Stress aggravates diabetes. Stress raises blood sugar levels, activates fat cells, impairs glucose tolerance, increases insulin resistance and impacts blood pressure. It's a Catch-22: Diabetes gets you stressed out and the stress worsens your diabetes. Do you sometimes feel like your entire life is centered on your diabetes? When you’re snacking, you’re thinking about your blood sugar level. When you’re exercising, you’re nervous to work your body too hard. When you’re at work, you make sure you have a snack on you at all time or extra insulin shots. When you’re at home, your spouse and children try to not eat their favorite sweets around you.The stress of constantly thinking about diabetes can take a toll on your body. We...
Emotional Eating and How to Stop ItDo you eat to feel better or relieve stress? These tips can help you stop emotional eating, fight cravings, identify your triggers, and find more satisfying ways to feed your feelings. Young woman illuminated by open refrigerator in front of her, platter of donut-shop pastries in hand, gorging What is emotional eating?We don’t always eat just to satisfy physical hunger. Many of us also turn to food for comfort, stress relief, or to reward ourselves. And when we do, we tend to reach for junk food, sweets, and other comforting but unhealthy foods. You might reach for a pint of ice cream when you’re feeling down, order a pizza if you’re bored or lonely,...
As children get older and take on new responsibilities, more activities, and larger homework loads, they are more susceptible to stress. Take a look at these eight telltale signs that your child may be dealing with stress. Nightmares: Sleep-related fear is a common response to stressful or traumatic experiences. Telling your child stories about other kids with feelings just like theirs can help them feel better. It lets them know that you understand their feelings. Trouble concentrating and completing schoolwork: Academic and social pressures, especially the need to fit in, are major causes of stress for kids. While extracurricular activities can be a useful outlet, over-scheduling adds to anxiety. Help your child balance his priorities appropriately. Increased aggression: Some children, when under stress,...
by Ellen Dolgen You’re hot, you’re cold, you’re mad, you’re sad. So you ask, how could menopause not stress you out?“Menopause, itself, is a stressful life event because of the various types of change that occur,” says Dr. Jeff Brown, a professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School and author of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Think Positive for Great Health.Hot flashes are tightly linked with stress and anxiety, according to a six-year study published in Menopause. Researchers found that anxiety and stress preceded hot flashes among perimenopausal and post-menopausal women. Women with the highest levels of stress were more than five times (I repeat, five times!) more likely than normally stressed women to report hot flashes.But what exactly is...
Stress, Illness and the Immune System By Saul McLeod updated 2010 The immune system is a collection of billions of cells that travel through the bloodstream. They move in and out of tissues and organs, defending the body against foreign bodies (antigens), such as bacteria, viruses and cancerous cells. There are two types of lymphocytes: B cells- produce antibodies which are released into the fluid surrounding the body’s cells to destroy the invading viruses and bacteria. T cells (see picture opposite) - if the invader gets inside a cell, these (T cells) lock on to the infected cell, multiply and destroy it. The main types of immune cells are white blood cells. There are two types of white blood cells – lymphocytes and phagocytes. When...
