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Diabetes and Exercise
Getting more exercise is sound advice for most anyone, and it's particularly important for those who have diabetes or wish to prevent it. You can earn the benefits of being physically active without going to a gym, playing sports, or using fancy equipment. Exercise is anything that gets you moving, such as walking, dancing, or working in the yard - and there's lots to do here.
As a diabetic, physical activity can be especially important to lower your blood glucose (sugar), blood pressure, and cholesterol. Exercise also reduces your risk for heart disease and stroke, relieves stress, and strengthens your heart, muscles, and bones. In addition, regular activity helps insulin work better, improves your blood circulation, and keeps your joints flexible. If you're trying to lose weight, a combination of physical activity and wise food choices can help you reach your target weight and maintain it. You can start now, even if you haven't been very active before.
When you have diabetes, every step you take towards improving your health is an important one. Don't wait till tomorrow to develop an exercise program to manage your diabetes. Create a comprehensive physical routine that includes a combination of aerobic exercise, strength training and flexibility exercises.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise increases your heart rate, works your muscles, and raises your breathing rate. For most people, it's best to aim for a total of about 30 minutes a day of aerobic exercise, at least 3 days a week. You don't have to spend hours exercising to look and feel better. Just 30 minutes a day will do. You can even split it up into 2 or 3 parts. Try a 10-minute walk after every meal. Think of ways to build extra activity into your day. Walk more, wash the car, weed the garden, or clean the house - it all keeps you physically fit, which is essential for a healthy diabetic lifestyle. You might even try something that keeps your heart strong and uses up extra blood sugar, like dancing. Add gentle stretching like yoga or strength training such as weight lifting to keep your joints flexible and your muscles strong.
If you have diabetes complications, find out which aerobic exercises are safest for you. If you're trying to lose weight, you may want to do aerobic exercise for more than 30 minutes a day. Here are some examples of aerobic exercises:
- Take a brisk walk (outside or inside on a treadmill)
- Go dancing
- Take a low-impact aerobics class
- Swim or do water aerobic exercises
- Try ice-skating or roller-skating
- Play tennis
- Stationary bicycle indoors
Strength Training
Strength training is available and for a diabetic lifestyle, srength training several times a week helps build strong bones and muscles and makes everyday chores like carrying groceries easier. With more muscle, you burn more calories, even at rest. Here are some ways to add strength training to a diabetes exercise routine:
- Join one of the many strength training classes available to exercise with weights, elastic bands, or plastic tubes
- Lift light handheld weights at home - and invite your friends to join you.
Flexibility Exercises
Flexibility exercises, also called stretching, help keep your joints flexible and reduce your chances of injury. Gentle stretching for 5 to 10 minutes helps your body warm up and get ready for aerobic activities such as walking or swimming. Yoga is a wonderful flexibility exercise and there are probably yoga classes offered where you live. Yoga has also been shown to decrease stress and lower blood pressure, important concerns for diabetes and health.
Be More Active Every Day
Being active helps burns calories. The more you move around, the more energy you'll have. These strategies can help you increase your activity level:
- Walk instead of drive whenever possible
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator
- Work in the garden, rake leaves, or do some housecleaning every day
- Park at the far end of the shopping center lot and walk to the store
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