We hear plenty of advice about how a healthy diet and regular exercise can prevent diabetes or assist in its management. But did you know that stress affects our blood sugar levels too? When you’re under stress, you experience a “fight or flight” response as your body prepares itself for a perceived threat. For our ancestors, this could have been fighting an adversary for a piece of meat, or running away from a ferocious, wild animal. Today, stress is more likely caused by the idea of upsetting your boss or jostling for a seat during your commute home… not quite as life threatening, but it triggers the same physical response. When your body is in fight or flight mode, your adrenal glands pump out hormones such as adrenaline, norepinephrine and cortisol. This causes significant physical changes. Your heart beats faster and your breathing becomes more rapid. The hormones release stored glucose into your blood, so that your muscles have enough energy to help you flee, or stand your ground. All of this raises your blood sugar levels. And there’s more bad news when it comes to stress and blood sugar. The stress hormones also hinder the pancreas’s ability to secrete insulin, which means the glucose remains in your blood for longer. On top of that, stress can cause weight gain, because the hormone cortisol can increase your appetite. Have you ever noticed a tendency to reach for sugary snacks in times of stress? It’s important to note that cortisol affects most people in this way – even if they don’t have diabetes. But a combination of long-term stress, poor diet and a lack of exercise can significantly contribute towards developing type-2 diabetes. You can counteract the effects of stress by relaxing. Simply taking a walk in the park, having a soak in the bath or deep breathing can help alleviate tension. Meditation, yoga and mindfulness are also helpful coping techniques. Learning how to better deal with stress is a worthwhile investment in your health, especially if you’re suffering from diabetes. Naturally Sweet Stevia, SweetLeaf Stevia and Naturally Sweet Xylitol are all appropriate for diabetics because they do not raise blood sugar levels. If in doubt, please ask your doctor.
We hear plenty of advice about how a healthy diet and regular exercise can prevent diabetes or assist in its management. But did you know that stress affects our blood sugar levels too? When you’re under stress, you experience a “fight or flight” response as your body prepares itself for a perceived threat. For our ancestors, this could have been fighting an adversary for a piece of meat, or running away from a ferocious, wild animal. Today, stress is more likely caused by the idea of upsetting your boss or jostling for a seat during your commute home… not quite as life threatening, but it triggers the same physical response. When your body is in fight or flight mode, your adrenal glands pump out hormones such as adrenaline, norepinephrine and cortisol. This causes significant physical changes. Your heart beats faster and your breathing becomes more rapid. The hormones release stored glucose into your blood, so that your muscles have enough energy to help you flee, or stand your ground. All of this raises your blood sugar levels. And there’s more bad news when it comes to stress and blood sugar. The stress hormones also hinder the pancreas’s ability to secrete insulin, which means the glucose remains in your blood for longer. On top of that, stress can cause weight gain, because the hormone cortisol can increase your appetite. Have you ever noticed a tendency to reach for sugary snacks in times of stress? It’s important to note that cortisol affects most people in this way – even if they don’t have diabetes. But a combination of long-term stress, poor diet and a lack of exercise can significantly contribute towards developing type-2 diabetes. You can counteract the effects of stress by relaxing. Simply taking a walk in the park, having a soak in the bath or deep breathing can help alleviate tension. Meditation, yoga and mindfulness are also helpful coping techniques. Learning how to better deal with stress is a worthwhile investment in your health, especially if you’re suffering from diabetes. Naturally Sweet Stevia, SweetLeaf Stevia and Naturally Sweet Xylitol are all appropriate for diabetics because they do not raise blood sugar levels. If in doubt, please ask your doctor.
