Diabetes – Exercise Questions Answered

Q. What are the benefits of exercise?
A. For people with diabetes, the benefits of exercise are blood glucose level improvements, stress reduction, increased energy, weight control, and for those who participate in regular physical activity, which includes moderate aerobic exercise, there will be a reduction in cardiovascular disease risk.

Q. How do I start an exercise program?
A. Schedule a physical exam with your physician before beginning your exercise activities. This is especially vital if you have not been active recently. An EKG or ECG test (electrocardiogram) may be recommended by your doctor along with a graded exercise test to evaluate how exercise may effect your heart. Question your doctor what types of exercise are best for you.

For any recommended exercise program, remember to start slowly and safely, and gradually increase your physical activity level over time.

Q. What is an exercise goal?
A. Remember to discuss with your doctor how often to exercise, and what level of intensity at which you shoudl perform. Start any exercise program with a slow, steady pace. Try to be active for at least 20 minutes in the beginning. You can steadily increase the time period for exercise over an eight (8) week period.

Research has proven that weight lifting (anaerobic exercise) may benefit people with diabetes. This type of exercise is known as “resistance training.” Lifting heavy weights may not be helpful for persons with certain diabetes complications, so always comply with your physician’s recommendations.

Q. What are the different types of exercise?
A. There are two main types of exercise, anaerobic and aerobic exercise. Anaerobic exercise involves lifting weights or using exercise bands. Activity usually lasts for a shorter duration and involves intense activity done in small bursts. Anaerobic exercise is commonly known as “resistance training” and the goal is to build muscle and increase strength.
Aerobic exercise works the large muscle groups in the arms and legs. Examples of this include: jogging, brisk walking, swimming, biking, dancing, biking and rowing. Aerobic exercise gradually increases the heart and breathing rates. Aerobic exercise is usually recommended for most diabetic patients because of the proven benefits to the cardiovascular system (heart, lungs, and blood vessels).

Q. What if I have had a sedentary lifestyle?
A. You will improve your overall health by increasing your activity level. Take advantage of any opportunity to bend and stretch as much as possible during the day.

To make your day more active, here are some simple tips to get ready, get set, and get moving:

Parking your car further away from the store when you go shopping Use stairs rather than elevators whenever possible Communicate with neighbors or co-workers by stopping by in person, rather than using the phone to call Stay active at home with light gardening and housework chores

Q. What are the strategies for exercising success?
A. Make exercise part of your daily schedule – even small increases in physical activity will be beneficial to your health. Being active simply means moving more!

All physical activities should start with a warm-up, and then progress to the chosen exercise. After exercising; remember to have a cool-down period. You will see the most progress with your exercise plot when you are consistent with a specific type of activity. For example, if you chose to walk, try to find the most convenient time of day for walking, and then stick to it.

Your exercise program should always include these three (3) essential elements:
Warm-up: Approximately 5-10 minutes of stretching and bending. This will prevent injuries to muscles and joints.
Activity: 20 minutes (or more) of sustained physical activity. This includes walking, biking, aerobics, swimming, or other sports, such as tennis or racquetball. Cool-Down: Gradually reduce your activity, and then stretch for at least 5 minutes.

Q. Are there any exercise precautions or other guidelines?
A. Remember, exercise will lower your blood glucose level. If you feel symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), take glucose tablets or gel to treat low blood sugar. Avoid very vigorous activity when the insulin activity is peaking (insulin is working at the toughest level). If you plot to exercise at moderate or high intensity, check your blood sugar before beginning your exercise. If the blood glucose level is below 100 mg/dl, eat a light snack with a carbohydrate source before exercising. Remember, low blood sugar can occur shortly after exercise or up to 24 hours after physical activity, so monitor blood glucose levels regularly.

When purchasing shoes for exercise, protect your feet with properly fitting shoes and socks. Plot to buy your shoes at the end of the day when your feet are larger. Avoid open-heeled or open-toed shoes.
Shoe-Fit guidelines: the in-step of the shoe should conform to your the size and the shape of your foot. Your toes should have some “wiggle-room” – the shoes should securely fit at the heel to prevent slipping.
Sock Suggestions: White socks should be used, and they should be soft and padded with no seams.

Diabetic patients need adjustments in insulin dosing or eating schedule. Food intake may need adjusting to prevent low blood sugar when exercising. For example, if you will be bike riding, do not
inject insulin into your leg. Insulin should not be injected into a body part that you will use during exercise.

Wear medical identification as a precaution when exercising.

Remember to drink water and stay well hydrated. At least 64 ounces of water should be consumed daily.

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Different Types Of Diabetes

There are two main types of diabetes and they are: type 1 diabetes, which usually insulin occurs when the body cannot produce and allows glucose to provide the energy for the same. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body cannot use they insulin available in the body.

