Whether you’ve only just found out that your wellness is affected by diabetes, or you’ve known about it for years, you face a certain challenge: exercising safely without having to stress about your blood sugar. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) says you need to ‘check your blood glucose about every 45 minutes after a hard workout and gauge whether your blood glucose is going down, going up, or levelling off.’ But don’t let the faff get in the way of the fitness; here’s why it’s so important to get it right.
According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), “Type 2 diabetes is strongly linked to lifestyle factors, especially diet and exercise. People at highest risk of developing type 2 diabetes have a family history, as well as other cardiovascular risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. However, the same techniques that are used for prevention of this disease—a healthy diet and regular exercise—can be used to control and possibly reverse its progression.”
The reason why regular exercise is so effective is that it lowers your insulin resistance, helping your body respond in a healthier way to glucose. Plus, fitness reduces your risk of heart disease due to the ways in which it promotes weight loss and reduces your cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Still, you still need to be careful when engaging in exercise, and check your glucose levels before and after your workouts. It also important to exercise with a friend, and wear your diabetes ID bracelet – just in case.
So if you want to improve your well-being and fitness levels, what should you be aiming for? George Griffing, MD, professor of endocrinology at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine in St. Louis, notes that your goal should be 30 minutes total of exercise each day, and several brief workouts are fine. He comments, ‘We need people with diabetes up and moving. If you can do your exercise in one 30 minute stretch, fine. But if not, break it up into increments you can manage that add up to at least 30 minutes each day.’ Remember; you should always consult your doctor before starting any exercise programme.
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