11) EXERCISE AND TYPE 2 DIABETES
h) Exercise, Stress and Diabetes
It is difficult to do meaningful research into stress in humans. It is virtually impossible to measure the stress any individual is under and it is even more difficult to set up experiments which analyze what happens with stress. None-the-less there has been a lot of very innovative research targeting stress, especially with using animal models. All this research says simply that stress simply is not good for much of anything as far as health and longevity goes. The stress mechanism is a relic of when Paleolithic man had to "run from the lions". When there is "stress" or a perceived threat to an individual, the body puts out adrenaline and other hormones (cortisol and ghrelin), which speed up the heart and many of the body's processes. This release of the hormones also increases the appetite (the better fed the human, the more energy available for fleeing the lion). This increase of appetite with increased stress has been shown to contribute to unwanted weight gain.
The release of adrenalin in the "flight or fight" response of stress not only contributes to heart disease and high blood pressure, it also directly contributes to high blood sugar levels. The release of adrenalin triggers the liver to put out sugar into the bloodstream so there will be energy available for the muscles to use to "get away" from the perceived threat. Research has shown that stress can increase A1c by up to 0.5%. Note that, since 7.0 is a poor A1c control while 6.0 is a decent A1c control, 0.5% is a significant amount. Now one significant way to burn off adrenalin is to vigorously exercise (i.e. go ahead and "run from the lions"). Exercise is considered one of the best stress reducers there is.
As a matter of fact, there are many things which reduce stress and which have very positive effects on all sorts of ailments. Meditation, a glass of wine, a good book, a massage, a funny movie, yoga, prayer, martial arts, tai chi, pets, hobbies, good music, etc. can all have very good benefits for any individual, with or without diabetes. It has been shown by many research studies that individuals with type 2 diabetes must get sufficient sleep at night, preferably a minimum of seven hours per night, again an indicator of stress in a person's life. And, for stress reduction, nothing beats an upbeat, positive "can do" attitude.
Next Chapter: 12) DIABETES MEDICATIONS
a) Introduction
b) Diabetes Medications
c) List of Potential Medications
d) Insulin Injections
e) Blood Sugar Testers
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