Three mental getaways to control diabetes

The ability to relax is very important in controlling your diabetes. You can learn to leave stress behind and promote feelings of peace and calm. Here are three simple exercises that can help.

Training your mind takes focus. Here's some pointers on getting your mind relaxed by thinking about colour:

1. Close your eyes and imagine your entire field of vision filled with a single colour. It doesn't matter which colour you choose; try different ones and settle on whatever colour is easiest to hold in your mind.
2. Imagine the colour becoming punctuated with areas of lighter and darker shades. Picture the shades drifting slowly about, like clouds in the sky.
3. Next, imagine another colour appearing in a simple geometric shape, such as a circle or triangle. Focus on this new colour while you take several deep breaths, then imagine that a third colour appears in a different shape.
4. Have the shapes begin moving slowly around in your mind's eye. Give them different dimensions, so that a square becomes a cube or a triangle becomes a cone. Let them slowly tumble and move through space.

Add other shapes if you wish, or change the colour of the background.

Time to let your imagination loose. You can't physically escape to a beautiful, peaceful place whenever stress rears its ugly head, but if you can imagine such a place — including all the sights, sounds, smells and even the temperature — you can experience it. The scenario you choose is up to you. Here's one example:

1. Picture yourself on a mountaintop surrounded by lush tropical vegetation but open to the sky, so you're bathed in sunlight. Note the deep blue colour of the sky, feel the sun's rays soothing your body, smell the fragrance of the flowers all around and hear the patter of drops falling off leaves after a recent rain. Look far below and see the shore of a tranquil beach on a placid lake.
2. Take yourself to the shore of the lake and imagine walking along the soft sand. You're completely alone, but you find a boat tied to a dock. After untying the mooring rope, you lie down on soft blankets inside the boat and watch the clouds as you drift on the calm water. The boat rocks gently, and waves gurgle under the hull as you drink in the warmth and feel the soft movement of a breeze.

Build on your powers of imagination to create more sophisticated images that are tied to your goals or desires. Use this amazingly simple but potentially powerful technique when everyday stresses — a grumpy boss, an illness, family difficulties or even dealing with your condition — seem to prevent you from realizing your dreams.

1. Sit quietly with your eyes closed and imagine that your dream or goal has already been fulfilled — now you have that new job, you're on your ideal vacation or you're retired and living someplace warm and beautiful.
2. Imagine the scene becoming surrounded by a translucent pink bubble, a colour associated with the heart. Watch as the scene enclosed in the pink bubble begins to lift and slowly float away. Breathe deeply as you imagine the scene floating through the universe, gathering energy for a time when it will return to you. Let go of frustration as you wait for the day when the scene comes back.

Every day stresses can affect your mood and, yes, your blood sugar levels. Keeping things calm with these techniques will help stay healthy.