This is one in a series of book reviews. You may find these books beneficial you if you: manage prediabetes or diabetes, follow a diabetes meal plan and/or try to eat healthier to stay healthy. These reviews also appear on amazon.com. The books can be found in my amazon a-store. Please check them out.

OK, I'll admit it, I'm a bit addicted to Biggest Loser and I found myself getting dragged into another season last night.

Why do I like it? I enjoy watching the transformations people accomplish. These are particularly enjoyable towards the end of each season as people are approaching their goal weights. I also enjoy the transformations shown at the end of each show of the contestant who was voted off. They're impressive! I also like that the show portrays losing weight and keeping it off as very difficult...an effort that takes a constant and continual commitment.

Recently I put on the radio as I readied my lunch. It was tuned, as usual, to WAMU, the local NPR station. I heard Jessica Piscitelli introduced as a commentary writer from Northern Virginia. My ears perked up when I heard the title, Real Natural. Oh yes, Jessica's commentary was on target and real true. It's reprinted here with permission. Thank you Jessica!

Buyer beware. Real is the new natural.

Americans love to be healthy. Or, more accurately, we love our health products.

Setting off on a vacation? Simply packing for a business trip? Or celebrating a long weekend? Whatever, wherever, try to travel FRUIT-FULL-Y.

Why? Fruit is THE category of foods that is missing in action on the road - when most of your meals are eaten in or taken out from restaurants. (True, an insufficient supply of vegetables is close behind!)

Today you've got immediate access to the latest research studies on diabetes. Beyond the research you’ll find guidance and guidelines for how to take care of your diabetes and stay healthy. But with this plethora of information at your fingertips how do you know which websites to trust and those to cast aside. These top eleven diabetes-focused websites link you to diabetes associations and organizations, government-sponsored sources and a few other well known, trusted and dependable resources.

Nearly a decade worth of studies, with another one just published (online first), June 3, 2010, have explored the effectiveness of using one or a combination of two blood-glucose (BG) lowering medications (approved for type 2 diabetes) to prevent and/or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes in people with prediabetes or at high risk of type 2. These studies have used Actos (pioglitazone), Avandia (rosiglitazone), metformin, and others.

For people with type 1 or 2 diabetes carbohydrate, or carb, counting has evolved to be the most common method taught to help you plan meals and, if you take insulin, gauge your insulin doses. Carb counting is based on research showing that it’s the total amount of carbohydrate you eat that most impacts your blood glucose levels after you eat. (Check out two of my articles about the fine art of carbohydrate counting in Diabetic Living magazine Solving

Today people with diabetes have many more ways than ever of staying linked up on diabetes blogs and social networking sites. Check out my picks for the seven best sites. They're way more than blogs – they’re portals to online diabetes communities. You’ll find the latest research findings, stay abreast of the newest diabetes devices and technology advances or approvals of new medications.