Diabetes and Exercise
An active lifestyle offers many benefits both physically and psychologically. Active individuals tend to have fewer health problems and better stress management. People living with diabetes can also partake in an active lifestyle and use it to their advantage in helping to manage the condition.
When the body is active and in motion, muscles need glucose for fuel. Glucose is pulled from the circulating blood into the muscles. This can help to decrease the serum glucose level with an effect that can last for hours if not days. Regular exercise can therefore be part of an effective strategy for long-term glycemic control. Regular, moderate exercise can also be useful to promote weight loss and improve cardiovascular health. For the individual living with type 2 diabetes this can help to decrease peripheral insulin resistance, leading to better glycemic control.
Although the benefits of exercise for those with diabetes are substantial, they are not without risk. Strenuous or prolonged exercise could cause a drop in serum glucose (hypoglycemia) leading to shakiness, fatigue or even loss of consciousness. For this reason, it is recommended that the individual with diabetes keep with them a snack, fruit juice or glucose tablets/gel while exercising. Exercising with friends who know about your condition is also prudent.
As with any exercise regimen, check with your doctor first. You want to make sure that there are no other medical concerns that could make exercise dangerous. Your doctor may also want to make adjustments to your medication regimen and diet.
Start off slowly, let your body acclimate to the new level of activity. Working up gradually to about 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per day is a good goal. It has also been shown that incorporating strength or resistance training can help normalize blood sugar levels better than aerobic activity alone. Check your sugar level before and after exercise to see what effect this activity has. Consistency is helpful - work out at the same time each day (preferably after a meal) and with the same intensity and duration. This is useful in helping to promote better glycemic control throughout the day.
Lastly, pick an activity that you enjoy, especially one that can be done with friends or a partner. This helps to solve the motivation problem and can help set you on the path to the lifelong benefits of an active lifestyle.
James R Hanna, DPM, FACFAS