HEALTH MATTERS
Is Diabetes And
Hypertension Affecting
Your Quality Of Life?
By Kepha Nyanumba
E
veryone wants to have the best
possible quality of life. It feels good
to be satisfied and happy. Most
people with chronic diseases are not happy
with their life and they continually venture
down the same road of unhappiness.
As you take a bird’s eye view of your
current lifestyle, do you like what you
see? How satisfied are you with the
amount of work it takes to manage your
diabetes or hypertension? While most of
us have moments of joy, they are usually
overshadowed by hours, days and even
years of affliction.
Your quality of life is your own sense of
how satisfied and happy you are with your
life in general and your life with diabetes
and hypertension in particular. These
conditions can impact your quality of life
in many ways.
Many people become frustrated and
overwhelmed by the daily difficulties of
diabetes and hypertension and by the
unending, often burdensome self-care
demands, potentially leading to anger,
guilt, depression, fear and feelings of
hopelessness.
Fear of complications, or having actual
complications, puts major stress on your
quality of life. The way you feel when
your blood glucose levels are low or really
high adds to the stress. But what can
you do about these challenges? How can
you maintain your quality of life with
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chronic conditions such as diabetes and
hypertension? schedule to practice your stress relieving
activities on a regular basis.
There are several paths to a happy and
satisfying life. Though these conditions
can throw a lot of barriers in the way,
they can’t stop you. You just have to
keep jumping over the hurdles. To lead a
satisfying life, take some time to reflect on
the strategies below. Focus of the Positive
Take a Healthy diet
It’s no secret that a healthy diet made up
of nutritious whole foods can improve
your health. But because what you eat
affects nearly every cell in your body,
eating well has many benefits apart from
playing a key role in the management
of chronic diseases like diabetes and
hypertension. For instance, healthy
eating promotes better mood and general
feelings of happiness leading to improved
quality of life. Some of the basic principles
of healthy eating include: Choosing lean,
low-fat sources of protein, eating a diet
high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains,
and legumes etc
Find your stress relief
Figure out what soothes you, the things
that reduce your stress. Whether it’s
playing guitar or sports, or whatever, you
need to find a hobby that quiets your
mind and gives you a sense of inner peace.
Make a point to take time out of your busy
Rather than allowing negative, anxious
thoughts to dominate your mind, think of
the good things in your life. This will lead
to a more positive outlook on life and a
more positive attitude in the long run.
Exercise
Your level of physical activity and your
overall health will have a huge effect on
diabetes and hypertension control. More
importantly, it can also improve your
mood, lift your spirits and make you feel
better about yourself. When you exercise,
your body releases chemicals that boost
your sense of well-being and suppresses
hormones that cause stress and anxiety.
Kepha Nyanumba is a seasoned
Marketing Africa Columnist working
as a Consultant Nutritionist at AAR
Healthcare Limited. You can engage
him on this or related matters via email
at: [email protected], or
follow him on twitter: KNyanumba. Blog:
kephanyanumba.blogspot.com.