Reduce Stress to Improve Your Diabetes Control
This month’s newsletter features an outstanding guest article about the crucial role that stress plays in the management of diabetes. Cathy Bykowski, a Clinical Psychology Doctoral Candidate at the University of South Florida, wrote it and freely shares it with us. She has been researching stress for years and is currently recruiting participants for her doctoral dissertation, which examines the psychological and physiological effects of an online stress and mood management program for adults with diabetes (see below). You can read this enlightening article at “Reduce Stress to Improve Your Diabetes Control.
My New Diabetes Articles for HealthCentral:
Last month I published six more of my diabetes articles about how to manage our condition:
The Saturated Fat that Helps Prevent Diabetes
The saturated fat found in dairy products -- but not in meat -- protects against diabetes.
Alcohol Is Especially Challenging for Diabetes
Moderate drinking supposed was better than abstinence. Not.
Shopping Lists Save Money and Health
When people go to the market with a list, they save money, improve their diet, and decrease their BMI.
The Five Principles: Your Body Knows What You Need
We can find our way out of the confusion of conflicting diets by relying on our body’s inner wisdom.
Low-carb is the Best Diet: 5 Reasons Why
Nothing works better for losing weight than a low-carb diet. But for diabetes we have four other great reasons.
Cutting the Low-carb Cost
Eating low-carb means skipping the sugar and starch, not piling on the steak or cutting back on fat.
My Slideshows:
I have begun to regularly write slideshows about diabetes for HealthCentral.com. These are my new ones:
11 Warning Signs You Might Have Type 2 Diabetes
You might not have any symptoms that you have type 2 diabetes when you get it. But these are the most common warning signs that you have it already or will probably get it soon.
9 Low-carb Foods You Should Eat More Often
Limiting what you eat may be the best way to keep your blood sugar level in check. But what are your best food choices? Here are 9 that are tasty and healthful.
University of South Florida (USF) - FREE Stress and Mood Management Program for people with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes:
While most people experience some level of stress in their daily lives, people who are living with diabetes are more likely to have stress than people without diabetes. In addition, people with diabetes who are stressed often have higher glucose levels and trouble sticking to their diabetes management plans. Numerous research studies have demonstrated that taking steps to manage your stress can lead to you feeling better mentally and physically. Relieving stress and improving mood has been shown to help people take control of their diabetes and reduce their A1c.
As part of the Diabetes Stress Relief research study, researchers the University of South Florida (USF) are offering adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes a FREE online program that will teach ways to manage stress and improve mood. The program is conducted entirely online through an interactive website that uses graphics, animations, audio, and video to explain techniques that will help you set goals, solve problems, manage time, change the way you think, and relax. The Stress and Mood Management Program teaches you a variety of skills so that you can decide which work best for you.
Because it is an internet-based program, it is convenient and flexible so it easily fits into your hectic life and busy schedule. You can sign on and participate whenever is best for you, from wherever you are. There are 8 weekly sections that each take less than 30 minutes to complete. It provides you with real information that you can use in your life to relieve stress and manage your mood. This is the same beneficial information that is offered through expensive workshops and seminars and has and it is being provided for FREE to participants of the Diabetes Stress Relief Study.
If you are interested in learning more about the study or would like to sign up, you can visit the study’s website at www.diabetesstressrelief.com or you can email ([email protected]) or call (215.264.7571) the researchers directly. The research study is voluntary and has been approved by the Institutional Review Board at USF (Pro00002563), some eligibility criteria apply.
Dr. Bernstein's Webcast
If you have any interest in controlling your diabetes by low-carb eating, one of the best resources is Dr. Richard K. Bernstein's monthly webcast. It's an hour of excellent diabetes education available free either on the Internet or by phone. You can click here to register http://www.diabetes911.net/askdrb/index.php.
The webcast is available for ten days at www.askdrbernstein.com, and then it is moved over to www.thebernsteinconnection.com, where a membership fee provides access all of his videos, webcasts, and transcripts.
Dr. Bernstein's next live webcast will be on Wednesday, July 29, 2015, at 7PM CST, 8PM EST, 6PM MST, 5PM PST. He designed it to answer your most important questions concerning diabetes and to offer his thoughts on the latest developments in this area.
The Mendosa Store:
My new online store is now your source for professional diabetes care products. Some of these products are already available and more are coming. If you have a product that you would like me to carry, I would like to hear from you. Please email me at [email protected]
I am proud to offer a variety of products to manage diabetes, including lab tests, books by Dr. Richard K. Bernstein, wound care supplies, and more.
The featured test this month is the Cardio Screen At-Home Blood Spot Collection Kit. This at-home blood collection kit tests for the big three markers of Hs-CRP for heart, A1C for blood glucose, and a complete lipid panel. It includes a prepaid return mailing envelope to send the sample for testing at a CAP accredited and CLIA certified laboratory. Test results are available via email within 1-3 business days.
Fitness and Photography for Fun:
Last month I published three more of my photo essays on staying fit by getting the activity we need. Photography gets me out in nature to hike, and hiking keeps me fit:
The Colorado Trail
The 500-mile Colorado Trail starts just south of Denver. Hiking the first three miles was delightful with Rocky Mountain Sheep and many birds in full view.
Bear Canyon Trail
Just two miles from my apartment in Boulder, this trail follows Bear Creek from the city to the Front Range. It is an ecotone that attracts migrating birds from as far away as South America.
Rabbit Mountain without Rattlers
Rabbit Mountain is 30 miles from my apartment. It’s wild enough for me even though I didn’t see any of the rattlesnakes that hang out there. Instead, I had to settle for wildflowers and birds.
New Flickr Site
I keep added some of my favorites nature photographs on Flickr.com. In the past month I have added several more. You can find them the easiest way by clicking here.
Searching for My Articles
Whenever you want to find anything that I have written about diabetes -- whether on my website or on HealthCentral Network -- the easiest way is to use the search tool on my site. You can search for all of the articles on my site or for the "Diabetes Developments" blog or the "Fitness and Photography for Fun" blog or what I have written at HealthCentral, which is now a part of Remedy Health Media.
Just go to mendosa.com/search and check which one of the four sites you want to search and enter what you want to find in the search block.
Announcements
Health CentralThe Health Central Network will now notify you by email of new articles (SharePosts) by me or anyone who posts at HealthCentral.com. Just click on "Subscribe" at the top of each of my articles or on my "Profile" page.
Each month I describe and link my new Health Central articles here. But you can also use a blog reader to keep up with my articles more quickly. I use Bloglines, as I describe in my article, “Reading Health Blogs.”
This Newsletter:- Is and will remain free.
- Will never include advertising (except targeted Google ads at the bottom of the web page and not in the email newsletter).
- Nor will I ever sell, rent, or trade your email address to anyone.
- I will link sources of information.
- I will disclose any conflict of interest.
- If and when I learn of any errors of fact, I will correct them.
Archives: I now send out Diabetes Update once a month. Previous issues are online at Older Issues.