Diabetic risk factors: If you are managing diabetes, you have likely been advised numerous times to monitor your sugar intake. While sugar poses a significant risk for diabetics, we often overlook the hidden danger of stress. So what is worse for diabetics: sugar or stress?
Understanding diabetes first
Diabetes is a condition where your body cannot properly control blood sugar levels. In simple words, either your body doesn’t make enough insulin or it doesn’t use it well. Insulin is a key that helps sugar enter your cells to give you energy. Too much sugar in your blood for too long can damage your body, your eyes, kidneys, heart and even your nerves.
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The obvious enemy: sugar
It’s no wonder diabetics are advised to avoid too much sugar. Eating sugary foods like sweets, cakes, or soft drinks can cause a sudden spike in your blood sugar. When your blood sugar continuously fluctuates, it becomes difficult to regulate. Being diabetic doesn’t mean you can never eat anything sweet; it just means that you need to be smart about it. Select natural sugars from fruits, consume balanced meals, and monitor your carbohydrate intake.
But here is the catch: stress impacts blood sugar, too.
Now here is where things get intriguing. Stress can also affect your blood sugar. When you are stressed, your body releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones give you a burst of energy by increasing your blood sugar. This fight-or-flight response can cause problems for diabetics. The scary part is that a lot of people don’t realise that stress is silently impacting their glucose levels.
Why can stress be more dangerous than sugar?
You can easily recognise when you have consumed too much sugar. But stress can sneak in quietly. You may not realise that you’re stressed. Sugar spikes are usually short-term. You can eat something sweet. It goes up and then comes down. But then stress? It can last days or months. When you are stressed, you might eat more junk food.
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Both stress and sugar can harm diabetics in different ways. Sugar is the obvious villain, but stress often goes unnoticed as a quiet troublemaker. The key is awareness. Start noticing how your mood, sleep and daily routine affect your glucose levels. Keep a small journal if needed. Additionally, remember that managing diabetes involves much more than just your diet; it encompasses your entire lifestyle. Be kind to your body, and be kind to your mind.
