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12/04/2015

Coping With Stress Without Raising Your Blood Sugar Levels

For people with Type 2 diabetes, stress often results in elevated blood sugar levels because the stress hormones trigger the release of stored glucose. If you have Type 2 diabetes, you need to find ways to manage your stress without resorting to cookies, alcohol or cigarettes. As a start, you might want to turn to your meal plan. Despite the fact stress is very much an emotional response, what you eat can impact how stress influences your health status.

It's not a secret feeling stressed is a cause of overeating. It's not tuna, and salad stressed out people crave - it's cookies, ice cream and chips. One day soon researchers may unravel why stress causes people to seek sugary, fatty foods.

Certain foods can help diabetics combat stress and the harmful effects it has on their body, so by adding more of these foods to your meal plan, you can counteract the effect of some of your stressors. Here are the top foods that help combat stress and not give you problems with your blood sugar readings...

1. Turkey. Ever notice how you feel sleepy after indulging in turkey? Feeling tired is thanks to the amino acid tryptophan, which induces a release of serotonin in your body.

In addition to causing you to feel drowsy, serotonin can also put you in a better mood, influencing happiness and a feeling of being at ease. Lower stress levels are then a natural occurrence.

Other foods rich in this amino acid include shrimp and dairy products.

2. Oatmeal. The next stress-busting food is a hearty bowl of oatmeal. Carbohydrates also help the release of serotonin that helps lower your stress levels.

After a stressful day, you may find yourself craving foods high in carbohydrates foods that have the added "comfort" factor. Rather than choosing an unhealthy option however like pancakes or macaroni and cheese, opt for a bowl of oatmeal. It'll warm you up and soothe you, picking up your mood and easing stress in the process.

Try it topped with cinnamon and diced apple.

3. Celery Sticks. Finally, the last stress buster to add to your meal plan are celery sticks - or any raw vegetable for that matter. Crunchy foods tend to help ease stress levels in most people, so try snacking on these next time you need something to pick yourself up.

The added benefit is if you are often eating due to feeling stressed, snacking on raw vegetables will keep your calorie intake down, reducing the risk of weight gain.

This sure beats ice cream, chips, pizza - or whatever else you would have chosen to snack on.

So there you have the best stress-busting foods to consider. Next time, you feel you need a pick-me-up, think about eating one of these and keep your blood sugar in check at the same time.

Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.  Article Source