An Interview with JENNIFER GREGG,
author of THE DIABETES LIFESTYLE BOOK

 New Harbinger Publications: The Diabetes Lifestyle Book uses acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)—a mode of psychotherapy—to manage a physical illness. Can you explain what ACT is and how it can be used to manage diabetes?

Jennifer Gregg: ACT is basically an approach for dealing with difficult thoughts and feelings such as stress, worry, sadness, or feeling unmotivated. It uses ideas such as the Eastern concept of mindfulness to help people become aware of the thoughts and feelings that seem to get in the way of moving forward in life, and it teaches people a whole new approach to living. ACT helps people with diabetes or any physical illness  learn to pay attention to their worries, fears, and even hunger in a different way. This can allow them more to be more flexible and effective in taking care of their disease.

NHP: How could ACT help someone with diabetes comply with his or her medication regimen and dietary restrictions?

JG: Taking care of diabetes is a really hard job. Just about everybody with diabetes has difficulty being 100 percent consistent 100 percent of the time. ACT helps people with diabetes focus their attention on their values—such as taking care of themselves and protecting their health—and teaches them new skills for managing the barriers to doing so, such as fear, lack of motivation, and the normal anxiety, stress, and sadness that come up in life. With these new skills, following their doctor’s recommendations about consistent diet, exercise, blood-sugar testing, and medication becomes part of living an amazing, value-driven life.

NHP: Are there studies that show the effectiveness of ACT in managing diabetes?

JG: Yes. A recently completed study compared people who received ACT to people who received more traditional information about managing diabetes. The study found that people who received ACT were more likely to follow their doctor’s recommendations regarding blood sugar testing, diet, and exercise and were more likely to have their blood glucose in the target range three months after receiving the one-day treatment. The ACT information provided to patients in that study is the same information laid out in The Diabetes Lifestyle Book.

NHP: The fall and winter holidays are coming up, with Halloween candy, pumpkin pies, and sugar cookies. Do you have any tips for people with diabetes who struggle with temptation at this time of year?

JG: One tip we recommend for our patients is to make a physical reminder of why resisting temptation is important in their lives today and what the ultimate goal is. It can be difficult to stick to a diet if the consequences seem far away or like they may not happen. And it’s very easy to get sucked in to the idea that cheating won’t matter—especially during the holidays. We have patients put pictures of their kids or grandkids, or whatever symbolizes why it’s important to take care of their diabetes, on the refrigerator or next to the television to keep them moving forward toward living an amazing life with diabetes.