Diabetic Living

See how you went

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Award yourself five points for every correct answer

C: Stand tall, feel tall

Research from Harvard University shows that your levels of the stress hormone cortisol take a dive when you adopt certain body postures. So if you’re feeling rushed or stressed, raise your arms like you’ve won a marathon or stand like Wonder Woman with your hands on your hips and legs hip-width apart.

B: Sing out and smile

Research by VICHEALTH has found that group singing increases feelings of self-confidence, empowermen­t, wellbeing and interperso­nal skills, and lowers feelings of isolation, depression and anxiety. Time to channel your inner Adele or Bruno Mars!

A: Plate up with plant foods

Eating more fruit and vegetables can lead to a spike in happiness, shows research from the University of Warwick. Each extra daily portion helped boost happiness and eight portions a day was found to improve life satisfacti­on.

A: Go for the gold

Preliminar­y studies have found a link between increased inflammati­on and depression. Turmeric to the rescue! This goldencolo­ured spice is high in curcumin, which has anti-inflammato­ry properties. In a Murdoch University study, curcumin extract was found to help lift the mood of people with depression. Chat to your GP about the best options for you.

C: Give more

“Studies show that helping others is associated with far higher levels of happiness,” says Timothy Sharp, psychologi­st and founder of the Happiness Institute in Sydney. Research at the University of Buffalo shows that altruism can also boost your health and longevity.

B: Schedule a date night

Happiness increases if couples have sex once a week, but doesn’t increase more if they have sex more often, according to research from the Society for Personalit­y and Social Psychology.

A: Flower power

Just being in the presence of flowers reduces stress, lifts your mood and heightens relaxation, energy and compassion, says a study from Harvard University.

C: Show gratitude

Saying “thank you” works like a booster shot for your relationsh­ip. It improves intimacy and romance, increasing connection and satisfacti­on even the following day, found a study in the journal Personal Relationsh­ips.

A: Ask for help

“Happy and resilient people don’t necessaril­y cope with everything on their own,” says Sharp. “Often they reach out and ask for help and meet setbacks with solutions.”

C: Chill out

Staying glued to your phone and social media is linked to increased anxiety and reduced happiness. It can also lessen physical activity and fitness. Schedule phonefree time every day – it’ll help ease your FOMO

(Fear of Missing Out).

C: Balance bacteria

These foods contain prebiotics – natural, plant-based fibres which feed good bacteria in your gut. By helping to change gut bacteria, they may reduce inflammati­on, improve blood glucose and insulin profiles and support a healthier balance of good belly bacteria. “Astounding new research shows that bad bacteria population­s in the human body may have an impact on mood, thinking and depression,” says researcher Amy Wallis from Victoria University.

A: Breathing too fast

“Many people get anxious because they over-breathe, taking more than 10 to 12 breaths per minute,” says Dr Andrew Page, professor in the School of Psychologi­cal Science at the University of Western Australia.

“This can lead to an imbalance of oxygen and carbon dioxide (often indicated by yawning), which can increase anxiety and other symptoms such as dizziness.” So when stressed, “breathe in for a count of three seconds and out for three,” says Page. Persevere for 10 minutes and you’ll feel calmer. Repeat several times a day to reduce anxiety and increase calm.

B: Savour the moment

Practising mindfulnes­s decreases perceived stress, anxiety and depression in people with diabetes, according to research by Tilburg University in the Netherland­s.

Try noticing unhelpful thoughts and let them go. Live in the moment. Scheduling around 20 minutes of mindfulnes­s a day for eight weeks has been shown to create positive brain changes. But even just 10 minutes can help reduce stress.

C: Genetics count

Your DNA is responsibl­e for up to 48 per cent of your happiness, with another 40 per cent being influenced by things like recent events, found researcher­s at the University of Minnesota. The remaining 12 per cent where you can impact on your own happiness can make all the difference.

A: Poor sleep increases worry

Too little sleep leads to people feeling overwhelme­d and increases worrying and negative thoughts, shows research at Binghamton University in the US. To boost zzzs, minimise your screen and device use at night.

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