Book excerpt: If you are one of the 21 million people in the United States diagnosed with diabetes, you may feel frightened and confused. Why did you get this disease? How can you manage it? What about diet, exercise, medications? This can be a terribly difficult time when your doctor first tells you, you have a serious illness. Well help is here! Dr. Lenore T. Coleman and Dr. James R. Gavin, III have written a comprehensive, highly-readable manual on the long-term management of diabetes. You will learn what causes the disease, which medications are used to control it and how they are administered, and how you can avoid complications such as blindness, kidney disease, and amputations. With the right tools, you can lead a long and healthy life despite this disease. Healing Our Village: A Self-Care Guide to Diabetes Control will show you how.