Diabetes and Exercise

 

Exercise helps blood sugar control

People with diabetes are encouraged to exercise regularly for better blood sugar control and to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
The reason for this is that muscles which are working use more glucose than those that are resting.
Muscle movement leads to greater sugar uptake by muscle cells and lower blood sugar levels.
Additional benefits of exercise include a healthier heart, better weight control and stress management.
Exercise is the common term used to describe any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness.

Why is exercise important?

As well as strengthening the cardiovascular system and the body’s muscles, many people exercise to keep fit, lose or maintain a healthy weight, sharpen their athletic skills, or purely for enjoyment.

Frequent and regular physical exercise is recommended for people of all ages as it boosts the immune system and helps protect against conditions such as:

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Type 2 diabetes
• Cancer and other major illnesses

In fact, it is known to cut your risk of major chronic illnesses/diseases by up to 50% and reduce your risk of early death by up to 30%.
Other health benefits of exercising on a regular basis include:

• Improves mental health
• Boosts self esteem/confidence
• Enhances sleep quality and energy levels
• Cuts risk of stress and depression
• Protects against dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

Furthermore, exercise is free, can be carried out anywhere at anytime and has an immediate effect on your health.

What counts as exercise?

In the UK, regular exercise is defined by the NHS as completing 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity a week.
Aerobic activity at moderate intensity basically means exercising at a level that raises your heart rate and makes you sweat. This includes a multitude of sports. For example;

• Fast paced walking
• Light jogging
• Bike riding
• Rowing
• Playing doubles tennis or badminton
• Water aerobics

Cutting the grass, cleaning your home and other daily chores such as shopping don't count towards your 150 minutes of weekly exercise as advances in technology have made these activities far less demanding on the body than for previous generations, who were active naturally more active through work and manual labour.
However, the less time you spend sitting down, the better it will be for your health. Sedentary behaviour, such as sitting or lying down for long periods, increases your risk of weight gain and obesity, which in turn, may also up your risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.

Are there any precautions I should take when it comes to exercise?

There are some exercise precautions which people with diabetes must take, however, when done safely, exercise is a valuable aid to optimal health.
Exercise precautions are designed to help people with diabetes avoid problems which can result from unwise exercise choices.
Hypoglycemia can occur if a person who is taking blood sugar lowering medication has:

• Eaten too little carbohydrate (fruit, milk, starch) relative to the exercise.
• Taken too much medication relative to the exercise
• Combined effect of food and medication imbalances relative to the exercise

Those who do not take diabetes medication do not need to take these precautions. Drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise to stay well-hydrated.