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New study demonstrates that mindfulness techniques promote health for diabetes patients
Gregg and Hayes have published a new book based on this research: “The Diabetes Lifestyle Book: Facing Your Fears and Making Changes for a Long and Healthy Life.” In it Gregg – who performed the study as her dissertation at the University – her psychologist husband Glenn Callaghan, and Hayes, founder of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) encourage patients to acknowledge fears and negative feelings rather than suppress or deny them. “ACT has proven effective at helping individuals with type 2 diabetes have the psychological skills needed to make lasting lifestyle changes,” Hayes said. “This book offers strategies that help patients and their families enjoy quality of life irrespective of an unfortunate diagnosis.” Their research suggests that if emotions and thoughts are dealt with in an accepting way, patients have more flexible ways of keeping their blood glucose in the proper range. The original study, published last spring in the prestigious Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, divided 81 diabetes patients into two groups: the first group attended an education-only session for diabetes management. They received information on diet, exercise and blood glucose testing. The second group received a condensed session of the same diabetes management information and three hours of instruction in how to use acceptance, mindfulness, and values methods to cope with the emotional challenges of the disease, such as the fear of seeing bad readings come from the glucose monitoring. Although they started at the same levels, three months after the workshop, half of the patients in the ACT condition had acceptable blood sugar levels versus only 20% of the education-only group. The ACT group also showed significant improvements in their reported self-management skills, including exercise, nutrition, and blood glucose monitoring. “It is important for patients to acknowledge negative feelings following diagnosis rather than suppressing those emotions,” Hayes said. “Individuals who use the proven ACT techniques better cope with difficult circumstances and may be better prepared for long-term disease management.” ACT is one of a family of therapies that bring constructive, spiritual, Eastern-oriented sensibilities into Western science. The use of acceptance and mindfulness allows the mind to diminish the impact of struggle and come to a place of peace even if it is not possible to reverse physical challenges. Nevada’s land-grant university founded in 1874, the University of Nevada, Reno has an enrollment of nearly 17,000 students. The University is home to one the country’s largest study-abroad programs and the state’s medical school, and offers outreach and education programs in all Nevada counties. For more information, visit www.unr.edu . www.HealthNewsDigest.com Top of Page 
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