Regular exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but it's even more important if you have diabetes. Diabetes type one, which occurs when the body does not make insulin, and diabetes type two, which occurs when the body is unable to use insulin properly, are both serious medical conditions that can be partially managed with exercise. Consult your doctor before beginning a new exercise routine.
Lower Blood Sugar
According to the American Diabetes Association, getting regular exercise will help improve the way your body manages blood glucose. As you exercise, the body burns glucose, which will lower the glucose levels in your blood. If you get regular exercise, you may not need to take as much insulin to regulate your blood glucose levels. The American Diabetes Association recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-level exercise per week in order to regulate the glucose levels in your body.
Reduce Weight
Getting regular exercise most days of the week may help you lose weight and continue to keep it off as long as you stay active. Strength-training exercises, like using weight machines at the gym or exercising with hand weights, may help you build muscle and lose fat, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. This may be especially helpful for individuals with type two diabetes, because weight loss may help the body react to its own insulin again.
Increase Insulin Sensitivity
Whether you have type one diabetes or you have type two diabetes exercise may help increase your body's insulin sensitivity, according to FamilyDoctor.org. When you exercise, your blood sugar level may drop too low, so you may need to take more insulin immediately after exercising. Your doctor may give you specific instructions on how to take insulin when you exercise.
Lower Your Risk for Heart Disease
Getting regular exercise may lower your low-density lipoprotein, or bad cholesterol in your bloodstream and raises high-density lipoprotein, or good cholesterol. Lowering your bad cholesterol and raising your good cholesterol will help reduce your risk for heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Heart disease is a common condition in diabetics, so lowering your risk will help decrease your likelihood of experiencing complications.
