The biggest hurdle with stress when you are a diabetic is over eating. You may not think this is a problem until the pounds on the scale in the bathroom start to climb, adding more and more as each day goes by. Being diabetic, there are certain foods we should not eat. I didn’t say can’t, just shouldn’t. Lately I find myself on a potato chip binge. I swear the bags are calling to me whenever I go into a grocery store! I haven’t had candy in a while, until the other day when I bought some chocolate covered cookies. I ate one  then another. I did stop, but the fact that I wasn’t even hungry when I ate them made me realize I was feeling stressed once more. Then I read how stress can speed up the aging process. Oh, Lord, now what? I just wanted you to know you were not alone in feeling stress or over eating when you are stressed.

We need to stop and think of why we want to grab that junk food that we know we shouldn’t have. What is causing the stressed out feelings at the time? Worried about the future? Job loss? Expecting a huge bill in the mail that you know you can’t afford? Not being about to pay the bills you do have? Needing to purchase another vehicle and worrying about the loan being turned down? Worried about the kids? The spouse or significant other? All this can cause us to feel ill, even when we aren’t. Stress can cause all sorts of problems with your health, including stomach problems, ulcers, panic attacks, even heart attacks. We all need to be aware of our stress levels.

There are some simple things you can do to help yourself get off the stress train. Socialize with friends and family…don’t just sit there and mope, thinking about things you have no control over. Talk, laugh, cry, get angry, but don’t get too emotionally down that you begin to injure yourself, someone else, or punch walls. Regular exercise can help since it reduces anxiety. Eat a healthy diet, stay away from too much junk food. Keep doing things you enjoy or find a hobby that you will enjoy. Read! It doesn’t matter what you read, but do read. Learn more about stress, what makes things happen, life, fantasy, and more. It will take your mind off your worries and send you on a new journey of creating memories and knowledge. Watch a really good movie. Breathe! Go slowly at first. Try yoga or meditation. Your best bet is to find a friend who is also stressed so you both can help yourselves and each other.

Shingles are a virus that lies dormant (sleeping) in the body, a result of having had chickenpox when a person was younger. This virus can wake up when the body is stressed, diseased, or from age. A weakened immune system can make this virus appear. Some people who have had chickenpox never get shingles, while others do get it. Shingles is not contagious, but can cause some people who have never had chickenpox to get it. You should avoid being in contact with those who have a weakened immune system, pregnant women, or young children who have not had chickenpox if you get the rash.

A viral infection of the nerve roots, shingles will appear as a rash in a band, strip or small area of the body. At first you may feel like you have a flu. There is no fever, but you do have itching, tingling or pain in one spot. The rash will appear in a few days. This rash will then turn into clusters of blisters which fill with fluid and then crust over. The blisters take 2 to 4 weeks to heal. There is no cure, but your doctor can prescribe steroids to help the pain. Antidepressants and creams will also help.

I am not a doctor or medical professional. I just want to make people aware of this disease and explain it in a manner where someone will understand. If you think you have shingles, please seek the help of a doctor.

Exercise will help with stress. Not just a little, but at least 20 minutes worth to get your heart beat rate up. If you can hear your heart beating you are doing great. I don’t seem to find enough time in my days to do a good exercise program. If you can get exercise squeezed into your day at least 3 to 4 times a week that should help you to keep your blood sugar levels lower.

Now I am going to tell you a few things about diabetes that I recently read:

High fiber foods can lower your blood sugar. Good sources of high fiber include apples, grapes, cantaloupes, bananas, peaches, green beans, sweet potatoes and many other fruits and vegetables. Women under age 50 should have 25 grams of fiber a day, men 38 grams. Over 50 women should have 21 grams a day, men 30 grams.

Neuropathy (nerve damage) is very common among diabetics. It can be a side effect of some medications. High doses of Vitamin B6 are known to cause nerve problems, leading to uncoordinated movements like staggered walking or poor balance. I sometimes get what I term a “twitch” in my leg muscles which causes my leg to jerk. I can feel the slight tingling in my feet and toes at times, telling me it’s time to get busy again and do some more walking or exercise. That seems to help me. There are some lotions on the market for diabetic neuropathy. I have used some, but haven’t found them to be extremely helpful. In other words, they won’t take the tingling away, but will help lessen it at the time you put it on. Best thing to do about neuropathy is to discuss it with your doctor and see what he/she recommends you to do.

Dieting is something most diabetics need to do since most of us are overweight. For me it’s a huge struggle to diet. I watch what I eat, but the pounds don’t want to come off as fast as I would like them to. Crash diets are not good since they are unhealthy and don’t last for long. Cutting 250 calories a day can help you lose at least half a pound a week. Now I never said this would be fast! But losing a little at a time will help you to keep it off longer. If you think about the pounds lost in a year you would lose 26 lbs. Now that sounds so much better, doesn’t it? Diet pills on the market are not generally good for diabetics. READ THE LABELS! I can’t stress that enough. It’s much better to lose weight on your own than to think the quick way is the best. Pills just don’t work for most diabetics. Once again, consult your doctor on dieting. You can help by switching to low fat or no fat foods, grilling foods so the fat runs off, drink water to feel fuller, and do allow yourself a treat each day so you won’t feel deprived. That treat may be 1 cookie not the whole pack! Use your brain here!

One diet you don’t want to try is the Atkins diet. It’s definitely not diabetes friendly. Cutting carb intake to almost nothing without adjusting your diabetes meds could cause you to bottom out on the blood sugar levels. You would put yourself at risk. Once again, discuss this with your doctor before even trying it.

What to lower your blood pressure? Have at least 3-4 low fat milk servings a day. Besides, calcium is good for your bones.

The bottom line here is that exercise and watching what you shove in your mouth every day are going to make a difference for you. Get yourself a date book and write down what you eat every day. Make columns for breakfast, snacks, lunch, and supper. Be honest to yourself when you write these things down. Then at the end of the week see just what you ate. You may need to make adjustments for the following week or you can pat yourself on the back for being so diligent in your eating pattern for the week. There are days when I HAVE to have some chocolate. A small piece like a Hershey’s kiss will satisfy me. Or that 1 chocolate cookie. You have to decide what you want to do and now is the time to get started.

Until a cure is found for diabetes we will struggle, but we will survive if we do what we should for ourselves. Check back with me because I will continue to give out different information about diabetes. We can never learn enough about our own bodies.