Blood Sugar Stabilized After Many Years of Diabetes: Insights from a Personal Experience
A 17-year journey living with diabetes.
Mr. Do Quang Tuan, former Deputy Head of the Central Mass Mobilization Commission, shared that he had lived with diabetes for nearly two decades. Throughout that period, he had sought various treatment solutions, from modern medicine to complementary health support methods both domestically and internationally.
According to his account, blood sugar control was always a major challenge. Despite adhering to treatment and regularly monitoring his health, his blood sugar levels often fluctuated at high levels, significantly affecting his quality of life and creating much anxiety about the risk of long-term complications.
He stated that before participating in the training program on psychology, health, and stress management, his blood sugar levels typically ranged from 11.3 to 15 mmol/L, sometimes even exceeding 20 mmol/L.
After attending the course and practicing the guided methods, he noticed positive changes in his health condition as well as in his blood sugar monitoring results.
Diabetes: Not just a blood sugar disease. A complex metabolic disorder
According to modern medicine, type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic condition involving decreased insulin sensitivity and impaired function of pancreatic beta cells.
For many years, the disease was often viewed simply as a state of high blood sugar. However, modern research shows this is a systemic disorder involving multiple complex biological mechanisms such as:
- Energy metabolism
- Hormonal regulation
- Autonomic nervous system activity
- Low-grade chronic inflammation
- Sleep quality
- Physical activity levels
- Mood and mental health
Therefore, effective disease management typically requires a comprehensive approach rather than focusing solely on medication or diet individually.
The role of psychological stress on blood sugar: When the brain affects metabolism
In recent years, increasing scientific evidence has shown that prolonged psychological stress can significantly affect blood sugar control.
When the body is in a continuous state of stress, the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis are activated.
As a result, the body increases production of:
- Cortisol
- Adrenaline
- Noradrenaline
These hormones mobilize energy to cope with danger. However, if maintained over a long period, they can lead to:
- Increased glucose production in the liver
- Increased insulin resistance
- Visceral fat accumulation
- Sleep disorders
- Systemic inflammation
- Difficulty controlling blood sugar
Many studies have documented that people with diabetes who have high stress levels typically have poorer blood sugar control than those with stable mental states.
The connection between emotions and diabetes: A two-way interaction
Diabetes not only affects the body but also strongly impacts mental life.
Having to manage the disease for many years can increase:
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Prolonged stress
- Depression
- Feelings of helplessness toward illness
Conversely, negative emotional states can also affect glucose regulation and reduce treatment adherence.
Many international medical associations have now incorporated psychological factors into diabetes treatment recommendations, emphasizing the importance of mental health care alongside biochemical marker control.
Relaxation and mind-regulation methods: What science has documented
Over the past decades, scientists have studied the effects of mind-regulation methods on physical health.
Forms studied include:
- Meditation
- Mindfulness
- Guided relaxation
- Clinical hypnosis
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Deep breathing techniques
- Stress management training
Results from many studies show that these methods can help:
- Reduce stress levels
- Improve sleep quality
- Reduce anxiety
- Increase behavioral self-control
- Support blood pressure control
- Support blood sugar control in some patient groups
Although not considered a replacement for medical treatment, these techniques are increasingly recognized as a useful complementary part of comprehensive health care strategies.
Lifestyle self-regulation: The key to change. When multiple positive factors appear together
One phenomenon often observed after health training programs is the simultaneous change of multiple lifestyle behaviors.
Participants often begin to:
- Sleep earlier
- Reduce stress
- Eat more regularly
- Drink more water
- Increase physical activity
- Limit alcohol
- Pay more attention to their health
Each of these factors can affect glucose metabolism.
When multiple positive changes occur simultaneously, the synergistic effect can create significant improvements in overall health as well as blood sugar control ability.
Neuroscience perspective: The autonomic nervous system and homeostasis
The autonomic nervous system plays a central role in maintaining the body's biological balance.
When the sympathetic system is overactive for a long period, the body is continuously placed in a "fight or flight" state.
This can lead to:
- Increased heart rate
- Increased blood pressure
- Increased blood sugar
- Increased inflammation
- Reduced recovery ability
Conversely, when the parasympathetic system is activated through deep relaxation, meditation, or emotion regulation techniques, the body tends to shift into a recovery and regeneration state.
Studies show that the balance between these two nervous systems is closely related to metabolic health and the body's ability to adapt to life pressures.
The value of health education: Knowledge can change behavior
One important but often underestimated factor in health improvement is education. When a person better understands:
- Disease mechanisms
- Their own psychology
- Factors affecting health
- How to manage emotions
- How to build a healthy lifestyle
They tend to be more proactive in self-care.
Many studies show that patients who receive adequate health education often achieve better treatment outcomes than those lacking knowledge about their condition.
Participant experience
According to Mr. Do Quang Tuan's sharing, the course helped him access new knowledge about applied psychology, mental health, and methods for self-regulating body states.
He stated that he perceived positive changes in both his mental and physical state after participating in the program.
He shared:
"I have lived with diabetes for 17 years."
"Before attending the course, my blood sugar levels were usually between 11.3 and 15 mmol/L."
"After applying what I learned, I noticed clear improvements in my health markers."
"This was a particularly meaningful experience for me."
The above observations reflect the personal experience and subjective perception of a participant regarding changes in his own health.
What does science say about individual health improvement cases?
In medicine, individual success stories can provide great inspiration, but they are insufficient to confirm the effectiveness of a method for the entire patient population. To accurately determine the effectiveness of any intervention, science requires:
- Randomized controlled trials
- Large participant numbers
- Long-term follow-up
- Objective assessment
- Replicability of results at different research centers
Nevertheless, real-world experiences still have value because they help open new research directions into the role of psychology, emotion, and lifestyle in supporting the treatment of chronic diseases.
Conclusion
Mr. Do Quang Tuan's story highlights the increasingly recognized connection between mental and physical health. His experience reflects the belief that changing psychological state, reducing stress, and building a positive lifestyle can create significant effects on quality of life.
From a modern scientific perspective, there is growing evidence that the brain, emotions, behavior, and body metabolism are tightly interconnected systems. Although individual cases cannot replace large-scale clinical evidence, they still emphasize an important principle of modern medicine: effective health care is not just treating disease, but also nurturing balance between body, mind, and daily lifestyle.
References
- American Diabetes Association. Stress and Diabetes. https://diabetes.org/healthy-living/mental-health/stress
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Diabetes Overview. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Relaxation Techniques: What You Need To Know. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/relaxation-techniques-what-you-need-to-know
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Hypnosis. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/hypnosis
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Diabetes and Mental Health. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/mental-health.html
- Mayo Clinic. Diabetes and stress: Know the facts. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/in-depth/stress/art-20047647
- Harvard Health Publishing. Relaxation techniques: Breath control helps quell errant stress response. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/relaxation-techniques-breath-control-helps-quell-errant-stress-response
Course information
Related course: Haruva – Igniting a New Vitality
Orientation: Stress management, mind-body health, emotion regulation, healthy lifestyle support
Instructor: Hypnosis Expert Nguyen Manh Quan
Hotline: 0904.606.965
Under the Vietnam Federation of UNESCO Associations, the center trains special methods to improve health, prevent and support treatment of physical and mental issues, and provides training in learning methods, thinking, and applied psychology for communication, business, negotiation, and sales.
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