Exercises

“Sometimes, it may seem easier to pop a pill or even take a shot than to put on your walking shoes and hit the trail.  But the truth is that exercise, in combination with a healthy diet, is one of the best things you can do to take care of yourself if you have diabetes.”

  • Both aerobic and resistance exercise have been proven to improve receptor sensitivity to insulin. In some people, exercise combined with a meal plan can control Type 2 Diabetes without the need of medication. Adults who performed moderate exercise for 2.5 hours per week were 58% less likely to develop Type 2 Diabetes.
  • Regular exercise helps reduce cholesterol and high blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart disease.
  • Improves circulation especially in the arms and legs where people with diabetes can have problems
  • Reduces risk of stroke by helping manage cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure.
  • Burns calories which can help decrease excess body fat.
  • Reduces stress, improves feeling of well-being making it easier to follow your dietary guidelines, Stress has been shown to raise glucose levels.
  • Children and adolescents with diabetes or prediabetes should engage in 60 min/day or more of moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, with vigorous muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days/week.
  • Most adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes should engage in 150 min or more of moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic activity per week, spread over at least 3 days/week, with no more than 2 consecutive days without activity. Shorter durations (minimum 75 min/week) of vigorous-intensity or interval training may be sufficient for younger and more physically fit individuals.
  • Adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes should engage in 2-3 sessions/week of resistance exercise on nonconsecutive days.
  • All adults, and particularly those with type 2 diabetes, should decrease the amount of time spent in daily sedentary behavior. Prolonged sitting should be interrupted every 30 min for blood glucose benefits, particularly in adults with type 2 diabetes.
  • Flexibility training and balance training are recommended 2–3 times/week for older adults with diabetes. Yoga and tai chi may be included based on individual preferences to increase flexibility, muscular strength, and balance.
  • Always consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program.  Be sure to inquire how any medications you are taking may affect your capacity to exercise
  • Always use adequate warm-up and cool-down periods
  • If neuropathy is present, avoid high impact activities
  • For weight bearing activities, wear footwear which is properly fitted, supportive and well-cushioned
  • Be sure to keep feet dry and clean
  • Perform regular blood glucose monitoring
  • Strenuous strength training or high-impact exercise is not recommended for people with uncontrolled diabetes. Such exercise can strain weakened blood vessels in the eyes of patients with retinopathy.  High-impact exercise may also injure blood vessels in the feet.
  • To help prevent hypoglycemia during physical activity check your blood glucose before you exercise, if it’s below 5.5 mmol/L, have a small snack.
  • Drink plenty of fluids during physical activity, since your blood glucose can be affected by dehydration.
  • Your blood sugar level is above 16.7 mmol/L.
  • your fasting blood glucose is above 13.9 mmol/L.
  • you have ketones in your urine.
  • You are sick.
  • You are short of breath.
  • You are experiencing any tingling, pain or numbness in your legs.
  • Your medication is peaking.
  • Unless you were previously sedentary, frequent, high-intensity (not high-impact) exercise will yield the fastest results for those cleared by their doctors
  • Wear good, protective, well-fitted footwear to help avoid injuries and wounds to the feet
  • Avoid lifting excessively heavy weights
  • Try to exercise at the same time every day for the same duration to help control blood sugar
  • If you use insulin exercise after eating, not before
  • Inject insulin in sites away from the muscles used during exercise: this can help avoid hypoglycemia
  • Check your blood sugar before and after activity to help in determining your response to exercise
  • Drink plenty of fluids before, during and after exercise
  • Always wear an ID tag indicating you have diabetes to insure proper treatment in case there’s a problem.

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