and exercise is just as important.

The book is divided into three parts.
Part 1 provides an in-depth discussion of prediabetes, diabetes and metabolic syndrome as well as circadian rhythms. Drawing on personal research as well as published results by other health professionals, Dr. Panda describes how circadian rhythms become out of sync (aka internal “broken clocks”) and their impact on diabetes.
Part 2 includes chapters on how to enhance your circadian rhythm by managing food intake (what and when), optimal times for exercise, and tips for ensuring quality sleep.
Part 3 concludes with a chapter on working effectively with your physician when implementing this program and a practical plan for getting started with a 12-Week challenge.

The content is well-organized and written in clear, easily understood language. At times is becomes a bit dry with so much data to underscore the validity of the author’s approach, but there are well-placed case studies and simple, but effective charts and diagrams to balance the text. I’m not a fan of the “one-size-fits-all” approach that generalizes health advice and guidelines, so I was happy to see that there is enough diversity built into this model to accommodate different lifestyles and preferences.

There was one area that disappointed me. While Dr. Panda points out that this approach is not a “diet,” he does discuss food choices. Included in the lists of recommended foods were tofu and artificial sweeteners, which seemed at odds with what I understand as a “healthy, well-balanced diet.”

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

In The Circadian Diabetes Code, researcher Dr. Satchin Panda, PhD explains the impact our internal clocks have on our health. A professor at the Salk Institute, he is on the forefront of circadian rhythm research.

According to Dr. Panda, our body has innumerable internal clocks that control everything from sleep to mood to gene expression and disease risk. Our modern world wreaks havoc with these circadian clocks, throwing them off balance. This book suggests that with some minor lifestyle modifications, readers can restore balance and benefit from better sleep, greater health and a reduced risk of disease.

Dr. Satchin Panda’s research suggests that if we nurture this rhythm and control WHEN we eat, we can reverse prediabetes and manage Type 2 diabetes. Along the way, he claims we can lose weight and enhance every other aspect of our health. Paramount to keeping our internal clocks running smoothly is the concept of ‘time restricted eating’ or TRE. Dr. Panada suggests restricting our eating to an 8-to-10-hour window and explains why we would want to consider this lifestyle change.

His book is divided into three sections. Part I is where you’ll learn about the basics of circadian science and understand how risk factors may be negatively impacting diabetes management. Part II is a focus on intermittent fasting and the importance of sleep. Part III describes the 12-week health challenge.

Areas I struggled with:
- The blood glucose levels stated were measured in mg/dL whereas in Canada it is measured in mmol/L . For universal appeal, it would be convenient to have the measurements in both units.

Areas I appreciated:
- The checklists, questionnaires, section titles, charts, and summary boxes
- The simple language used in explanations
- The explanation of the circadian clock and the repercussions when it’s broken
- Clear pathway with attainable goals, rather than radical changes
- Learning about the term ‘Type 3 diabetes’
- No special food to buy, no calorie counting, no special equipment and no journaling!

Publishes November 9, 2021.
I was gifted this book by Dr. Satchin Panda, Rodale Books, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.