How Exercise Can Effect Diabetes & Help Manage Symptoms
25th Nov 19
Exercise has a massive list of benefits. That’s not news; it’s just a fact. No matter who you are or what your situation is, it has a place in your life to make you happier and healthier. Having diabetes isn’t an exception to this, either. Whether it be walking more, being generally more active in your days or exercising as much as you can, it’s a great way to help improve your life for the better and help manage the symptoms, causes and effects of diabetes.
Want to move fast? Jump to the right section below.
Absorption of Blood Glucose
One of the biggest benefits that exercise has on diabetes is how it aids in the management of blood glucose. When you’re managing diabetes or even just trying to reduce the symptoms, exercise is an awesome way to help you regulate what’s going on in your circulatory system.
When you exercise, your muscles are using more energy. That means your cells are going to be absorbing much more blood glucose to make that happen. If you have diabetes, that can be a great way to help keep things ticking over smoothly while reaping all of the other rewards that exercise has to offer you too.
Weight & Health Management
Exercise is also an incredibly effective way to help you manage your weight. Being overweight and obese are huge risk factors for developing and worsening diabetes, so managing weight can be an excellent way to help keep things in check.
This is because a higher body weight means you have a higher mass. There’s more tissue making up your body. This tissue is more resistant to insulin, and it makes things a lot harder for you to regulate blood glucose levels. More exercise is a great way to help deal with this, as you burn calories when you move more.
Best Exercises to Do with Diabetes
This is a difficult question, but it’s not without an answer. When you are exercising with diabetes, there are a lot more things that you need to take into account before you start. For starters, you need to check your blood glucose levels before you begin an exercise. The last thing that you need is an exercise-induced hypo. Always check and check again. Follow the advice of Mayoclinic and eat some fruit, wait 15 minutes, and check again.
Whether you want to try moving more at work by taking the stairs, go for more walks with your dog or your friends, or start up a gym membership and get things going full speed, it’s all dependent on what it is that you like doing, you’re comfortable doing, and what’s going to be the biggest help to you. It’s all about what you enjoy, and anything is better than nothing!
Take a look at these awesome resources for more info:
https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/exercise-lower-blood-sugar
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-importance-of-exercise-when-you-have-diabetes
Before beginning any exercise or nutrition program, consult your physician, doctor or other professional. This is especially important for individuals over the age of 35 or persons with pre-existing health problems. Exercise.co.uk assumes no responsibility for personal injury or property damage sustained using our advice.
If you experience dizziness, nausea, chest pain, or any other abnormal symptoms, stop the workout at once and consult a physician or doctor immediately.