Diabetes is a disease in which the body cannot produce insulin, a substance that is created in the pancreas and helps the body to break down glucose. Those who have diabetes have an too much glucose in their bodies as they are not able to break it down, and it passes through the body without being used by the body as a source of energy. For those who have been diagnosed with diabetes, insulin or medications are often part of their treatments, but there are exercises that can help them as well.

People who are overweight, especially those who fall into the obese category, are more at risk of getting diabetes. Regular exercise can help them to live healthier lifestyles after they are diagnosed with the disease, allowing them to lose weight. Exercise also helps diabetics lower their blood glucose levels and reduce stress, potentially allowing them to take less medication for their conditions. Exercise also increases circulation in their arms and legs, and reduces cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

When beginning you want to start with exercises that are less strenuous such as walking, swimming and biking, especially for those who do not exercise regularly and may have foot problems. When walking and jogging you want to wear shoes that fit comfortably and are appropriate for the activity. Before you start exercising you want to stretch for at least 5 minutes to avoid potential injury. You should start with 5 to 10 minutes of exercise a day, five days ? week.

The goal for people with diabetes, especially those who are trying to lose weight, should be to work up to exercising 30 to 45 minutes ? day, five days a week and to gradually work up to more difficult exercises.

You can split up the exercise sessions into10-minute intervals each day, for those who have busy schedules. A step above beginning low-impact exercises, such as walking and swimming, age aerobic exercises. These exercises include brisk walks, aerobics classes, ice skating and rollerblading. These exercises are effective because they can increase heart rates and improve breathing rates.

Other exercises include strength training and flexibility exercises. Strength training involves lifting weights which help build muscles, toughen bones and burn calories. Flexibility training involves stretching exercises helps make joints more flexible and prepares the body for other exercises, especially jogging and running.

Everyday activities can be part of people’s daily exercise routines. People can get ? workout while they are going shopping or spending time at home along with doing more strenuous exercises regularly. These activities include walking whenever possible, taking stairs instead of elevators and doing task around the house every day, such as cleaning, gardening and mowing the lawn.

If you are taking insulin exercises should occur after meals, not before. Also if your blood sugar level is above 240 mg/dL you should not exercise. If you exercise more than an hour after eating, it is important to be aware of the blood sugar level. If it is below 120 mg/dL, it is a good idea to eat an apple or have a glass of milk before starting to exercise to increase blood sugar levels, as they will drop while exercising. Food and drinks high in carbohydrates, such as bagels and fruit, tend to increase blood glucose levels.

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google

No Comments »

No comments yet.

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URL

Leave a comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.