Émile Coué’s Method: A Mindful Approach to Blood Sugar Control
It started with a cup of coffee.
I was sitting at my favorite café, watching the steam rise from my mug, when my CGM buzzed. A gentle reminder that my blood sugar was drifting a little lower than I’d like. Nothing dramatic—just one of those moments that reminds you diabetes is always in the room, even when you’re trying to enjoy the ambiance.
I took a breath. Not the kind you take before a workout or a stressful meeting. Just a soft, slow inhale. And then, almost instinctively, I whispered to myself:
“Every day, in every way, I am managing my diabetes with calm and confidence.”
It wasn’t a mantra I’d planned. It was something I’d picked up from a curious corner of history—a French pharmacist named Émile Coué who believed that the mind could heal the body through gentle, repeated suggestion.
The Pharmacist Who Believed in Words
Coué wasn’t flashy. He didn’t wear a lab coat or lecture in grand halls. He simply noticed that when he told patients their medicine would help, they got better faster. So he began experimenting with what he called conscious autosuggestion—repeating positive phrases to influence the subconscious mind.
His signature line?
“Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better.”
It sounds quaint. But Coué believed that imagination—not willpower—was the real engine of change. If you try to force your body to behave, it resists. But if you gently guide your subconscious with believable, rhythmic affirmations, it listens.
Diabetes, Mindfulness, and the Power of Suggestion
Managing diabetes today is a high-tech dance. We’ve got CGMs, insulin pumps, low-carb recipes, and LISS workouts that feel more like a stroll than a sweat. But even with all that, there are days when your blood sugar zigzags, your motivation dips, and your inner critic gets loud.
That’s where Coué’s method fits in—not as a replacement for science, but as a companion to it.
Imagine starting your day with a phrase like:
“Every day, in every way, I’m getting better and better at managing my diabetes.”
Or:
“Every day, in every way, I’m mastering the art of living well with diabetes.”
These aren’t magic spells. They’re gentle nudges to your subconscious. They remind you that you’re not just reacting to diabetes—you’re actively shaping your experience with it.
How I Practice Autosuggestion (and How You Can Too)
Here’s how I’ve woven Coué’s method into my daily rhythm:
Morning Ritual: Before I check my CGM, I repeat my phrase 20 times, like Coué suggested. No pressure, no drama—just rhythm and breath.
During LISS Walks: I whisper my affirmation as I walk. It’s like syncing my steps with my mindset. The movement helps the words settle deeper.
Meal Prep Moments: While chopping veggies or stirring a low-carb soup, I repeat my phrase. It turns cooking into a kind of meditation.
Evening Wind-Down: Before bed, I say it again. Sometimes I visualize my glucose graph smoothing out like a calm wave. Sometimes I just let the words float.
Why It Works (Even If It Sounds Simple)
Modern psychology backs Coué’s intuition. Positive affirmations can reduce stress, improve self-efficacy, and even influence physical health outcomes. When you combine autosuggestion with:
Real-time diabetes tech like CGMs and insulin pumps
Gentle movement through LISS workouts
Low to medium-carb eating that respects your body’s rhythm
…you’re not just managing diabetes. You’re mastering it.
Final Thoughts: Your Mind Is Part of Your Toolkit
So next time your blood sugar drifts or your motivation wavers, don’t just reach for your meter—reach for your mantra. Whisper it over coffee. Repeat it on your walk. Let it echo in your mind as you fall asleep.
Because every day, in every way, you’re not just surviving diabetes. You’re thriving with it.
