Over the years, I have seen an increase of individuals burdened with symptoms of anxiety. The feeling of being overwhelmed, hopeless, helpless, with excessive worrying, restlessness, and fearful. These days, we are being met with the daily hustles of balancing work, family/friends and home. We are dealing with the inflation of gas, food and cost of living. Many of us are constantly trying to please others, stay on top of our bills and avoid work burnout. We forget about ourselves. The importance of self-care and taking the time to breathe. Stopping for a few minutes just to take a deep breath can be the most beneficial thing you can do for yourself. You are giving yourself the time to gather thoughts, regain your sanity and relieve stress. The continued overwhelming feeling of anxiety and stress can impact your health, your daily functioning, performance at work and your social interactions in a negative way. That is not what we deserve or want. Take the time, breathe and focus on positivity.
Think about all those times you had a good laugh to the point you had tears in your eyes. When you were sitting with family and friends, reminiscing about the good old times. Or even spending the night at a comedy show. How did you feel after that? Did it change your mood in a positive way? Were you more relaxed? Laughing is the best natural medicine available. Laughter reduces anxiety, relieves stress, relaxes muscles, improves mood and it is an immune system booster. We are all human and we make mistakes. Avoid feeling down about those mistakes, instead laugh and learn from them. Do not dwell on the little things, life is too short.
If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed; like the walls are closing in on you, your heart is racing, you’re sweating, unable to concentrate, just STOP and if you are able walk away to a quiet room. Close your eyes, inhale deeply through your nostrils, hold for a couple of seconds and slowly exhale through your mouth. Repeat this as long as needed, inhaling the positivity and exhaling the negativity. Afterwards, try to think of something funny, look at a funny video on your phone, check out memes or simply fake laugh. Believe it or not, but fake laughter has the same benefits as real laughter. The body does not know the difference. Like the saying goes, “fake it until you make it!”
So, the next time you are feeling anxious remember you have the tools to alleviate the situation. Daily self-care is important, do not cheat yourself of it. Utilizing deep breathing and laughter will also provide you with inner peace. The best part about breathing and laughing is that it is FREE at no cost. Remember, you are only one person. Know your limitations, take time for yourself and think positive. At least once a day, set aside a few minutes to take a deep breath and laugh. You would be so thankful that you did. You are worth it. Love yourself.
Diabetes or Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic condition that is characterized by one’s body’s inability to convert the glucose (sugar) in food into energy and effects about 537 million adults from the ages of 20-70 around the world, and 1.2 million children ages 0-19 are affected by Diabetes Type I around the world. It is projected to rise to 643 million by 2030 (International Diabetes Federation, 2021). There are four common types of diabetes.
Prediabetes is caused by one’s body not responding to insulin production and resulting in higher levels of blood sugar. A person with prediabetes has an A1C range between 5.7-6.4%, when normally it is less than 5.7%. (A1C is a test that assesses for the percentage of blood that has sugar-coated hemoglobin.) Individuals with Prediabetes commonly exhibit the following risk factors:
Overweight
+/= 45 years old
Immediate familial history of Type II Diabetes (see below)
Gestational diabetes is characterized by a pregnant person’s body being affected by insulin production. This can also impact the person’s pregnancy and their baby’s health. Individuals with Gestational Diabetes have a higher risk of developing Type II Diabetes (see below) as well. There aren’t as many symptoms an individual with Gestational Diabetes may experience other than the possibly having increased thirst or more frequent need to urinate. Possible risk factors a pregnant person may be:
Overweight or obesity
Little to no physical activity
Diagnosis of Prediabetes
History of gestational diabetes in previous pregnancies
PCOS
Family history of diabetes
History of delivering a baby more than 9 pounds in previous pregnancies
Gestational Diabetes can cause complications in both the pregnant person and the baby. The pregnant person may experience the following complications:
High blood pressure
Preeclampsia
Deliver via C-section
