Living life with type 2 diabetes almost always requires drastic lifestyle modifications to keep blood glucose levels within limits. Exercise, a healthy diet, and enough sleep define the self-care management grass roots for this disease. Is there anything beneath that? Can techniques for practicing mindfulness such as yoga, meditation, and qigong also help people manage their sugars and improve their self-worth?
An interesting research published in The Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine indicates some practice regarding mind and body may contribute to diabetes management. The study analyzed 28 studies of the effect of various mindfulness techniques on subjects afflicted with type-2 diabetes. The reports indicate integration of mind-body practices with the standard lifestyle changes may further augment health outcomes and even regulate blood glucose levels.
What Mindfulness Practices Were Studied?
The studies examined in the review captured various mind-body activities, each intending as part of the patient management format to contribute to the rest and reduction of stress on keeping in a balanced state of mind: Yoga: A practice of exercise that combines postures, breathing techniques, and meditation for complete wellness.
Qigong involves slowness, softness and relaxed-focused soft movements. It is an alternate system of physical training that combines state with gentle exercises.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
This program was developed to combat stress by affecting human awareness and guided meditation.
Meditation is a state of profound concentration and enlightenment that calms the mind and enhances self-being.
Guided Imagery
Should instead be replaced by a process whereby peaceful and positive pictures formed in some selected setting bring comfort to the jittery mind.
While a few participants aimed to take part in these relaxation activities daily, some devoted weekly engagements that ranged from four weeks to six months—yet the fruits were positive. The participants were neither insulin-dependent nor limited by some complex conditions such as heart problems or kidney issues.
What Has the Study Concluded About the Advantages of Mind-Body Practices for Diabetic Individuals?
The findings were quite encouraging. Among all studies, it was observed that mind-body interventions significantly reduced the level of hemoglobin A1C in individuals, which is one of the indicators of blood sugar control. The average reduction in A1C was 0.84%, comparable to taking metformin, one of the most used medications in type 2 diabetes management.
Hemoglobin A1C value indicates the average blood sugar levels over a period of two to three months. It is normal for ranges less than 5.7%. Appropriate scores will fall between 5.7% and 6.5%, while levels above 6.5% indicate that the person has diabetes. Hence, even a little drop in A1C could bring really great positive effects on the future health of people living with type 2 diabetes.
How Do Mind-Body Practices Help Control Blood Sugar?
Thus, stress will promote the release of cortisol, the sugar-regulating hormone, and one of the major benefits of all mindfulness practices is the reduction of stress. When a person becomes stressed, the body will release cortisol, raising sugar levels, which, in turn, increases insulin resistance.
Dr. Shalu Ramchandani, health coach and internist at the Harvard-affiliated Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine and Massachusetts General Hospital, says the calming effects of yoga and meditation can trigger the relaxation response against the stress response. The lowering of cortisol improves insulin sensitivity, thereby maintaining blood sugar levels. Additional benefits of the relaxation response include:
- Improved blood flow
- Reduced blood pressure
- Reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes
Stress reduction through mind-body practice helps in enhancing physical and emotional health, in turn supporting blood sugar regulation and heart health.
What Else Do You Need to Know About This Study?
Though the study posits promising relationships between mindfulness practices and lower A1C levels, the results cannot be construed as direct evidence. There was a wide variety of participation into the studies, where some individuals practiced some form of mind-body exercises with a greater level of consistency than others. Since, however, all practices studied appeared with a trend for mild positive effects on sugar control, the researchers support the idea that these techniques be used in conjunction with traditional treatments for diabetes, such as diet and exercise.
Although the study itself neither was centered on type 2 diabetes nor has any mention of it, Dr. Ramchandani theorizes that the relaxation response may also be a protective factor in this condition, especially for high-risk patients. Stress management can elicit better moods, greater self-awareness, and self-control in the individual, thus enabling him/her to make better health choices such as conscious eating, resisting cravings for unhealthy foods, and committing to physical activities, all of which can reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
Mind-Body Practices You Can Try in Your Daily Life
Integrating mind-body practices into your life should not be demanding or time-consuming. Here are a few simple suggestions to get you started:
30 minutes daily, appointed accurately for meditation: try the free use of apps such as Insight Timer, Calm, and Headspace to assist.
Relaxing Yoga or Qigong: Use a local yoga or tai chi class, or look up online videos for actually doing movements themselves. They can be enjoyed at your own pace, within your timings.
Breathing Exercises: Breathe slowly and in a controlled manner to help yourself feel less stress. Lie flat on your back with one or both hands placed on your abdomen, and take deep inhalations allowing the belly to expand on inhalation and contract on exhalation. This very uncomplicated exercise can be performed several minutes long.
Guided Imagery: Use Certain apps or Youtube videos that have a guided imagery session. You can use this to relax and imagine beautiful quiet images for stress and the resultant anxiety.
Closing Thoughts
Mind-body practices such as yoga, meditation, and mindfulness-based stress reduction are very important components of your routine diabetic management. Mind-body practices help reduce stress and improve emotional well-being, but they may also pay dividends in terms of health benefits, such as improved blood sugar control and lower A1C levels. More studies on this subject still need to be done, but the incorporation of the said practices into the daily lives of people could become the extra layer of support for managing diabetes and the health overall.