DEADLY DIABETES

Stress is a part of our daily lives and it can become really unhealthy for us. It begins to ruin our physical or psychological health. It can damage important things in our lives such as our work and relationships. Stress can develop many disorders in your body and diabetes is one of them.

WHAT IS DIABETES?

Diabetes is a metabolism disorder. Most of what we eat is converted into glucose. Glucose being a form of sugar in our blood is the primary source for fueling our body. Diabetes is excess of glucose in your blood and this excess blood glucose eventually passes out of the body in urine. So even though the blood has plenty of glucose, the cells are not getting it for their essential energy and growth requirements.

HOW BAD IS DIABETES?

We have listed a few complications linked to diabetes. Have a look and judge it yourself:

Eye Complications - Affects your vision, disturbs the clarity in your vision. Can cause blurriness.    Foot Complications – Can develop gangrene which may require your foot to be amputated.
Skin Complications – Your skin becomes more susceptible to infections and skin disorders.

Apart from the above, it can cause heart problems, hypertension, affect your mental health... and list goes on.

DIABETES + STRESS: A LETHAL COMBINATION

The body responds to stress by preparing itself to take action. This is called the “fight-or-flight” response. In the fight-or-flight response, the levels of many hormones elevate. These hormones include growth hormone, adrenaline and glucocorticosteroids. If you have diabetes, the fight-or-flight response can cause you problems. As your blood glucose increases, you may not have enough insulin to move this glucose into your cells. This can result in your blood glucose levels becoming high.

IN WHAT OTHER WAYS CAN STRESS AFFECT MY DIABETES?

It is often harder to find the energy to look after yourself when you’re under stress. All energy is invested in dealing with the stress factor. You may forget your medication or perhaps eat a lot of sugary foods. Many people stop exercising when they get stressed which leads to weight gain. Others may use alcohol or drugs to help dull their pain or distress. It’s a dark path to travel.

CHOOSE A BETTER RESPONSE TO STRESS

Why get diabetes in the first place especially when you have better methods of preventing it? Reduce your stress levels and half the battle is already won. You have some control over your reaction to stress. You can learn to relax and this may reduce your body’s hormonal response to stress. Meditate daily with Swartantra and become a master in controlling your stress levels. Precaution is better than cure especially when your life is at stake.