Exercise for Diabetics

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

06 Apr 2006 04:35 PM

Research shows that exercise can help diabetics -- especially the fifteen million Americans with Type 2 diabetes -- regulate blood sugar and live longer!

A twelve-year study of Type 2 diabetics found that those who exercised regularly had many positive results:

• Improved blood sugar control
• Lower blood pressure
• Lower cholesterol
• Weight loss
• Improved circulation
• Reduced stress

Exercise can actually make cells more responsive to insulin! And you don't need to be running a marathon every day. Just thirty minutes of moderate exercise more than three days a week is enough to help manage blood sugar. As long as you are up and moving more than you do right now, your body will benefit.

Here's why it works: when you exercise, your body is burning up more oxygen. Your muscles will use more glucose for fuel when you are in motion. A body at rest isn't motivated to use up that glucose.

If you are a Type 2 diabetic, take the test! Try adding a 30 minute, moderately paced walk to your day. Keep track of your blood sugar and watch the numbers go down. Exercise may not be a replacement for oral medicine and/or insulin, but it may help reduce your dosages.

Some things to keep in mind:

1. Check with your doctor before starting any exercise program.
2. Wear appropriate shoes and socks. Diabetics can suffer from neuropathy, a loss of sensation in the hands and feet.
3. Keep an eye out for hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Exercise an hour after you eat, and carry a snack in case you start to feel weak or shaky.
4. Stay hydrated while you exercise! This is just good general advice for everyone.
5. An exercise partner will help you stick to your exercise program.
6. Try to exercise at the same general time of day, and for the same amount of time. This will help your body learn better insulin response -- if your body always exercises at the same time, your cells will expect to process glucose at the same time.

You can find some other great ideas for starting and sticking to an exercise program in our Fitness Blog!

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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Kay M. (300) 28 Jul 2006 05:09 PM

Another great article on diabetic care! You cover your topics well. The only other item I would have mentioned would have been about the snack itself. When some people think about snacking they may want to grab something pre-packaged. Most diabetics need to be careful about what they eat.

In my case, I am borderline diabetic. My blood sugar drops drastically and I get quite shaky. There are good snacks and bad snacks. I need to avoid starchy foods which will break down to sugar quickly. Though vegetables are good for me and low-calorie they lack the one thing I need after a workout. I need PROTEIN. Yes, the best kind of snack would be cheese and crackers or peanut butter or something else with protein. This way my blood sugar doesn't drop and make me feel woozy. Of course, as Aimee says, I carry a bottle of water with me to replenish myself. Water is extremely good for me. Soda's contain too much sugar or caffeine.