Stress May Worsen Diabetes: Expert Suggests Food Therapy

During COVID, mental health is brought to the forefront. We've begun to embrace mental health difficulties as a fact of life, which is an important step toward obtaining expert help. Rapid urbanisation, the disintegration of conventional families, living alone, and increased competition at school, college, and the employment all contribute to our dissatisfaction. Our mental health has an impact on all aspect of our life. When we are stressed, we are more likely to make poor judgments, have low self-esteem, and have a negative impact on our professional and personal relationships. In a nutshell, how we feel and think determines whether or not our lives are happy.

There is a link between diabetes and mental health. It is commonly understood that comprehensive health encompasses both a healthy mind and a healthy body. Our ideas, feelings, and how we react to the world around us are all critical to our overall health. It has been observed that mental health issues make it difficult to maintain the type of lifestyle required to regulate diabetes and uncontrolled blood sugar levels. This could lead to more physiological problems, which would have a negative impact on our mental health.

Here are some common mental health problems in diabetics:

1. Depression is when you feel unhappy all of the time for no apparent reason; depression causes you to lose interest in all of the activities that were once important to you and that you enjoyed doing. You may neglect to go for your daily exercise; you may neglect to take your blood tests or doctor consultations on time because you simply do not want to encounter anyone. Again, depression may prevent you from taking your medications on time, resulting in uncontrolled blood sugars. High blood sugar levels over an extended length of time have been linked to nerve damage, an increased risk of heart disease, and kidney illness.

SOLUTION: Seek assistance. Speak with your doctor and schedule an appointment with a mental health professional who can assist you in coping. Make an effort to enlist the help of a family member or a friend. Depression therapy for diabetics has been found to be quite useful in regaining control of one's life.

FOOD THERAPY: Eat a lot of antioxidant-rich foods including red, yellow, and orange fruits and vegetables. Citrus fruits, papaya, guava, and tomatoes are high in vitamin C, which is believed to protect the brain from oxidative stress. Complex carbohydrates from whole grains and legumes maintain blood sugar levels and provide constant fuel for the brain, all while soothing the mind. Low-fat dairy products include tryptophan, which aids with sleep.

2. The phrases "stress" and "anxiety" are ubiquitous in today's society. Meeting family responsibilities, as well as handling long work hours that include extended commute time and traffic jams, all cause stress in our lives. It makes us irritable and irritable, and it can cause an increase in heart rate and/or excessive sweating. A feeling of tension may prevent you from following the daily regimen needed to maintain blood sugar levels, which is important for diabetics. Second, stress causes an increase in the release of stress hormones, which causes blood sugar changes that are harmful to one's health.

SOLUTION: Try meditation, yoga, and other forms of physical activity to help soothe your nerves, which will last for hours. Taking some time for yourself, getting away from the stressful circumstance or person, and simply "cooling" is the greatest method to handle the situation.

FOOD THERAPY: Eat foods that help manage the stress hormone cortisol, which causes inflammatory reactions and oxidative stress when levels are too high. Whole natural foods are stress relievers; eliminate any processed items from your diet. Magnesium, which can be found in nuts, seeds, whole grains, bananas, and legumes, omega-3 fatty acids from salmon, walnuts, and chia seeds, and gut-healthy bacteria like yoghurt, kimchi, and kombucha are all tried-and-true stress relievers.

Diabetes is a lifetime disease, and as a result, a diagnosis can cause a great deal of anxiety. Look for a team that includes a diabetologist, a nutritionist, a diabetic educator, and a life coach. They are prepared to assist you in any situation that may arise as a result of your chronic illness. Diabetes is a chronic ailment that requires only a little self-discipline and a lot of support from others; thus, do not conceal your condition. Instead, send it to your family and close friends, who will be aware that you could become their health guru.