Developing Type II Diabetes in the future
The baby of a person with Gestational Diabetes can have the following complications as well:
High birth weight leading to complications in delivery
Preterm birth
Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) which is characterized by experiencing severe breathing difficulties
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
Developing Type II Diabetes or Obesity in the future
Type I Diabetes used to be known as Juvenile Diabetes because it was predominantly diagnosed in children, however it can be diagnosed in adulthood. It is chronic condition that is characterized by a one’s pancreas inability to produce enough insulin. While the causes for Type I Diabetes is still being researched, it is believed that genetics, viral exposure, or environmental factors can cause Type I Diabetes. Treatment is primarily concerned with managing insulin levels, diet, and lifestyle. Common symptoms of Type I Diabetes may be:
Increased thirst
Frequent urination
Unhistorical bed-wetting in children
Increase hunger
Accidental weight loss
Irritability, mood changes
Fatigue
Feeling physically weak
Blurred vision
Individuals with Type I Diabetes can develop further complications throughout their body in the future if blood sugar isn’t managed well:
Type II Diabetes is also a chronic condition that is characterized by irregulation of sugar transformation into fuel, resulting in too much sugar in the bloodstream. Type II Diabetes is caused by the pancreas inability to make enough insulin and the body’s cells become resistant to that insulin. While there is no cure for Type II Diabetes, patients can manage the disease with weight loss, proper diet, physical activity, combined with medication. People with Type II Diabetes tend to experience the following symptoms:
More thirst
Increased urination frequency
More hunger
Accidental weight loss
Fatigue
Blurred vision
Sores can take awhile to heal
Having more infections
Numbness or tingling in extremities (hands and feet)
Parts of skin are darker than the rest of the skin (often seen on the neck or in the armpits)
Individuals are at higher risk for developing Type II Diabetes if they experience any of these factors:
Overweight or obesity
Fat distribution is mainly in the abdomen (mens’ waist of 40″+; women’s waist of 35″+)
If a person doesn’t use up the sugar through physical activity
Other family members have Type II Diabetes
High levels of the “bad” cholesterol (triglycerides) and low levels of “good” cholesterol (High-Density Lipoprotein, HDL)
The risk of developing Type II Diabetes increases as one ages
Prediabetes
Gestational Diabetes or giving birth to a baby weighing 9 pounds or more
In the Asian American community, 1 in 3 people are diagnosed with a type of diabetes (CDC, 2022) and is the fifth leading cause of death in AAPI (Joslin Diabetes). At the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health published the statistical differences of Asian Americans and their other nationality counterparts. They found that they are 40% more likely to have diabetes than non-Hispanic Whites. From 2017-2018 South-Asian Americans were 70% more likely to develop diabetes in comparison to their non-Hispanic white counterparts (OMH, March 2021). Due to the distribution of fat, primarily the visceral fat (fat distributed around organs), Asians can appear to be at a healthy weight and often under diagnosed with diabetes. As a result, it is recommended than Asian Americans have their A1C checked if their BMI is 23 or greater (CDC, April 2022). As the Asian population is quite diverse, it is difficult to identify the specifics of each subgroup and more research is needed (NIH News Releases, 2015).
Diabetes Impact on Mental Health in Asian Americans
The Mind-Body Connection impacts the individual with diabetes. People with diabetes are two to three times more likely to suffer from depression for various reasons and not many of these individuals are diagnosed and treated. Anxiety and stress can also impact diabetes prognosis (CDC, 2021) due to the manner in which the body burns energy. As diabetes is impacted by diet, individuals can develop Eating Disorders(MHA) and perhaps even Body Dysmorphia due to the weight fluctuations one can endure throughout the disease process. Furthermore the difference in BMI standards to adjust to Asian body types may impact the individual’s view of themselves. Research has noted that the implementation of conjoint intervention of medicine and lifestyle changes (i.e. diet, physical activity, and therapy) can greatly improve the lives of individuals with diabetes.
Resouces
Diabetes Care– ADA’s Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes clinical practice recommendations
Drag ‘n Cook– a resource for Asian food recipes with nutritional information
