Relaxation as Part of Diabetes Prevention

by Dr. April Gilliom, Naturopathic Physician & Health Education Lifestyle Coach

For the monthly Cooking Demo this beautiful November, we’ll be having spa time, making recipes for skin care with simple ingredients in the kitchen. This demo is back by popular demand! But how does this relate to diabetes prevention and management?

Taking time for nourishing our skin can be a time to relax. Knowing how to relax, often and with ease, supports stable blood sugar levels. When stress comes along and the body amps up, a hormone called cortisol is released into the bloodstream. Cortisol signals the body to increase the sugar in the bloodstream, to provide fuel to react to the stress.

However, this reaction is often poorly adapted to the stress of modern day. In the past, stress may have more commonly been the sight of a predator, and the need to run or fight. Today, stress often involves worry, mental rush, and stillness of the body. The increased blood sugar is less needed and becomes harmful and inflammatory. When this type of stress response happens frequently, it leads toward the development of diabetes.

With understanding this stress response, one may see the need to schedule time to relax and practice daily. Relaxation time varies greatly from person to person. It may be a moment of pause with a cup of herbal tea, or a cold foot bath (ask more about this at the Kitchen Spa class!), or a brisk aerobics or dance routine. In moments of calm and pause, is the opportunity to pay attention to our body, our feeling, and our skin boundary. In this, we can provide or ask for the support we need to restore health, sooner rather than later.

With that, we wish you days filled with many moments of peace and play, as healthy living supports both your individual and family wellbeing.

This article comes to you from Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center Dietetics and Healthy Living Team. Please reach out to our Lifestyle Coaches for ways to learn more about the power of food as medicine. (541) 672-8533, option #2