Author Biography

Laurence D. Chalem (b. 1963), an insulin-dependent—type 1—diabetic, received his B.A. in Economics (1986), M. Mus. (1994), and M.B.A. (1996) all from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  He has held the Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M.) certificate from the Institute for Supply Management since 1999.

Now based in San Jose, California, Mr. Chalem currently serves as global sourcing manager with Cisco Systems, Inc., the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate, and collaborate.

Laurence’s HbA_1c has been significantly below 7% since 2006.  He eats a very low-calorie diet, consisting of approximately 60% fat, largely coconut oil, 30% protein, and 10% carbohydrates in the form of vegetables.  Besides coconut oil, his favorite oils are macadamia nut, pecan, almond, olive, and avocado, all predominantly mono-unsaturated, and supplements his diet with chromium, vitamins, fiber, and fish oil.  He cooks primarily with coconut oil and real butter.

Incredibly accessible and wonderfully straightforward, Laurence D. Chalem’s second book, Essential Diabetes Leadership, is the quintessential overview of diabetes.  Whether you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with diabetes or whether it is something you have managed for years, this study provides insight on how to live optimally with diabetes currently not well-represented in medical literature.

In this powerful and empowering treatise, the author traces data from the last three centuries and explains where to find credible information from all channels of information.  Meticulously researched and fully annotated, Chalem’s analysis also investigates the most influential diabetes study in the world.  Here is where questions are answered and diabetics become the leaders of their wellness.  Nearly the entire diabetes treatment industry is biased in favor of their particular interests and that—hands down—the optimal treatment of diabetes is a diet low in carbohydrates, high in fat, and one that takes the middle ground in regards to protein consumption.

Thrive with Diabetes: Lead an Optimistic, Fun, Challenging, Fit, Tenacious, Enlightened, Innovative & Heroic Life, researched and written by Laurence D. Chalem, an insulin dependent—type I—diabetic, is a highly informative, full-of-substance look at how to live with diabetes.  Sincere, well considered, and right on the money, this important self-empowerment health and wellness guide helps diabetics take control of their lifestyle and diet challenges—and their future.

Thrive With Diabetes consists of five parts: (I) a discussion then compression of the current definition and treatment of diabetes mellitus, (II) an overview of digestion, including illustrations of the pancreas, the liver, insulin, macronutrient—fat, protein, and carbohydrate—content, and other relevant matters from credible sources, (III) a summary of stable blood sugar, et al., by Professor Emeritus Robert Horn, author of http://www.MedBio.info, (IV) a better model of the glucose-insulin system and current research leading to a better diabetes diet that minimizes HbA_1c, maximizing quality and quantity of life, and (V) strategies from which to thrive, i.e., a high level overview of career, based upon a summary of Erik Erikson's Life Stages.

Some of the sources used throughout the book include Dr. Richard K. Bernstein, Dr. Ron Rosedale, Dr. Joseph Mercola, Dr. Eric C. Westman, the American Diabetes Association, the World Health Organization, Dr. John Barrow, MedBioWorld, Professor Emeritus Robert S. Horn, research articles from PubMed (a service of the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health), Dr. Stephen Covey, Gary Taubes, Sally Fallon, Mary G. Enig, Ph.D., and Wikipedia.

Author Laurence Chalem addresses readers diagnosed with diabetes.  But he eschews the common advice.  Eating a low-fat, high-complex-carbohydrate diet, measuring and taking insulin, losing weight and exercising, are all thought to win the battle against diabetes.  People diagnosed with the illness are often told that stress is a culprit, and that they should stay away from high pressure and competitive jobs.  Not so, argues the author.  Based on evidence he skillfully and thoroughly presents, Chalem asserts that diabetes can and should be handled differently.  He goes beyond the physical to stress the psychological, stating that instead of focusing efforts on blood sugar, readers would do well to eat a simpler diet, enabling them to thrive by spending their valuable time on more meaningful pursuits such as Erik Erikson’s eight stages of life and career.

A simple and revolutionary lifeline for diabetics, both books are essential and necessary.