UNMASKING TYPE 2 DIABETES, KIDNEY DISEASE, AND HEART DISEASE

An octogenarian offers what he sees as the secrets to his longevity and recovery from serious illness in this inclusive guide.

Seasoned nonfiction writer Bautista suffered a major heart attack in 1996, a diabetes diagnosis in 2006, and a kidney disease diagnosis in 2011. Fearing that he would die, the author decided to embark upon a life-changing regimen of health education and reparative lifestyle changes, in addition to seeking medical intervention. After the trauma of his initial illnesses and recoveries, he became emboldened to share his knowledge regarding self-care. The result is this instructional volume, focused on healthy living and disease prevention, which features condensed chapters that address a variety of maladies and potential treatment methods. After introductory material that extensively details how the author survived a trio of health threats, he offer distressing, relevant chapters on various types of diabetes and their associative complications (in Bautista’s case, it was debilitating double vision), and insulin resistance prevention. He briefly touches on interventions, such as pancreatic islet transplants and angioplasty. He also explores kidney and heart disease variations and the possible ways to treat them with a targeted diet and exercise plan and visits with a medical professional. The best moments in Bautista’s book occur when he puts a personal spin on his health advice; for example, he writes candidly about his harrowing experience with sudden cardiac arrest and heart failure (which he calls “one of the most frightening and devastating events in my life”), and updates readers on the “current situation” regarding his biventricular pacemaker. Finally, he lists numerous methods aimed at strengthening the heart muscle, detoxifying the body, and increasing the intake of beneficial nutrients through an exhaustive list of dietary plans.      

Perhaps the most powerful takeaway that readers will get from Bautista’s book is his urgent assertion that these diseases may be slowed or stopped by adhering to a strictly tiered program of caloric intake, lifestyle changes, and consistent exercise. That said, many of his recommendations are, for the most part, quite basic and will strike many readers as familiar and pedestrian; however, they nevertheless serve as healthful, body-positive reminders on a wide range of issues. To its detriment, though, the book has a tendency to repetitively urge readers to stay hydrated, eat a plant-based diet, and pursue a moderate exercise regimen. While these are all important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, their reiteration over the course of the book is distracting and has the effect of diluting the author’s message. Some readers may also question the validity of Bautista’s facts or advice, due to his limited medical expertise, but many will find it difficult to find fault with reminders to vigilantly pursue preventative strategies, such as laboratory screenings, complete blood panels, and everyday steps that one can take to feel good, be healthy, and ensure vitality. As a result, many readers are sure to find a good deal of worthwhile information in these pages.

A deeply personal, health-related self-portrait and a basic but useful set of self-care reminders.