Physical activity is crucial for everyone\u2019s health, not just those with diabetes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unfortunately, many people fall short of the recommended exercise recommendations. This may be in part due to busy schedules, sedentary jobs, and long commutes. Other times, diabetes can affect you in unpredictable ways, making it hard to know how you\u2019ll feel or what type of activity you should do. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to remember that the even small victories count and every step you take can help with managing your condition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Understanding the benefits of exercise<\/a> can be motivating for those wanting to improve their health. Best of all, exercise can be completely free – no need for a gym membership or fancy equipment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Diabetes mellitus, or diabetes, is a disease where the body doesn\u2019t produce enough insulin<\/a>, or it doesn\u2019t respond to insulin effectively. Insulin is a hormone that helps move glucose (our body\u2019s primary fuel source) from our bloodstream into our cells, where it\u2019s used as energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Without enough insulin, blood sugar levels rise too high, which can cause many complications and even be deadly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Type 1 diabetes<\/a> is an autoimmune disease that impacts the pancreas, which is the organ that produces insulin. People with type 1 diabetes don\u2019t make any insulin on their own, so they must inject insulin daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Type 2 diabetes often occurs due to insulin resistance, which occurs when the body doesn\u2019t use insulin as it should. People with type 2 diabetes<\/a> can also become insulin deficient, similar to type 1, over time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n During the initial phase of physical activity, blood glucose levels can actually increase as the liver and muscle release stored sugar to be used as fuel. This stored sugar is called glycogen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When we\u2019re active for longer durations of time, our bodies start to take up more glucose (blood sugar<\/a>) for fuel. Muscles take up 50 times more glucose during physical activity than when sedentary, without the need for insulin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is why it\u2019s so beneficial for people with diabetes. After being active, the body replenishes its glycogen stores by taking sugar from the blood and storing it as glycogen. Because of this, blood sugars can be lower for several hours after exercise has ceased as the body restores its storage of sugar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Weight lifting and resistance training help to build muscle strength. Resistance training<\/a> uses the resistance of body weight to strengthen muscles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Examples of resistance training include doing push-ups, lunges, and chin-ups. Some older adults prefer using resistance bands as a gentle way of building muscle strength, as it doesn\u2019t require as much power and stability as body weight exercises like lunges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Weight lifting is especially helpful for people with diabetes. The more lean muscle mass a person has, the better their blood sugars are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is because the muscles can take up glucose for fuel regardless of insulin. Weight lifting can even help prevent the progression of prediabetes<\/a>, turning into diabetes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Aerobic exercise means \u201cwith oxygen.\u201d Heart rate and respiration rate increase in aerobic exercise, and it\u2019s good for the heart, lungs, and circulatory system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brisk walking<\/a>, running, swimming, and bicycling are examples of aerobic exercise. This type of exercise is beneficial for heart health, such as improving cholesterol levels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Aerobic exercise<\/a> intensity can be monitored by measuring the heart rate. In high-intensity workouts, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), heart rate is brought to a higher percentage (70-90%) of the target heart rate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To calculate your target heart rate, subtract your age from 220. For example, a 30-year-old\u2019s target heart rate would be 190 beats per minute (BPM), so during HIIT workouts, the heart rate would increase to a maximum of 133 (70%)-171 (90%) BPM. HIIT training is popular because you get the benefit of high-intensity workouts with rest between intervals for built-in recovery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Stretching the muscles can help with mobility and prevents stiffness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Yoga<\/a> and pilates are popular forms of exercise because they\u2019re gentle and easy on the joints. They can help build muscle through the physical challenge of improving balance as well. Yoga helps to improve blood sugar and insulin resistance, as well as to help improve blood lipids like triglycerides and cholesterol. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Improving balance is very helpful in helping prevent falls in older people. One in four Americans 65 years and older experience a fall each year, and falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries in this age group. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Weight-bearing exercises such as walking and climbing stairs also help to increase bone density<\/a>, which can reduce the risk of fractures from osteoporosis. Overall, staying active is one of the best ways to help reduce falls, and with the added benefit of improved blood sugar in older people with diabetes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The past year and a half, many of us have spent much time at home, and our movements have been restricted. The good news is, that as a result, many of us have got creative when it comes to exercising. You can enjoy regular physical activity at home, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Find out How to Start Exercising: A Beginner\u2019s Guide to Working Out<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The benefits of physical activity are multifaceted and especially helpful for people wanting to manage their diabetes. However, there are some special considerations for those with diabetes in order to stay safe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can still exercise if you have diabetes complications, like problems with your eyes or heart, but you\u2019ll need to think a bit more about the activity you choose. For example, you should avoid high-intensity activity and heavy lifting. But there are other gentler, low-impact exercises you can try – such as swimming, cycling or walking. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe link between diabetes and exercise <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Benefits of exrecise for diabetes <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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On the other hand, exercise helps the body use less insulin to keep blood sugar levels in check. Even if a person\u2019s body isn\u2019t producing enough insulin, the muscles can still take up extra blood sugar. This is why being active is an excellent diabetes prevention strategy<\/a>.When blood sugar levels are lower and\/, or insulin resistance is improved through activity, not as much insulin is required, which can help the pancreas rest. Studies have found that a regular physical program, can lower type 2 diabetes risk by up to 58% in high-risk populations. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n
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Keeping active at home<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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