Created on: 05/09/08 - Email to friend - Print Page

Don't Worry; Be Happy

Chronic stress makes your body produce excess amounts of the stress hormone cortisol, which promotes abdominal fat storage, and abdominal obesity ups the risk for diabetes and heart disease. Seek ways to reduce stress by paring down obligations, learning to meditate, practicing yoga, breathing deeply or exercising.

Having symptoms of depression, such as trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating or irritability, is linked with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a study of 4,681 people age 65 or older. The link between depression and diabetes was found after researchers accounted for other causes of diabetes, such as smoking, a sedentary lifestyle or a high body mass index.

Depression not only co-occurs with diabetes, but also with arthritis and other chronic diseases. If you experience symptoms, talk to your doctor about ways to treat depression.