Minggu, 18 Juli 2010

Stress, Type 2 Diabetes and Blood Sugar Levels

Stress is tied to many health conditions including Type 2 diabetes. We are told stress not managed can lead to medical illnesses: it can even contribute to physical illnesses such as high blood pressure and heart disease. Stress is often ignored as a factor in being overweight, prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes.

Firstly, just what is stress? It is the way your body responds to a demand no matter what kind. It can be caused by either a good or bad experience and at this time your body reacts by releasing chemicals into your bloodstream. Stress usually occurs when the demands being made on a person are greater than their ability to cope.

What is the stress-Type 2 diabetes connection? Stress increases the secretion of insulin and cortisol, your body's main long-acting stress hormone. Both these hormones work together to promote the formation of belly fat or visceral fat... contributing to both overweight and Type 2 diabetes. Stress hormones may also alter blood sugar levels directly.

The connection between stress, Type 2 diabetes and weight loss (or not)! Think about your own eating habits when you are stressed... you are likely to delay or even skip meals. This leads to eating foods or snacks full of sugar as well as beverages loaded with caffeine and sugar. These foods then create a blood sugar roller coaster.

Food behavior is one of the most common responses to stress, frequently leading to ongoing bad eating habits. Stress usually leads to high calorie/kilojoule comfort foods.
It is not unusual to find when people become stressed they increase both drinking and smoking. These often take the place of exercise, so instead of having lower blood sugar levels, your blood sugar levels are increased along with your weight. Time is not found to check blood sugar levels or to even prepare healthy meals.

What are signs that you are feeling stressed? If you are experiencing any of these symptoms your response to stress is undercutting your ability to cope with them.
Symptoms include:
  • feeling overwhelmed
  • finding yourself becoming easily angered
  • finding yourself being unable to handle your usual workload
  • having heart palpitations or a fast heartbeat
  • insomnia
  • not feeling like your usual self
  • having trouble concentrating
  • lacking energy
  • exhibiting poor judgment
  • depression or anxiety
Why Type 2 diabetics should control stress. People with Type 2 diabetes should think of stress as an enemy to be dealt with. As well as the normal stressors Type 2 diabetes adds the stresses of coping with:
  • high blood sugar levels
  • obesity and
  • cardiovascular complications
that limit physical activities.
When you are stressed it's the way you behave; then you are unlikely to exercise, make healthy food choices, check your blood sugar levels, take your medications on time and do anything else necessary for good diabetes care.

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