Natural Diabetes Care

6 Mind-Body Techniques for Diabetes Care

Discover how relaxation methods can benefit blood sugar control.

By Dan Fields

You probably know that eating right, being physically active, and managing your weight are important ways to prevent and treat diabetes. But did you know that reducing stress can also help keep your blood sugar levels in check? When you’re feeling frazzled, your body produces hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which raise not only blood pressure but also blood sugar.

Research has shown that relaxation techniques have the opposite effect: They lower levels of stress hormones, which in turn decreases blood sugar (glucose). Here are six mind-body methods worth exploring to help manage your diabetes symptoms.

Click for the first mind-body diabetes care technique.

Dan Fields is a freelance writer and editor in Framingham, Massachusetts. He is the former editor of Dr. Andrew Weil’s Self Healing newsletter.

Diabetes Care Tip 4: Mindfulness Meditation

Derived from Buddhist tradition, this technique involves becoming and remaining aware of your thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations in each present moment, without passing judgment on them. It promotes relaxation by making you less reactive to your stress "triggers." A 2007 study found that diabetics who practiced mindfulness meditation for at least 20 to 30 minutes a day on most days lowered their blood sugar levels.

You can meditate lying down or sitting in a chair or on a cushion. Begin your practice time by becoming aware of your breath, then let your awareness expand to your entire body and the thoughts that drift in and out of your mind.

Listen to a meditation from renowned Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh.