Exercise, along with good nutrition and medications (insulin or oral diabetes pills), is important for good diabetes control. Good diabetes control means keeping your blood sugar level as close to normal (5 - 7.8 mmol/L) as possible. Exercise is especially good for people with diabetes.
Why Is Exercise Important?
Exercise usually lowers blood sugar. That helps your body use its food supply better. Also, exercise may help insulin work better. If you are overweight, exercise, plus careful attention to diet, can help take off extra pounds.
Exercise is important in many other ways. It improves the flow of blood through the small blood vessels and increases your heart's pumping power. The right exercise program may make you look and feel better.
What Kinds Of Exercise Are Best?
Your health-care provider can help you decide what kinds of exercise, and how much exercise, are best suited to your needs. If your blood sugar control is poor, do not exercise. Get medical advice first.
If you have retinopathy (diabetic eye disease) or blood vessel problems, you need your doctor's advice about which activities are safe.
Exercise has value only if it's done regularly. People with diabetes should exercise at least several days a week.
What do people with insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes need to know about exercising?
Before starting any exercise program, check with your doctor. Your activity must be planned to fit in with your meal plan and with the action times and amounts of your insulin.
If you're exercising more than 1 hour after eating, it's a good idea to eat before your start. As a rule, a high-carbohydrate snack is good before or during mild to moderate exercise (walking, biking, or golf). Such a snack could be 6 ounces of fruit juice or one half of a plain bagel.
If you plan on doing heavier exercise (aerobics, running, squash, or handball), you may need to eat a little more, such as half of a meat sandwich and a cup of low-fat milk.
It's always a good idea to check your blood sugar level before you start exercising. If you are low (under 70 mg/dl), you will need a snack to avoid having low blood sugar while you exercise. This would cause an insulin reaction.
A reaction might make you feel faint, sweaty, dizzy, or confused. An insulin reaction can occur while you exercise or several hours, even up to 12 hours, later.
If you feel an insulin reaction coming on while exercising, STOP. IMMEDIATELY have one-half cup of orange juice or nondiet soft drink or 3 glucose tablets.
You need to treat an insulin reaction as soon as you feel it. Don't wait, otherwise it could become worse. Whenever you exercise, you should bring along some raisins or Lifesavers' candy to eat just in case. They will raise your blood sugar level.
If you play a team sport such as baseball or basketball, you should let someone know you have diabetes and teach them how to help you, if needed. If you like running or cycling, do them with a friend or family member. If you can't find anyone to go with you, let someone know where you are going and when you will be back.
With regular exercise, you will need to test your blood sugar more often.
What do people with type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes need to know?
Almost 9 out of 10 people with type 2 diabetes are overweight. Most often, they are also past 40. In many people, type 2 diabetes can be controlled through diet and exercise. For these reasons, exercise is a very important part of the diabetes control plan for those with type 2 diabetes.
Exercise burns calories that your body would otherwise store as extra weight. And because exercise also helps lower blood sugar levels, exercise can help your diabetes control.
If you use insulin or oral diabetes pills to control your type 2 diabetes, you should know your blood sugar level before you start exercising. If you are low, you may need a snack.
How Do You Begin Exercising?
The first step is to check with your doctor. Together, you can decide how much and what kinds of exercise are right for you. The right exercise, in the right amount, can do wonders. When balanced with your meal plan and medications, exercise will help you feel healthier and happier.
Why Is Exercise Important?
Exercise usually lowers blood sugar. That helps your body use its food supply better. Also, exercise may help insulin work better. If you are overweight, exercise, plus careful attention to diet, can help take off extra pounds.
Exercise is important in many other ways. It improves the flow of blood through the small blood vessels and increases your heart's pumping power. The right exercise program may make you look and feel better.
What Kinds Of Exercise Are Best?
Your health-care provider can help you decide what kinds of exercise, and how much exercise, are best suited to your needs. If your blood sugar control is poor, do not exercise. Get medical advice first.
If you have retinopathy (diabetic eye disease) or blood vessel problems, you need your doctor's advice about which activities are safe.
Exercise has value only if it's done regularly. People with diabetes should exercise at least several days a week.
What do people with insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes need to know about exercising?
Before starting any exercise program, check with your doctor. Your activity must be planned to fit in with your meal plan and with the action times and amounts of your insulin.
If you're exercising more than 1 hour after eating, it's a good idea to eat before your start. As a rule, a high-carbohydrate snack is good before or during mild to moderate exercise (walking, biking, or golf). Such a snack could be 6 ounces of fruit juice or one half of a plain bagel.
If you plan on doing heavier exercise (aerobics, running, squash, or handball), you may need to eat a little more, such as half of a meat sandwich and a cup of low-fat milk.
It's always a good idea to check your blood sugar level before you start exercising. If you are low (under 70 mg/dl), you will need a snack to avoid having low blood sugar while you exercise. This would cause an insulin reaction.
A reaction might make you feel faint, sweaty, dizzy, or confused. An insulin reaction can occur while you exercise or several hours, even up to 12 hours, later.
If you feel an insulin reaction coming on while exercising, STOP. IMMEDIATELY have one-half cup of orange juice or nondiet soft drink or 3 glucose tablets.
You need to treat an insulin reaction as soon as you feel it. Don't wait, otherwise it could become worse. Whenever you exercise, you should bring along some raisins or Lifesavers' candy to eat just in case. They will raise your blood sugar level.
If you play a team sport such as baseball or basketball, you should let someone know you have diabetes and teach them how to help you, if needed. If you like running or cycling, do them with a friend or family member. If you can't find anyone to go with you, let someone know where you are going and when you will be back.
With regular exercise, you will need to test your blood sugar more often.
What do people with type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes need to know?
Almost 9 out of 10 people with type 2 diabetes are overweight. Most often, they are also past 40. In many people, type 2 diabetes can be controlled through diet and exercise. For these reasons, exercise is a very important part of the diabetes control plan for those with type 2 diabetes.
Exercise burns calories that your body would otherwise store as extra weight. And because exercise also helps lower blood sugar levels, exercise can help your diabetes control.
If you use insulin or oral diabetes pills to control your type 2 diabetes, you should know your blood sugar level before you start exercising. If you are low, you may need a snack.
How Do You Begin Exercising?
The first step is to check with your doctor. Together, you can decide how much and what kinds of exercise are right for you. The right exercise, in the right amount, can do wonders. When balanced with your meal plan and medications, exercise will help you feel healthier and happier.
