An estimated 20.8 million Americans have diabetes, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, as of 2010. The disease occurs when the body no longer produces insulin, a hormone that helps sugar travel from the pancreas to your cells, or the body cannot manage insulin correctly. Exercise lowers blood sugar and helps insulin work more efficiently. Regular exercise -- three to four sessions a week -- done in 30-minute workouts, not only encourages weight loss, but also lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow, which increases your heart's pumping power.
Type I and Type 2 Diabetes
Type I diabetes develops when your body's immune system destroys the cells that make insulin. People diagnosed with type I receive insulin through injection or pump. Type 2 develops when the body becomes resistant to insulin and the pancreas loses the ability to keep up with increasing demands for insulin. Type 2 accounts for 90 percent to 95 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes.
Benefits of Regular Exercise
A major complication of diabetes is coronary artery disease. Regular exercise decreases this disease by improving your cardiovascular fitness. Through regular exercise, your muscles are able to use insulin more effectively. Reduced blood pressure through exercise means less chance of experiencing complications with diabetes.
Exercise Guidelines for Type I
Schedule your exercise sessions after you've eaten meals, never before. Check blood-glucose levels before you begin. Adjustments in food intake and insulin might be necessary. You should not exercise if your blood glucose is greater than 250/mg/dl. When blood glucose is high before working out, you may develop hyperglycemia. Another condition, known as hypoglycemia, can occur if you exercise on an empty stomach or when your insulin is peaking. If you take insulin, inject it into a nonactive muscle. Check your blood-glucose levels after you finish your workout.
Exercise Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes
Slow and steady wins the race with type 2 diabetes. Begin your exercise program with mild sessions. Gradually increase your intensity, but keep it low impact to avoid injury to your bones and the blood vessels in your feet. Incorporate flexibility stretching and resistance training into your workouts. But you should avoid high-intensity weight training, which can put undo strain on the blood vessels in your eyes, causing a complication known as retinopathy.
Precautions
Consult your physician before beginning any exercise regiment, wear proper footwear to avoid injury to your feet, carry identification that distinguishes you as a diabetic and carry snacks such as hard candy, glucose tablets or juice to treat low blood glucose, and drink water to avoid dehydration.
