Practical Solutions To Manage Emotions Without Opening The Refrigerator.
Follow these tips to manage your emotions without binging without standing in front of the refrigerator. If you reduce stress and pay attention to when and where you eat, you"ll be less prone to binge eating and be able to control your diabetes better.
Emotions Can Lead You to the Refrigerator
By Beth Orenstein
Being diagnosed with Diabetes can be trying and emotional. That"s a time of danger to your blood sugar levels. When your emotions get out of hand, you"re more likely to overeat. That"s not a good idea. Binge eating can lead wild swings in your blood sugar and to weight gain which, in turn, makes it harder for you to control your blood sugar.
Here"s a secret that is not really a secret to smart people with Diabetes who manage their blood sugar levels successfully: You can control your diabetes with a healthy lifestyle of proper nutrition, exercise, prescription drugs for diabetes, and supplements as prescribed by your doctor.
"Once you"ve committed to a healthy lifestyle and are working with your doctor or certified diabetes educator, you"ll be well on your way to better diabetes management," says Susan Weiner, RD, MS, CDE, CDN, a certified diabetes educator who has a private practice in New York.
Your emotions, however, can throw a monkey wrench in even the best laid plans for healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle.
How to Keep Your Emotions in Check
Here"s how Weiner recommends you keep your emotions in check and stick to a healthy diet:
"Keep a food journal. You can use a pen and paper or one of the many food journals available for download as an app or online. Your journal should be honest and accurate and include a hunger and satisfaction scale to help you evaluate your feelings about eating a diabetes friendly diet.
"Food can be an emotional experience, and when you write down and assess what you eat, it helps you understand stress triggers which can lead to binge eating," Weiner says. As you record your feelings and the foods you"ve eaten and when, try to figure out what emotional cues cause your overeating.
"Take time for yourself. "Just the stress of being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes can cause stress, which in turn may cause one to overeat. It is therefore very important to reduce stress, which will in turn reduce the desire to binge eat," Weiner says.
Some simple techniques to help you reduce stress include:
"Schedule some "me-time" every day. Take a walk after dinner. Walk your dog. Listen to music. Soak in a tub. Read a few chapters in a good book. Watch a fun movie with a friend.
"Figure out what calms you and do it as long as it isn't using food as a reward," Weiner says.
"Don't keep everything inside. "Talk about your issues with a friend, family member or professional," Weiner says. If you try to keep it bottled inside, you may find yourself running to the refrigerator or the cabinet filled with snacks as solace.
"Practice some of the ancient Chinese arts. Studies have shown that people with diabetes can benefit from regularly participating in yoga and tai chi classes.
"Learning deep breathing exercises, meditation techniques etc. will help to reduce stress," Weiner says.
It"s also important that you develop good eating habits. Here as some important ones:
"Test your blood sugar before you eat and record your blood glucose levels, what time you are eating and what you are eating.
"Watch where you eat. "Only eat in designated eating areas such as the kitchen or dining room, or a cafeteria space at work," Weiner says. Do not eat in bed or on the couch in front of the TV or computer. Then it becomes mindless eating and can lead to overeating.
"Follow a balanced diet. A healthy diet, one that has fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains yet is low in refined carbohydrates and low in fats, will help you manage your blood sugars. Choose foods high in fiber and eat some heart-healthy fish a couple of times a week. When someone with diabetes has a low blood sugar or hypoglycemic episode, they will eat high carb foods, Weiner says. Sometimes it is very difficult to stop. Prevention is key. Talk to your doctor or a certified diabetes educator about what foods are best for you.
"Pay attention to what you eat. Eat slowly and be mindful about what you are eating. Sit down when you eat. Never eat directly out of containers. "Listen to your body and realize when you're satisfied. It will help avoid binge eating," Weiner says.
Control Your Emotions, Control Your Eating
Once you learn to reduce stress and adopt healthy dining habits, you are far less likely to indulge in foods that can make your diabetes symptoms worse. With proper nutrition and exercise and relaxation, you can get your diabetes under control and keep it there.
