 |
 Custom Search
|
Exercise and DiabetesUnderstanding Exercise and Diabetes
Exercise and Diabetes – Benefits of Exercise for Diabetics Exercise is a well known benefit for type 2 diabetics. Exercise can bring you many benefits that will help you not only manage your blood glucose levels, but make you healthier and minimize risks of certain medical conditions.
Exercise and Diabetes – Helps Blood Glucose Levels Normally the pancreas releases two hormones, insulin and glucagon, to help regulate blood glucose levels. Insulin is used to lower the blood sugar levels and increases the amount of glucagon in the liver. The glucagon slowly increases the blood sugar levels if it falls too low. However, for people with type 2 diabetes, the amount of insulin released is either insufficient or the body does not process them correctly. Exercise can help lower your blood sugar levels when the insulin cannot making exercise and diabetes important. When you exercise your body needs extra energy for the muscles. This energy comes from glucose in your system. When you do short bursts of activity like a quick sprint to the car the muscles and the liver release stores of glucose for fuel. With extended exercise like a brisk 20 to 45 minute walk or some structured exercise routine, your muscles takes glucose up to 20 times more than the normal amount. This in turn helps to lower your blood sugar levels. However, intense workouts can have just the opposite effect and instead of lowering the sugar levels it can actually increase blood glucose levels. Because intense workouts are seen as a “stress” by the body, your body will release stress hormones. This stress hormone causes the body to increase the available blood glucose to help fuel the muscles. So if you are doing a strenuous workout, be sure to check your blood sugar levels after your workout. If your blood glucose levels are extremely high, wait to exercise at a later time when the levels are more stable. Exercise and Diabetes – Types of Exercises Any exercise will help you manage your blood glucose levels rather it be strength training or aerobics. Strength Training Strength training will help you build stronger muscles and bones but has also shown to help manage Type 2 Diabetes. In a study of Hispanic men and women who performed strength training for 16 weeks results showed significant improvements in glucose control. In fact the results were similar to taking diabetes medication. Not only did the participants see positive results in their blood sugar levels, they felt healthier, lost body fat, were less depressed and felt more confident. Aerobic Exercises Aerobic exercises not only help Type 2 Diabetics manage their diabetes, it has also been shown to reduce the risk of getting diabetes. For people prone to diabetes, establishing a healthy eating plan and a regular exercise routine can help prevent getting this disease. Aerobic exercises are those workouts that get your heart pumping and your body moving. You can walk, jog, swim, dance…..or just about anything you enjoy that will get you moving. Exercise and Diabetes – When to Exercise Before you start any exercise routine, first discuss it with your doctor to ensure you select a workout that’s right for you and your situation. You should have a set routine where you exercise at the same time, eat your meals at the same time and take your medication at the same time each day. Talk this over with your doctor to determine if any adjustments are needed to your medication. You should also avoid exercising when your medicine is reaching the end of its peak effectiveness. If you plan to participate in a strenuous exercise or you exercise for periods lasting longer than 3 hours, check with your doctor as your medication may need to be adjusted for these types of exercises. Be sure to pick exercises that work best for you and that you can perform in order to stick with your exercise routine. Start out slow and build up your strength and endurance and before you know it, exercising will be just another part of your daily routine. With the right meal plan, medication (if needed) and exercise you can manage your diabetes. Exercise and Diabetes Tips
Check out these other exercise tips to help you with exercise and diabetes. Related Articles Stress and Diabetes Finding ways to manage your stress is important to manage blood glucose levels. Diabetes Find out more about diabetes, symptoms and types. Exercise 4 Weight Loss
2 Achieve Fitness and Health
© 2008 - 2009
Exercise4WeightLoss.com
|
|
