stress….and diabetes
Cutting Stress Helps Diabetics Control Blood Sugar
Programs that help people with diabetes to manage
stress can help lower blood sugar levels and may
eventually reduce the risk of medical complications
such as kidney disease and blindness.
The report of 72 adults with type 2 diabetes found
that those who participated in just 5 sessions of
group stress management therapy reduced their
long-term blood sugar (glucose) by an average of 0.5%
– equal to the effect seen with some drugs.
Nearly one third of patients who received stress
management lowered their blood glucose levels by 1%,
compared with 12% of diabetics who did not participate
in the sessions.
According to the authors, reducing blood glucose by as
little as 0.5% may translate into a lower risk of
diabetes-related medical complications. Earlier
studies had shown that intensive, one-on-one stress
management sessions can help diabetics to control
their blood sugar, and this study is the first to show
that a group approach can work as well.
Patients with type 2 diabetes should be aware that
stress can negatively impact on glucose control. They
might want to try learning stress management either in
a clinical setting or through a self-help approach.
The study included patients at least 30 years old who
managed their diabetes through a combination of diet,
exercise and oral medication. Individuals who were
receiving therapy and those who had participated in
other previous relaxation or stress management
training were excluded.
The 38 patients in the stress management program
learned muscle relaxation techniques and ways to
recognize and reduce stress through deep breathing or
guided imagery. Instructors encouraged participants to
practice the techniques on their own at home and
talked about the health consequences of stress.
After 1 year, patients who received stress management
had lower glucose levels while those in the control
group showed slightly higher blood glucose levels,
report researchers.
Their study found no significant changes in diet and
exercise habits, suggesting that these lifestyle
factors did not contribute to the lower blood sugar
levels seen in adults participating in stress
management sessions.
Patients who were the most anxious before the study
began did not benefit any more than those who were
only mildly stressed, the study found.
Diabetes Care January 2002;25:30-34
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DR. MERCOLA’S COMMENT:
A wonderful study that shows how powerful controlling
stress can be. I am actually going to contact this
researcher to see if I can interest him in
incorporating EFT as part of his future study
intervention group.
EFT is not only one of the most effective stress
elimination procedures on the planet, but it is also
an incredibly powerful tool to help implement
lifestyle goals like exercise that would enhance a
diabetic program.
The one problem with EFT is that it was developed and
taught to practicing clinicians, not to scientists. As
a result there is not much published in the scientific
literature at this point, but I hope to contribute to
that correction.
In the meantime you don’t have to wait to benefit from
all that EFT offers as you can order videos of the
workshop I did in late 2001 absolutely risk free as
there is a no questions asked one year guarantee on
the tapes.
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Stress Worsens Your Immune System