By Beverleigh H Piepers
According to a study performed by the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College of London, poor blood sugar control can be associated with depression. The results of the study were published in the journal Psychological Medicine in January 2011.
Earlier studies showed associations between high blood sugar and depression, but it was not clear whether the Type 2 diabetes causes the depression, or vice versa. Depression has been found to be twice as common in people with diabetes, and often the depression is much more severe and lasts longer than in non-diabetics. The London researchers looked at glycosylated hemoglobin percentages, (HbA1c), which is a "real" measure of how well blood sugar is controlled, and the mood of the volunteers two years later.
Four thousand three hundred and thirty-eight older adults were recruited for the study:
* symptoms of depression were assessed at the beginning of the project and again two years later
* the HbA1c percentage, fasting blood sugar levels, and behavior were assessed at the beginning of the study
After two years 11.5 per cent of the participants were diagnosed with depression. The number of diabetics with symptoms of depression increased as the HbA1c percentage increased. People with diabetes had more signs of depression than those with normal blood sugar levels. It was therefore concluded that diabetes and high blood sugar levels had increased the risk for depression two years later.
Your HbA1c level: If you do not know your HbA1c percentage, now would be a good time to find out. Normal values are below 7. If your level is above 7, then your blood sugar has been too high over the past three months.
There are two ways of improving your HbA1c level, and the best way is a combination of both.
1. Eating a healthful diet will help by switching to smart carbohydrates, emphasizing low-glycemic (low-GI) load foods. So think about the glycemic index of foods before choosing them. The glycemic index measures how much and how quickly a particular food will make your blood sugar rise. It is determined by the type of carbs and fiber contained in the food. High-GI foods, such as white bread and white rice, gives you a quick blood sugar boost that also fades quickly, leaving you hungry again. A GI of 50 or below is considered low. Fruits and vegetables tend to have low-glycemic indices, while highly processed foods with high carb content tend to have high indices. Ten large cherries, for instance, have a GI of 22. One deep-fried doughnut, on the other hand, has a GI of 75.
2. In conjunction with a healthy diet, physical activity will help to burn calories and help to increase insulin sensitivity. If you can't exercise for 30 minutes in one sitting, split it into three 10 minute smaller workouts. Ten minutes here and there adds up to health benefits for your body. Any way you can increase your physical activity during your day will help.
According to research at Washington University, Saint Louis, people with Type 2 diabetes also respond well to psychological counseling, anti-depressant medications, or a combination of both. Making special effort to lower your stress level through exercise, meditation, or other means, can also help.
Controlling blood sugar can also lead to improvements in depression.
According to a study performed by the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College of London, poor blood sugar control can be associated with depression. The results of the study were published in the journal Psychological Medicine in January 2011.
Earlier studies showed associations between high blood sugar and depression, but it was not clear whether the Type 2 diabetes causes the depression, or vice versa. Depression has been found to be twice as common in people with diabetes, and often the depression is much more severe and lasts longer than in non-diabetics. The London researchers looked at glycosylated hemoglobin percentages, (HbA1c), which is a "real" measure of how well blood sugar is controlled, and the mood of the volunteers two years later.
Four thousand three hundred and thirty-eight older adults were recruited for the study:
* symptoms of depression were assessed at the beginning of the project and again two years later
* the HbA1c percentage, fasting blood sugar levels, and behavior were assessed at the beginning of the study
After two years 11.5 per cent of the participants were diagnosed with depression. The number of diabetics with symptoms of depression increased as the HbA1c percentage increased. People with diabetes had more signs of depression than those with normal blood sugar levels. It was therefore concluded that diabetes and high blood sugar levels had increased the risk for depression two years later.
Your HbA1c level: If you do not know your HbA1c percentage, now would be a good time to find out. Normal values are below 7. If your level is above 7, then your blood sugar has been too high over the past three months.
There are two ways of improving your HbA1c level, and the best way is a combination of both.
1. Eating a healthful diet will help by switching to smart carbohydrates, emphasizing low-glycemic (low-GI) load foods. So think about the glycemic index of foods before choosing them. The glycemic index measures how much and how quickly a particular food will make your blood sugar rise. It is determined by the type of carbs and fiber contained in the food. High-GI foods, such as white bread and white rice, gives you a quick blood sugar boost that also fades quickly, leaving you hungry again. A GI of 50 or below is considered low. Fruits and vegetables tend to have low-glycemic indices, while highly processed foods with high carb content tend to have high indices. Ten large cherries, for instance, have a GI of 22. One deep-fried doughnut, on the other hand, has a GI of 75.
2. In conjunction with a healthy diet, physical activity will help to burn calories and help to increase insulin sensitivity. If you can't exercise for 30 minutes in one sitting, split it into three 10 minute smaller workouts. Ten minutes here and there adds up to health benefits for your body. Any way you can increase your physical activity during your day will help.
According to research at Washington University, Saint Louis, people with Type 2 diabetes also respond well to psychological counseling, anti-depressant medications, or a combination of both. Making special effort to lower your stress level through exercise, meditation, or other means, can also help.
Controlling blood sugar can also lead to improvements in depression.
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