Exercise And Diabetes

Here is some general information on exercise and diabetes...

Exercise plays a key role. in diabetes management. Exercise not only tunes up your body, it improves your body's ability to function and use it's insulin (whether injected or it's own) efficiently.  This is especially true if you are a Type II diabetic. Some Type II diabetics can get their diabetes under control with just diet and exercise.   Exercise can also help Type I diabetics improve their diabetes management.  There are three main types of exercise you can do which include aerobic exercise, flexibility exercises and strength exercises.

EXERCISE IS KEY IN DIABETES MANAGEMENT

Exercise helps improve the body's insulin resistance.  If you are overweight, exercising and losing the excess weight will probably help improve your blood sugars.  When you're physically active you are helping your muscles increase their ability to transport glucose and to become more sensitive to the insulin in your body.  If you need to shed a few pounds, teaming an exercise program with a reduced calorie meal plan will help you shed excess fat which is the goal if you want to lose weight.

 EXERCISE FOR TYPE I'S & TYPE II'S

For people with Type II diabetes exercise may be all that's needed to get their blood sugars in a good range.  It's important for a Type II diabetic to also watch what they're eating and do all their other diabetes management tasks, but exercise alone (along with losing weight if necessary) can really help get their diabetes in better control.

Exercise can also play an important role for most people with Type I diabetes.  Exercise can help improve their fitness level, stamina and flexibility.  It can
also help them overcome a tendency to add unwanted pounds. If a person has Type I diabetes the exercise program they use has to be in tune with their food intake and their insulin dosage (the timing of the injections). Insulin requirements can change drastically when a person is exercising regularly so great care has to be taken to test blood glucose levels before, during and after exercise.  Exercise can affect blood glucose for up to 36 hours after the exercise is done.
 

SELF BLOOD GLUCOSE MONITORING

Self blood glucose monitoring plays a vital role in the exercise program for a diabetic taking medication (insulin or orals).  Blood glucose monitoring is used
to obtain information to balance the food, insulin and exercise (amount and timing) to avoid abnormal and potentially dangerous blood glucose levels.
 

EXERCISE AND LOW BLOOD SUGAR

In most people, exercise will lower blood glucose levels. It's also possible for the blood glucose levels to drop too low and someone might experience an insulin reaction (low blood sugar/hypoglycemia)  If this happens the person should
eat a quick acting carbohydrate (juice, cake icing, etc.)to help bring the blood sugar up.  This will most likely occur in people who take medication to help
control their diabetes.  The drop in blood glucose might occur while the exercise is being done, immediately thereafter or several hours after the
exercise has been completed but there may be a risk for a low blood sugar reaction up to 3 days after the exercise is done.
 

EXERCISE AND HIGH BLOOD SUGAR

Although exercise is supposed to help lower blood glucose there are times when exercise can make blood glucose rise.  This may occur if your diabetes is in
poor control. If your blood glucose is 250 or more DON'T EXERCISE.  Your blood glucose could go HIGHER.
 

STARTING

No matter how old you are and how long it's been since you did any regular exercise, there is some kind of physical activity you can add to your life.  Before you start any exercise routine check with your doctor first to make sure it's ok.  Your doctor can check your diabetes management program and let you know any limitations you may have.  For example, if you have retinopathy it's not wise to do weightlifting exercises since it could damage the blood vessels in your eyes.

If you're over the age of 35 your doctor may also want to do an electrocardiogram test on you.
 

EXERCISE PLAN

To keep yourself motivated make an exercise plan.

Decide what you would like to get out of an exercise program.

Set some goals.  A short term goal might be to walk for 30 minutes every other day.  A long term goal might be to lower your average evening blood glucose level by 15 mg/dl.  Try to make realistic goals.

Develop an exercise schedule and try to stick to it.  You may want to write your schedule on a calendar you see every day.

Get an exercise partner if you can.

Reward yourself when you achieve a goal. (Don't use food as a reward.  Choose something like a new outfit or a new book)
 

EXERCISE PREPARATION

Always carry some fast-acting carbohydrate with you such as regular soda, glucose tablets or cake icing) when you exercise so you can immediately treat low blood sugar.

Wear some type of diabetes identification (bracelet, necklace, wallet card).  If you have a low blood sugar reaction and are unconscious it's important for
emergency personnel to know you have diabetes so you can get the appropriate treatment.

Let people around you know that you have diabetes.  Make sure they know what to do in the event you experience low blood sugar.

Drink plenty of fluids while you're exercising.

Wear clothing that is comfortable and protective (if it's cold or raining).  Make sure your shoes and socks fit well.

Be sure to check your feet before and after exercise for cuts and bruises, blisters and redness.

Always give yourself a warm-up and cool-down period.  You may want to warm-up and cool-down for ten minutes before and after exercise, respectively.
 

DO NOT EXERCISE IF:

1. You are injured.

2. If you are experiencing symptoms of a minor illness (cold or flu).  Give yourself a break until the symptoms go away.

3. If your blood glucose levels are too low you may have to make adjustments to your pre-exercise food intake, insulin dosage or oral medication dosage to "normalize" your blood glucose level.  This should be done after you discuss
it with your doctor.
 

DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXERCISE

Finally, let's talk about the different kinds of exercise.

Aerobic exercises are the types of exercises that use your heart, lungs, arms and legs.  By working all these parts of the body you can improve your blood flow, reduce your risk of heart disease, lower your blood pressure, as well as lower your LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.  Doing aerobic exercises makes the insulin in your body (natural or injected) work harder, reduces your body fat and helps you lose weight.  Some example of aerobic exercises are dancing, jogging, bicycling, skating and walking.

Flexibility exercises measure how far you can stretch your muscles around your joints without stiffness, resistance or pain.  If you're flexible your muscles and joints are less likely to get injured when you use them.  One of the best ways to get flexible is to stretch every day.  You can do it throughout the day to relieve muscle tension and stress.  Stretching should also be a part of any workout.

Strength exercises are exercises that wok your muscles against a weight.  Strength exercises can be done using weight machines, lifting free weights, doing calisthenics and doing circuit training.