More and more people every day are diagnosed with diabetes.

This condition is caused by problems that involve the hormone insulin. Being a diabetic means that your pancreas either doesn’t make insulin or the cells of your body don’t respond to this hormone. Every time you eat some food it gets broken down into a substance called glucose, which get transported to the cells through the bloodstream. In diabetics, glucose builds up into the blood instead of going into the cells, leading to high blood sugar.

Leading a sedentary lifestyle and being overweight or obese are the most common causes of this disease. People who suffer with diabetes have a high risk for stroke and heart disease and that’s why it’s very important to lower bad LDL cholesterol through limiting the amount of saturated fats such as cheese, butter and fatty meat.

You should also avoid simple carbohydrates and choose complex carbs like fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereal and beans. Also studies have shown that a magnesium supplement can help you improve glucose control and a supplement with vanadium (a substance that derives from plant sources) can increase a person’s sensitivity to insulin. Other foods that can be helpful are: broccoli, peas, sage and brewer’s yeast.

Although diabetics are allowed to eat a variety of foods, the total amount of carbohydrates that are consumed every day should be monitored. You should avoid concentrated sugars like candy and juices and you can use artificial sweeteners such as saccharine (pregnant women should avoid it) and sucrolose. According to the ADA you can consume 45 to 60 grams of carbohydrates with every meal, without running the risk of complications.

It’s estimated that 70 to 80 million Americans either currently suffer from diabetes or have insulin resistance syndrome, which increases their chances of developing this disease. According to the CDC, almost 95% of all diabetes cases are caused by obesity and lack of physical exercise. If you are one of them, then there is no reason to despair.

But How Does a Person Become a Diabetic In The First Place?

This condition occurs when there are problems with the secretion of the hormone insulin. Your body releases this hormone in order to break down the food into glucose and use it to feed your cells.

Unfortunately, sometimes the pancreas either doesn’t produce any insulin or produces it in small amounts. There is also the possibility that for some reason your body doesn’t respond to it, which is a condition called insulin-resistance.

Some of the risk factors of this disease are the following:

• High blood pressure

• Too much alcohol
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Being overweight or obese
• High triglyceride levels
• Unhealthy eating habits
• Heredity
• Age over 45

So, What Can Be Done?

As we have already discussed, obesity is responsible for the vast majority of cases, so diet is an essential part of the treatment. And any diabetes diet should actually be a weight loss diet, because getting thinner will greatly lower your blood sugar levels. It’s a myth that some foods are forbidden, if you suffer for this condition. However it would be a good idea to stay away from concentrated sugars like candies, cakes and juices and you should also count the amount of carbohydrates you eat every day. An easy way to do that is to use the “plate method”. Visualize a line that divides your plate in half and divide one half into 2 quarters, then fill the half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables like broccoli and spinach. Also fill one quarter with starchy foods such as potato and whole grain bread and the other quarter with some protein like meat. This can help you control your portion sizes and lower your blood sugar.

Performing physical exercises with regularity can only be good for your body. Diabetes and exercise are tightly connected, as regular physical activity can dramatically improve your condition and relieve some of the symptoms. Any type of exercise can be performed, but it is recommended to maintain a moderate intensity. The recommended exercises include:

- Endurance exercises

- Balance exercises

- Stretching exercises

- Strength exercises

Exercises are not only safe, but also recommended, especially if you suffer from diabetes. Physical activity will help you to:

- Burn any excess fat that you may have

- Increase insulin sensitivity

- Prevent obesity, which is very common in people suffering from diabetes

Since excess fat and obesity, in general, are commonly accompanied by heart diseases and stroke, preventing them can only be a good thing. Endurance exercises represent the part of physical activity that improves your heart rate, as well as your breathing. As a result, your heart, circulatory system and lungs will become healthier. Some of the endurance exercises you should try include:

- Swimming

- Cycling

- Jog-walking

- Tennis

- Volleyball

- Dancing

- Rowing

The connection between diabetes and exercise does not stop here. If endurance exercises can be useful in the prevention of diabetes, strength exercises will help you build muscles, and thus, use glucose more efficiently as a source of energy. Some strength exercises are:

- Arm raise

- Chair stand

- Biceps curl

- Triceps extension

- Shoulder flexion

- Hip extension

Stretching exercises will improve the flexibility of your body. As a result, you will be able to perform the other types of exercises better. Now that you know some details on the connection between diabetes and exercise, you will be more determined to go to the gym or have physical activities once in a while.