2011 Sanare LLC, published on www.BrightSky.com. Reprinted with permission. This article can be used on your website provided all the links in the article are complete and active and the actual article is run as provided with no additions.
Emotions Can Lead You to the Refrigerator
By Beth Orenstein
Being diagnosed with Diabetes can be trying and emotional. That"s a time of danger to your blood sugar levels. When your emotions get out of hand, you"re more likely to overeat. That"s not a good idea. Binge eating can lead wild swings in your blood sugar and to weight gain which, in turn, makes it harder for you to control your blood sugar.
Here"s a secret that is not really a secret to smart people with Diabetes who manage their blood sugar levels successfully: You can control your diabetes with a healthy lifestyle of proper nutrition, exercise, prescription drugs for diabetes, and supplements as prescribed by your doctor.
"Once you"ve committed to a healthy lifestyle and are working with your doctor or certified diabetes educator, you"ll be well on your way to better diabetes management," says Susan Weiner, RD, MS, CDE, CDN, a certified diabetes educator who has a private practice in New York.
Your emotions, however, can throw a monkey wrench in even the best laid plans for healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle.
How to Keep Your Emotions in Check
Here"s how Weiner recommends you keep your emotions in check and stick to a healthy diet:
"Keep a food journal. You can use a pen and paper or one of the many food journals available for download as an app or online. Your journal should be honest and accurate and include a hunger and satisfaction scale to help you evaluate your feelings about eating a diabetes friendly diet.
"Food can be an emotional experience, and when you write down and assess what you eat, it helps you understand stress triggers which can lead to binge eating," Weiner says. As you record your feelings and the foods you"ve eaten and when, try to figure out what emotional cues cause your overeating.
"Take time for yourself. "Just the stress of being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes can cause stress, which in turn may cause one to overeat. It is therefore very important to reduce stress, which will in turn reduce the desire to binge eat," Weiner says.
Some simple techniques to help you reduce stress include:
"Schedule some "me-time" every day. Take a walk after dinner. Walk your dog. Listen to music. Soak in a tub. Read a few chapters in a good book. Watch a fun movie with a friend.
"Figure out what calms you and do it as long as it isn't using food as a reward," Weiner says.
"Don't keep everything inside. "Talk about your issues with a friend, family member or professional," Weiner says. If you try to keep it bottled inside, you may find yourself running to the refrigerator or the cabinet filled with snacks as solace.
"Practice some of the ancient Chinese arts. Studies have shown that people with diabetes can benefit from regularly participating in yoga and tai chi classes.
"Learning deep breathing exercises, meditation techniques etc. will help to reduce stress," Weiner says.
It"s also important that you develop good eating habits. Here as some important ones:
"Test your blood sugar before you eat and record your blood glucose levels, what time you are eating and what you are eating.
"Watch where you eat. "Only eat in designated eating areas such as the kitchen or dining room, or a cafeteria space at work," Weiner says. Do not eat in bed or on the couch in front of the TV or computer. Then it becomes mindless eating and can lead to overeating.
"Follow a balanced diet. A healthy diet, one that has fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains yet is low in refined carbohydrates and low in fats, will help you manage your blood sugars. Choose foods high in fiber and eat some heart-healthy fish a couple of times a week. When someone with diabetes has a low blood sugar or hypoglycemic episode, they will eat high carb foods, Weiner says. Sometimes it is very difficult to stop. Prevention is key. Talk to your doctor or a certified diabetes educator about what foods are best for you.
"Pay attention to what you eat. Eat slowly and be mindful about what you are eating. Sit down when you eat. Never eat directly out of containers. "Listen to your body and realize when you're satisfied. It will help avoid binge eating," Weiner says.
Control Your Emotions, Control Your Eating
Once you learn to reduce stress and adopt healthy dining habits, you are far less likely to indulge in foods that can make your diabetes symptoms worse. With proper nutrition and exercise and relaxation, you can get your diabetes under control and keep it there.
2011 Sanare LLC, published on www.BrightSky.com. Reprinted with permission. This article can be used on your website provided all the links in the article are complete and active and the actual article is run as provided with no additions.
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