Exercise
has many benefits, and for someone with diabetes regular exercise
combined with a good diet can help control diabetes. Exercise not only
burns calories, which can help with weight reduction, but it also can
improve the body's response to the hormone insulin.As a result,
following a regular exercise program can make oral diabetes
medications and insulin more effective and can help control blood
glucose levels.
| Points to Remember
- Exercise has three major benefits; it burns calories,
improves the body's response to insulin, and reduces risk
factors for heart disease.
- An exercise program should be started slowly and with the
advice of a doctor.
|
Exercise also reduces some risk factors for heart disease. For
example, exercise can lower fat and cholesterol levels in bloods which
increase heart disease risk. It also can lower blood pressure and
increase production of a cholesterol, called HDL, that protects
against heart disease.
However, infrequent, strenuous exercise can strain muscles and the
circulatory system and can increase the risk of a heart attack during
exercise. A doctor can decide how much exercise is safe for an
individual. The doctor will consider how well controlled a person's
diabetes is, the condition of the heart and circulatory system, and
whether complications require that the person avoid certain types of
activity.
Walking is great exercise, especially for an inactive person, and
it's easy to do. A person can start off walking for 15 or 20 minutes,
three or four times a week, and gradually increase the speed or
distance of the walks. The purpose of a good exercise program is to
find an enjoyable activity and do it regularly. Doing strenuous
exercise for six months and then stopping isn't as effective. People
taking oral drugs or insulin need to remember that strenuous exercise
can cause dangerously low blood glucose and they should carry a food
or drink high in sugar for medical emergencies.
Signs of hypoglycemia include hunger, nervousness, shakiness,
weakness, sweating, headache, and blurred vision. As a precaution, a
person with diabetes should wear an identification bracelet or
necklace to alert a stranger that the wearer has diabetes and may need
special medical help in an emergency.
A doctor may advise someone with high blood pressure or other
complications to avoid exercises that raise blood pressure. For
example, lifting heavy objects and exercises that strain the upper
body raise blood pressure.
People with diabetes who have lost sensitivity in their feet also
can enjoy exercise. They should choose shoes carefully and check their
feet regularly for breaks in skin that could lead to infection.
Swimming or bicycling can be easier on the feet than running.
From the US government's Federal Citizen Information Center
10 February 1997
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/health/noninsulin-diabetes/exer.htm
