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Diabetes and Emotional Health

Lina Lee, LMFT / Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation

ealing with diabetes who are facing the same problems.
twenty-four hours a day, Seeking help is the Support groups can provide useful
Dseven days a week, can best thing you can do information, facilitate personal
take its toll on your emotional for yourself. contact, and offer a venue for
well-being, while stress and comparing experiences and
negative emotions can in turn take their toll on sharing problem-solving skills with others who
your blood glucose control. live with diabetes.

If you are dealing with the stress of coping Tzu Chi Medical Foundation’s Healthy
with a chronic illness, such as diabetes, or if you Community Program offers classes and consul-
think you might be depressed or anxious, you tations to help individuals cope with chronic
can try these few simple steps to start helping illnesses, such as diabetes. The diabetes program
yourself cope better: in Southern California is led by Dr. Eugene Taw,
1. Take a time-out. Find something enjoyable MD, and his team of healthcare professionals. The
you can do. Sometimes, taking a step back program offers diabetes screening, one on one
from your worries and problems can clear your consultations, prescriptions for diabetes medica-
head. tions if necessary, and workshops on improving
2. Eat well-balanced meals that are high in diet, exercise, and nutrition.
nutrients, low in fat, and moderate in calories. Participants of the program have been
3. Get enough sleep to help protect your effusive in their praise. Xiuwen Chen said that the
mental health, physical health, quality of life, program helped him develop positive lifestyle
and safety. changes, including eating healthy and being
4. Exercise regularly to feel good and maintain active, which helped him lose significant weight
your health. in a healthy manner. Margaret Ma expressed
If you find that depression has been her gratitude to Tzu Chi Medical Foundation for
interfering with your everyday life and is offering the program because she feels that it
causing pain for you and those around you, has helped her regain her health. She hopes to
you may want to ask your physician to refer promote the program to others so that more
you to a licensed mental health professional. people will benefit. Chuqiao Lu said that within
Professional psychotherapy can provide you a just three months of joining the program, she
safe and supportive environment in which to had not only lost weight, but her blood test index
express yourself and learn to cope better with had also greatly improved.
the challenges you are facing. Seeking help is the Tzu Chi Medical Foundation embraces the
best thing you can do for yourself and the best affirmative, altruistic vision that the suffering of
way to start feeling better. the ill may only be extinguished holistically by
Knowing that there are other people dealing protecting life, guarding health, and spreading
with the same feelings and frustrations that you love. Tzu Chi programs empower participants
have can be helpful. Joining a support group by providing the knowledge and tools to better
is a good way to connect with other people their own lives through healthier habits.
For more information on programs offered by Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, please visit tzuchimedicalfoundation.org.
Disclaimer: The information above is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always
seek the advice of your physician, physical therapist, or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment.

Bad habits should be eliminated immediately. By exerting a moment of effort, one can
enjoy a lifetime of happiness.
Jing Si Aphorism by Dharma Master Cheng Yen
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