Diabetes and Stress: 5 EZ To Use Tools

Reducing stress for a person with diabetes is an absolute must. According to medical evidence, stress can increase glucose levels in people with diabetes, making them more susceptible to long-term physical complications such as eye, kidney or nerve disorders.

In a landmark study, Dr. Richard Surwit, a medical psychologist at Duke University states notes that "stress management techniques, when added to standard care, helped reduce glucose levels." Surwit also notes that "The change (in blood sugar levels) is nearly as large as you would expect to see from some diabetes-control drugs."

Dr. Surwit goes on to point out that “Managing stress can significantly improve a patient's control of their diabetes. These techniques are simple, quick to learn, and have been shown to work for multiple conditions, including coronary syndromes. There are many self-help books and other commercially available materials about stress management from which patients can learn these techniques."

Now, consider the following 5 remedies you can immediately use to reduce stress.

1. Turn stress into an ally instead of an enemy.
When your 'friend' Mr./ Mrs./Miss Stress is getting your attention, remember that is a signal to take a break from whatever is stressing you out. If you don't have a chance to do so right away, then promise yourself a nice soothing bath or walk as soon as you can. Just the thought that at some point your stressful event will be over is often enough to help a person begin to feel better.

2. Stress is like the common cold. Don't catch it from others!
Have you ever noticed that some people seem to want others to be as stressed out as they are? I don't know about you but if someone handed me poisonous snake, I wouldn't take it. So, whenever someone near you is handing out 'stress snakes', make sure you are not receiving.

3. Learn from good stress managers.
Look around. Who do you know that handles stress well? If no one, then no wonder you're stressed! If however, you know of someone who is cool under fire, get his or her secrets!

4. Remember to breathe!
Many times people feel stressed because they have forgotten to breathe. Seriously. Or, some people begin to breathe only in their chests (rather than belly breathing). Chest breathing actually raises anxiety levels.

5. Interrupt stressful thoughts.
Practice your breathing techniques when you are aware of stressful triggers. Speaking of stress triggers, bear in mind that if you've had too much coffee it may be time to cut back just a little.

Please actively pursue ways in which you can reduce stress now. I know that there are always stressful things but even in the middle of a storm, you can be calmer.