| Diabetes is now classified as a worldwide epidemic. | | | | stress packs a powerful double punch for parents |
| Blindness, kidney disease, impotence and many | | | | of children with diabetes. This is because first, the |
| other illnesses are often the direct result of | | | | parent is stressed out caring for an ill child and |
| out-of-control or undiagnosed diabetes. | | | | second, the child has overwhelming stress |
| Fortunately, there are several ways hypnosis can | | | | because they are not as equipped as an adult to |
| help. See which one of the following statements | | | | deal with the enormous responsibility of |
| applies to you or someone you know. (1) As a | | | | successfully managing their disease. The parent |
| person with diabetes, do you ever feel stressed? | | | | must also then have to deal with their child's |
| (2) Are you the parent of a child with diabetes? | | | | stress. This double-whammy makes it very |
| (3) Do you wish that you, your child or spouse | | | | difficult to achieve the kind of precise care that is |
| were more motivated to exercise? (4) Wouldn't it | | | | needed for good child diabetes management. |
| be great if it were easier to make better food | | | | In statement three, the fundamental issue is |
| choices? (5) Is your diabetes causing | | | | exercise. Since 95% of all persons with diabetes |
| embarrassing, personal problems? | | | | have Type 2 and since 90% of all those persons |
| Now, since a hypnotist is by definition, a stress | | | | are obese, the implications for enhanced exercise |
| management consultant and a motivational coach, | | | | motivation are all too clear. For example, it is well |
| all of the above challenges can be powerfully | | | | documented that many Type 2 diabetics have |
| addressed by using hypnosis but please note the | | | | had complete symptom remission after achieving |
| following: a hypnotist is only part of your diabetes | | | | a significant reduction in weight typically due to |
| support team. Always be sure to have your | | | | exercise and diet improvement. Additionally, |
| doctor's approval before beginning any hypnosis | | | | exercise greatly contributes to one's sense of well |
| program that can have any influence on your | | | | being and this therefore becomes a positive |
| medical condition. | | | | motivational cycle. |
| The primary method by which hypnosis helps a | | | | Statement four addresses a concern that many |
| person with diabetes is by reducing harmful | | | | people have, not just those with diabetes. "I wish |
| stress. There are two fundamental ways in which | | | | I could just eat better!" is a familiar refrain. Again, |
| stress negatively affects a person with diabetes: | | | | as a hypnotist helps a person to reduce their |
| (1) Stress robs a person of necessary personal | | | | feelings of stress, they can then help that person |
| power that is crucial in giving a person the | | | | to strengthen their inner commitment to making |
| emotional ability to make choices that benefit their | | | | better food choices. Please note that even a small |
| health and well being. (2) As a diabetic's stress | | | | reduction in a diabetic's long term blood sugar |
| levels increase, so does their blood sugar. This is | | | | tremendously reduces their chances of having |
| due to the 'fight-or-flight' response that people | | | | serious complications later on. |
| experience as a result of negative stress. When a | | | | Statement five refers to conditions that are |
| person enters this state of mind, their body | | | | difficult for most people to talk about. For |
| releases chemicals known as 'insulin-antagonists'. | | | | brevity's sake this discussion is limited to one very |
| These chemicals temporarily block the action of | | | | common embarrassing problem: impotence. Nearly |
| insulin while simultaneously causing the release of | | | | 60% of all males with diabetes experience |
| stored sugar in the liver and muscles. | | | | impotence. There are two concerns here: (1) |
| With the above understanding about the two | | | | There is a good chance that these people and |
| ways that stress affects a person with diabetes, | | | | their partners are feeling a great deal of |
| let's see how that information, specifically point | | | | unnecessary and harmful stress. (2) A male |
| one (as point two is self-explanatory), then applies | | | | diabetic may choose to take a medication for |
| to the five problems listed in the second | | | | impotence when that medication is inappropriate |
| paragraph. | | | | and quite possibly harmful. This concern is also |
| Regarding statement one it is obvious to anyone | | | | relevant to those millions of men with undiagnosed |
| with diabetes that having that disease is very | | | | diabetes. |
| stressful. This harmful state of emotional affairs | | | | In conclusion, a hypnotist can be an important |
| then makes it more difficult for a diabetic to | | | | part of a diabetic's health care team because a |
| follow their doctor's recommendations. Also, when | | | | person can be responsibly coached by a properly |
| a person is in emotional pain, they usually reach | | | | trained hypnotist to more effectively deal with |
| for whatever makes them immediately feel | | | | the above mentioned issues. |
| better. This can be any addiction, though it is | | | | Devin Hastings |
| usually food and typically too much and not the | | | | "Speak gently to yourself because your deep |
| kind that is good for a person with diabetes. | | | | mind is always listening. |
| Looking at statement two, it can be noted that | | | | |