Studies show that depression early in life can be a contributing cause of
diabetes in an adult. Why is that? Depression leads to other problems, including
weight gain, unhealthy eating habits, and lack of motivation to exercise. Diabetes
must be treated with healthy life changes as well as medication. Healthy changes
include, eating the correct foods, keeping a correct weight for your body,
and getting the proper exercise.
Not surprising, these are also treatments for depression.
What does this tell us about depression and diabetes? Children and teenagers,
who are diagnosed with depression or anxiety problems when they are young,
also were heavier when they become an adult. Because there is a connection
between being overweight and diabetes, take efforts to control the situation
before the teenager becomes an adult.
Women who suffer from anxiety disorder and depression have higher BMI (body
mass index) from other women of the same age and social status, but did not
suffer from depression or other mental disorders. This appears more often in
women than men.
Patients treated for diabetes and for depression often don’t show an
improvement. Why? There is no change in their eating habits, or exercise program.
In both depression and diabetes, a change must occur in the lifestyle to ease
symptoms of both these diseases. Patients who have diabetes and depression
die at twice the rate of those diabetics who are not depressed. Their complications
could be heart disease, stroke, teeth and gum disease, nerve damage, and problems
with their kidneys. The American Diabetes Association tell us that over 21
million people suffer from diabetes, mostly Type 2 which is linked to obesity
and being overweight.
Depressed diabetics fail to take care of their health, often continue smoking,
keep the same weight, they fail to exercise, or eat healthy. Cells gradually
lose their sensitivity to insulin. Blood sugar levels must be controlled because
severe complications can lead to an early death.
A recently released study on elderly diabetics shows they may respond well
to clinical intervention programs. It was formerly believed that depressed
diabetics would not control their blood sugar levels. This kept some of them
from getting the right treatment in a clinical intervention program. Depression
in itself does not cause any change in blood sugar levels. That important study
allows depressed patients to enroll in clinical intervention programs.
Childhood depression or anxiety disorders are a warning signal to watch for
early signs of diabetes. Encouraging healthy eating habits, regular exercise,
and sleep is the best tool for fighting diabetes.
Encourage your family to eat healthy balanced meals and increase their level
of physical activity. Stay away from refined sugars, and put plenty of fiber
in your diet plan. Stay focused on treating diabetes and depression. Depression
and diabetes can be fought at the same time with the same methods
