Breathing and Meditation, with Dr. Preethika Ekanayake, Clinical Endocrinologist, UCSD

In this episode, Dr. Jeremy Pettus and Dr. Steve Edelman speak with Dr. Preethika Ekanayake, a fellow clinical endocrinologist at UCSD, about how mindfulness and meditation can alleviate the unique challenges faced by people with diabetes. They delve into how mindfulness practices can help reduce diabetes-related stress, improve emotional resilience, and even positively affect blood sugar control. Dr. Ekanayake shares her personal journey of rediscovering mindfulness, offers practical examples of how to incorporate it into daily life, and emphasizes its potential to transform how patients cope with the demands of living with diabetes.

Key Topics:

• What is mindfulness, and how does it differ from meditation?
• How can mindfulness help people with diabetes manage constant daily stress?
• What role does stress play in blood sugar fluctuations, and how can mindfulness counteract this?
• How can simple mindfulness exercises like focused breathing or walking meditation help people with diabetes?
• How does mindfulness reduce the emotional distress linked to continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data?
• What are practical, beginner-friendly ways for people with diabetes to start mindfulness practices?
• How does mindfulness improve self-compassion and reduce guilt for those managing diabetes?
• What are the mental and physical health benefits of mindfulness for people living with chronic conditions like diabetes?
• Can mindfulness practices become a part of routine diabetes care?

About our Guest:
Dr. Preethika Ekanayake is a clinical endocrinologist at UC San Diego with a lifelong connection to mindfulness and meditation rooted in her Sri Lankan upbringing. She combines her cultural knowledge and professional expertise to help patients explore mindfulness as a tool to improve emotional well-being and diabetes management.

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