Stress Stoppers

Long term stress that goes unchecked is bad for everyone, but particularly when you have diabetes it raises the hormone cortisol, which actually raises your blood sugar, making it even more difficult to control your diabetes. So you really need to figure out ways to keep your stress in check so that you don't actually suffer the harmful effects of stress.

Some of my favorite stress busting techniques that I would recommend are exercise, something as simple as breathing, staying positive, and one of my favorites is meditation.

All types of exercise are good for stress, but in particular the cardio exercise, something like running that increases your endorphins which are the feel good hormones in the brain, gives you that runner's high you might have heard of, not only does that have a short term effect, but it actually has long term effects. And in particular, exercise has even been shown to work as well as anti-depressants for mild to moderate depression. So just a wonderful way to relieve stress long term.

If you're feeling stress during the day, just take 10. That's 10 deep breaths, a few seconds in and a few seconds out. It's a wonderful way to lower your blood pressure, lower your heart rate, release that muscle tension from the day. And it's something you can do any time, anywhere.

You know, stress is a reality today. You can't avoid it completely. But you can change the way that your body responds to it. And one of the best ways to do that is by staying positive.

Now, a wonderful way to stay positive is actually to write positive things. Just take a couple of minutes each day, write down those positive feelings, and really focus on them. That's going to go a long way to helping you manage your stress and your diabetes.

Meditation is one of my favorite ways to relieve stress. Now, study after study has shown the benefits of meditation, particularly on stress. And it's not what you think. It's not sitting cross-legged on the floor saying ohm. There's actually much more to it. You do need to practice it. It's calming the mind and getting rid of the chaos of the day.

Having diabetes can feel overwhelming and stressful. But with these helpful tips I just shared, you can better learn to both manage your stress and your diabetes.