Diabetes nutrition is very vital as the disease can easily turn fatal and cause kidney and/or heart failure. Here are a few suggestions, which may help you improve your present health state and live your life as normally as possible under the circumstances.

Eat Well And Exercise

Diabetes nutrition is mostly directed around non-starchy foods, vegetable and fruits and high in fiber such as spinach, broccoli or green beans along with your regular meals. Whole grains is yet another item included in the diabetes nutrition along with brown rice, pasta, lentils, fish couple of times a week and lean meats.

Diabetes nutrition will depend from person to person and therefore it is recommended not to start any without consulting your doctor or dietician first.

Diabetes nutrition will work even better to ensure your excellent health if you include an exercise in your daily routine as well such as a half hour daily walk or something light done in the comfort of your home.

It is vital to keep your weight under control when you suffer from diabetes as any other complication can make fatal effects for the same.

Helpful Tip

Checking your daily blood sugar as often as you feel is required is key when you have diabetes and thus, you can control your diabetes nutrition as well. Diabetes can be kept under control and you too can lead a healthy and normal life benefiting from its beauty and pleasure if you know you disease and make all efforts to accommodate the same in the best possible way.

Check with your doctor for a diabetes nutrition plot and/or your dietician who will be pleased to help and help you with the same. The sooner you know your disease the better will be for you and your body.

With over 200 million people suffering from diabetes worldwide, and counting, it’s quick becoming the #1 epidemic of modern times. A major cause of end-stage renal disease, preventable amputations and blindness, the efficacy of many alternative medicine treatments in managing diabetes has been explored.

While conventional medicine has prescriptions of endocrine disorder drugs for diabetes, alternative therapeutic approaches to its management include herbs, plant extracts and more.

The following are some naturals and alternative therapeutics that seem promising to scientists studying their effect on diabetes.

1. Fenugreek: This herb is commonly used for appetite loss, and to stimulate milk production in breastfeeding women. And a handful of studies have learned that fenugreek may help in bringing down blood sugar levels in diabetes sufferers, that’s according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicines (NCCAM).

Some time back, the Diabetes UK referred to several herbs being studied, including momordica cymbalaria, gymnema sylvestre and swertia chirayita.

2. Momordica Cymbalaria Roots:This a cucumber-like vegetable was assessed by scientists for its effect on Type 2 diabetes control and their tests on diabetic rats showed an improved glucose tolerance.

3. Gymnema Sylvestre Herb: Originating from the Indian tropical forests, this herb when tested for its effects on the body’s ability to produce insulin, seemed to have a direct impact on the pancreatic insulin producing cells.

4. Swertia Chirayita Bark: Laboratory studies on the bark have found that some compounds separated from it appear to set off insulin production, in addition to enhancing its action.

5. Berberine: Chemically classified as a salt and found in the roots and barks of many plants, it has been documented in Chinese literature for having glucose lowering properties. According to Research Australia, the compound is indeed able to help lower blood sugar levels in animal models of diabetes.

6. Tai Chi Exercises: This isn’t quite a herb, nonetheless, according to the April 2008 issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine, Tai Chi exercises can improve the management of type 2 diabetes via improving blood glucose levels.

Despite appearing promising, experts believe that a lot more research is needed to definitively establish some of these alternative medicines‘ degree of efficacy.

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Natural Medicine Leads to Real Cures
In contrast, the philosophy of natural medicine holds that a weakened immune system (and/or along with other weakened bodily systems) is the reason foreign invaders can thrive, producing symptoms and diseases.

Most of us are taught that we need to go to medical doctors when we get sick. What we aren’t taught is that the real doctor is already within us as the innate wisdom of the body. This is the difference between conventional allopathic systems and natural holistic medicine systems. The philosophy of natural medicine is that, given the right conditions, the body will heal itself. Whereas the allopathic model tries to control defective body systems through drug intervention, or kill foreign invaders with antibiotics, natural medicine rarely includes toxic agents. Instead, herbs, homeopathic remedies and other non-invasive therapies are used. These techniques harmoniously help facilitate the repair and strengthening of bodily systems (especially the immune system, which can then properly fight foreign invaders), or help to ruin offending pathogens without toxic side effects. The goal of natural medicine is to figure out why systems have weakened and then repair them, which results in healing.

Allopathic Medicine—Symptom/Disease Management
The allopathic medical philosophy taught at most medical schools, and practiced by the majority of medical doctors, relies on the concept of identifying diseases or symptoms, and then prescribing drugs to manage or combat those conditions. It is a system that considers the disease or symptom to be the actual problem, as opposed to addressing the underlying causes that produced the disease or symptom in the first place. A wide variety of tests, procedures and equipment specially designed to identify diseases and symptoms have been developed, which on one level is fantastic, because these tests could be used to help figure out underlying causes. Yet, on another level they are very limiting, since they are rarely used for such purposes. Typically, once a diagnosis is determined, the tests are plunked into the patient’s file as conclusive evidence of his or her condition.

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