Slaying The Beast Part 2: Being sick edition
Let's talk about the emotional toll that living with type 2 diabetes can have on our mental and physical health. Living with a chronic condition like type 2 diabetes, we can experience low moods or depression like symptoms, and we can also experience some anxiety when our blood sugars go low or into a hypo episode or when our blood sugars go too high, like a hyper episode. I don't know about you, but I feel like I've been sick since the beginning of this year 2024 and when I am sick my blood sugars tend to be high. By wearing a CGM, this helps me monitor my blood sugars, but it also can cause me some stress and anxiety when I see the arrow climbing straight up, I know that it's something biological related to T2D and also how my body digests food because when I'm sick or I've eaten too many carbohydrates in a meal, I go high. The only time I stay in range is when I don’t eat any complex carbs in my meals or I half the carb serving. I'm curious how many of you experienced this same stress or anxiety when your sugars are high, especially when you’re sick?
With being sick as a T2D, my entire body often hurts and usually I have no appetite. What helps me in these types of situations is choosing low carb snacks like nuts, string cheese or low carb crackers. If my blood sugar is low, I really like Nuka fruit pouches that have antioxidants and zinc. The berry one is my favorite. They are full of sugar from a variety of fruits and when I am having a low, these are a good replacement for me instead of juice or sugared soda.
Also when I am sick I struggle with having energy, not only physical energy but also mental energy. I am also often irritable and uncomfortable. I have found if I increase my hydration with sugar free electrolytes this really helps with my energy and helps me feel a little better. I also like a heated compress for my head and face to relieve pain and sinus pressure.
For my mental health I choose to open my right brain and do something creative like watercolors or some other type of painting. I also like to make jewelry from different stones and beads that I find. I have found that for me, self-care is using more of my creative right brain. This allows my stress to melt away and my mind to have a break from the chaos and busyness of my work week.
Another great way to cope with stress, being sick and T2D, for me is music. Anyone a 90’s country fan? Me! Anyone an 80’s music fan? Me! On the weekends music is usually playing all day long. I like the background noise when I am cooking, cleaning and doing laundry. It also helps me get some exercise in, I stop for a moment and dance to my favorite song playing. Music for me is a great coping mechanism and good self-care. I highly recommend it!
Don’t be discouraged, slay the beast! In honor of Toby Keith, I should have been a cowgirl. I should have learned to rope and ride.
