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.

Diabetes can have an adverse affect on your sex life, especially if your diabetes condition is poorly controlled. I am a diabetic, first diagnosed as such about 20 years ago, so I think I can appropriately discuss this rather “delicate” subject that looms for all of us male diabetics. It is a potential problem that all newly diagnosed diabetics should know about early after their diagnosis but I suspect that most doctors are not going to mention it to them. And when the male diabetic does learn about it, it may be too late, in fact that may be why he becomes aware that something is not quite right. So that is the time to immediately commence a discussion with the doctor. There are solutions.

Diabetes is a disease in which a person’s body does not properly process the glucose that occurs naturally in the blood after eating meals or any food. Glucose is the source of energy needed by all the cells of our bodies to maintain their many functions to keep us alive and is delivered to those cells by the bloodstream. The levels of glucose in the blood are normally kept within a specific safe range, however, in the case of the diabetic, the body’s system to maintain those acceptable levels becomes impaired with the result that they become dangerously high.

That by definition is diabetes and it is important that actions be taken to bring the blood glucose levels to a safer range that will help prevent complications, one of which is the topic of this essay, perhaps not so important as the more serious heart disease and other conditions for which the diabetic is also at risk, but of concern just the same.

Poorly controlled diabetes can result in damage to the nerves and blood vessels that control circulation of blood to the required areas when needed, so for that reason alone, I urge that the diabetic should do the utmost to keep blood sugar levels within the desired range. That may mean the threatened diabetic will have to engage in more strenuous exercise and follow a more diabetic-friendly food plan that minimizes the effects of the food items that cause the most damage, such as those with high carbohydrate and fat content and too many calories.

What to do

Do what is needed to keep the blood glucose levels close to the normal range and it will reduce the possibility of the above problems occurring. The problem is called erectile dysfunction, also known as impotence. Now that you know about it, why allow things to deteriorate? Having diabetes is bad enough.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin, a well know M.D. who writes and broadcasts on a number of health topics, cited a study from Italy reporting that more that 56 percent of men with diabetes suffer from impotence, adding that they complained bitterly about it and were depressed at the loss of something so important to them. But on a note of encouragement, Dr. Mirkin stated that if the problem is caused by diabetes, then it can be prevented in almost all men if their bodies are still making insulin naturally.

I will close with a brief reference regarding diabetes in women, who, while not suffering in the same way as men, can encounter some problems that I think may be the caused by vascular neuropathy, nerves and veins - but I will leave that for someone else to address if they so care to.