Diabetes and Exercise - An Important Combination!

Apr 21st, 2008 by Cheap Leotards

When anyone learns they have diabetes one of the first things the doctor will tell you is the need for lifestyle changes. Lack of exercise and obesity are some of the reasons for the disease. The symptoms of adult diabetes, also known as Type 2 Diabetes, is becoming more common with the increasing number of elderly Americans, along with the lack of exercise and increasing obesity rates. It is well known that Type 2 Diabetics have had complete symptom remission after achieving a significant reduction in weight typically due to exercise and diet improvement.

After living the life of a couch potato it is hard to get up and exercise, as we should. But you must understand that it is a must that you get up and start. Remember this is your life we are talking about, so this should be the biggest motivation you need to get up and move.

Unlike type 1, Type 2 Diabetes can usually be controlled with diet, and exercise. We don’t exercise as we should. Most health care providers recommend good nutrition and exercise as treatment for those in early stages of Type 2 Diabetes.

When exercising, the body needs extra energy or fuel in the form of glucose for the exercising muscles. Research shows that with continued moderate exercising, however, you muscles take up glucose. This lowers blood glucose levels. This is because exercise helps to get glucose into muscle tissue, because contracting muscle does not need insulin to absorb glucose. With moderate exercising, your muscles take up glucose at almost 20 times the normal rate compared to short burst of exercise, such as a quick sprint.

You may also consider Chromium supplements, which can improve insulin resistance in muscle cells. When the blood glucose levels begin to rise, it is the insulin’s job to push muscle and fat cells to absorb whatever glucose they need for future activities whereas any surplus will be stored by the liver. Insulin stimulates muscle cells and other body cells to remove glucose from the blood and convert the glucose to glycogen, a kind of starch, and then store the glycogen.

As always you should check with your physician before beginning any exercise program. Start your exercise program slowly with a low-impact exercise such as walking, swimming or biking.

You should exercise at least three to four times per week for 20 to 40 minutes each session. It would be best for you to exercise every day. A good exercise program should include 5 to 10 minutes warm-up and at least 15 to 30 minutes of continuous aerobic exercise, followed by 5-minutes cool down.

One of the side effects you’ll have is you’ll sleep better and feel more rested than before you started exercising.

So come on get up and move!

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