The Diabetes Companion – A guide for diabetes The Diabetes Companion: a complete self-management guide for diabetics and their family and friends.

Written by a multi-disciplinary team at Changi General Hospital (CGH), the book is comprehensive yet readable and is packed with practical information for diabetics to take control of their condition. 

The Diabetes Companion provides information on complications of diabetes, tackling obesity, eating right, oral diabetes medicines, self-blood glucose monitoring, travelling with diabetes and alternative medicines.

With a detailed chapter on insulin that highlights the action profile of the different types of insulin, insulin regimens and injection techniques to another on coping with emotions and a comprehensive ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ section, this book serves as an all important resource for diabetics.

The book is particularly relevant in the local context as it provides tips on better local food choices, alternative medication used by diabetics and presentations of 31 local diabetics cases.

Diabetes and Complementary & Alternative Medicines
This book could not have been more timely – an article in the Journal of Advanced Nursing, published in 2007, reported that across cultures, 17–72% of patients with diabetes use complementary and alternative medicine, such as herbal and nutritional supplements, spiritual healing and relaxation techniques.

However, in a survey conducted in 2000 by Dr Lim Heok Seng, one of the authors of The Diabetes Companion, of 600 diabetic patients at the Diabetes Centre of Singapore General Hospital, only about 20% of patients informed their doctors about their usage of complementary and alternative medicines.

A Comprehensive & Holistic Approach
The book also emphasises to diabetics not only the generally unproven effectiveness of many of the complementary and alternative products in the control of diabetes but also the potential dangers and harmful effects of combining these supplements with prescription medications. Diabetics are advised to consult and inform their doctors, pharmacists and dietitians before combining supplements and alternative medicines with their prescription medicines. 

Emotional support for diabetic patients is also addressed as it recognises diabetic-related emotions such as fear, anxiety, frustration, burnout, denial and depression and guides readers through this whole range of emotions.

The Diabetic Companion rounds off with advice on the nutritional requirements of diabetics, with useful reference to local food choices.

About the Authors:
Dr Lim Heok Seng is an endocrinologist and senior consultant at the Diabetes Centre at CGH. He has more than 20 years experience treating patients with diabetes, lipid disorders, and general endocrine conditions.

Jonathan Seah is a senior pharmacist at CGH and co-wrote the chapter on ‘Alternative Medicines and Supplements’ with Dr Lim.

Tan Li Jen is a senior clinical psychologist at CGH and has been a practising psychologist for over 10 years in Singapore.

Magdalin Cheong has many years of experience providing dietetic management to diabetic patients both in a hospital as well as community setting in the United Kingdom and Singapore. She set up the dietetic service for the Diabetes Centre and the Dietetic and Food Services Department in CGH. She has also co-authored another book with executive chef, Daniel Yeo, entitled A Cookbook for Diabetics. 

About the CGH Diabetes Centre:

All the services related to diabetes are housed under one roof, offering greater convenience. We provide the following services: Tests for blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), lipid profile serum creatinine and urine protein, nutritional counselling, diabetes self-care counselling, psychological counselling, retinal photography, body fats analysis, and podiatry. The Diabetes Centre is open from 8 am to 5.30 pm (Monday to Friday) and 8 am to 12.30pm (Saturday). For more information, call the Diabetes Centre at 6850 2310 / 6850 2318 or e-mail: diabetes_centre@cgh.com.sg.

The Diabetes Centre at CGH published an earlier book, Diabetes: Totally Uncovered, which was distributed to its patients. The Diabetes Companion is the updated and expanded version of this book, and is now available at most major bookshops ($20.33 incl. GST), CGH pharmacies and the CGH Diabetes Centre. CGH patients who are on the Diabetes Full Assessment programme will be able to purchase the book at a special price at the CGH Diabetes Centre.

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The book is available in CGH Pharmacy and major bookstores.

Usual retail price : $19.80 (including GST)