We live in an environment of stress and we must realize that it is a part of life.
The good news? We CAN and WILL control it!
When working with patients, I had to not only be concerned with their physical stress, like a cold or flu but also had to consider their mental stress.
Why? Because mental stress raises your sugars just as much as infections and physical stress do.
This is one of the reasons I gave them this book, Reverse My Diabetes Now. I wanted them to be sure we were not missing some of the factors that could stop their A1c from coming down, their weight from coming off, or bring them to despair.
With this book, they knew and I knew we were going to cover all bases and check all the boxes as we went through this journey together.
Quick Story We Could All Learn From
So, I have this pond sitting out in the back of my yard, right?
And because I live in Florida the ducks join me here every winter.
I was sitting out on my back patio watching the pond when two ducks flew in.
They flew in about a foot apart from each other and landed exactly a foot apart from each other.
They did it with such grace.
After they landed they did something very weird.
They flapped their wings.
What does duck wing flapping have to do with stress?
Well if you know nothing about a duck then know this…ducks will flap their wings to get rid of excess energy or stress.
Yes, they made a perfect landing but it was still stressful so they had to lift themselves up a little over the water extend those wings and flap them to get rid of that excess energy.
Once they did this, they forgot all about it and started swimming around as calmly as could be.
But the story doesn’t end here, and the stress returns
Three more ducks come along and land.
Two ducks got in a fight and start going at each other.
But then they stopped and went off in separate directions.
Again, both ducks flapped their wings getting rid of the stress.
They forget all about it, and all five ducks start swimming again like a pack of old girlfriends having lunch.
Question: How do you flap your wings and get rid of your mental stress?
How do you get rid of that excess energy when you get worried about your A1c, weight, or your overall health?
All of us have our little secrets to what works for us.
Working in my internal medicine practice, I saw some patients I absolutely adored, other patients I enjoyed, and some that I just didn’t understand.
What could I do with the patients that I didn’t enjoy so much?
I always made sure that I had a wonderful patient scheduled behind them.
Maybe the expression “It’s like water off a duck’s back” came from this behavior!
After something causes us stress, what can we do?
Does it mean go get ice cream?
or maybe go shopping therapy?
How about calling your counselor?
Does it mean calling your sibling to talk about it?
Do you find a joke to laugh at?
Immerse yourself in a good book?
How about that walk with some wonderful songs!
How about loving on your cat or dog?
These ducks do have it made.
Not only do they flap their wings, but they have the innate ability to forget what just happened.
They live in the present!
Oh if only humans were so lucky to forget!
To be able to forget something bad.
Can we do the same?
Funny but True Story!
I’ll never forget this new patient who came in to see me.
She told me I was the worst “doctor” she had ever seen.
She told me I was a fool, and she would never come back.
Well, about 6 weeks later she was back in my office.
I had totally forgotten the incident.
Evidently, she had too!
We had a marvelous patient-provider interaction.
My boss asked me how the visit went.
I said “Great! She’s the nicest person. Why do you ask?”
And then he reminded me who this patient was.
What an impactful experience.
To remember nothing and start fresh. Hmmm.
Can’t we do this?
And if you want to start your diabetes journey right, then you have to know you have covered all bases.
In other words, has your doctor suggested you get these tests and trials done first before diving in?
I don’t want you to wish you had done some of these things first.
Let’s check all the boxes THIS WEEK! Click here for Reverse My Diabetes Now!