Diabetes – Exercise Questions Answered
Q. What are the benefits of exercise?
A. For people with diabetes, the benefits of exercise are blood glucose level improvements, stress reduction, increased energy, weight control, and for those who participate in regular physical activity, which includes moderate aerobic exercise, there will be a reduction in cardiovascular disease risk.
Q. How do I begin an exercise program?
A. Schedule a physical exam with your physician before beginning your exercise activities. This is especially important if you have not been active recently. An EKG or ECG test (electrocardiogram) may be recommended by your doctor along with a graded exercise test to evaluate how exercise may effect your heart. Ask your doctor what types of exercise are best for you.
For any recommended exercise program, remember to begin slowly and safely, and gradually increase your physical activity level over time.
Q. What is an exercise goal?
A. Remember to discuss with your doctor how often to exercise, and what level of intensity at which you shoudl perform. Begin any exercise program with a slow, steady pace. Try to be active for at least 20 minutes in the beginning. You can steadily increase the time period for exercise over an eight (8) week period.
Research has proven that weight lifting (anaerobic exercise) may benefit people with diabetes. This type of exercise is known as “resistance training.” Lifting heavy weights may not be helpful for persons with certain diabetes complications, so always comply with your physician’s recommendations.
Q. What are the different types of exercise?
A. There are two main types of exercise, anaerobic and aerobic exercise. Anaerobic exercise involves lifting weights or using exercise bands. Activity usually lasts for a shorter duration and involves intense activity done in short bursts. Anaerobic exercise is commonly known as “resistance training” and the goal is to build muscle and increase strength.
Aerobic exercise works the large muscle groups in the arms and legs. Examples of this include: jogging, brisk walking, swimming, biking, dancing, biking and rowing. Aerobic exercise gradually increases the heart and breathing rates. Aerobic exercise is usually recommended for most diabetic patients because of the proven benefits to the cardiovascular system (heart, lungs, and blood vessels).
Q. What if I have had a sedentary lifestyle?
A. You will improve your overall health by increasing your activity level. Take advantage of any opportunity to bend and stretch as much as possible during the day.
To make your day more active, here are some simple tips to get ready, get set, and get moving:
Parking your car further away from the store when you go shopping Use stairs rather than elevators whenever possible Communicate with neighbors or co-workers by stopping by in person, rather than using the phone to call Stay active at home with light gardening and housework chores
Q. What are the strategies for exercising success?
A. Make exercise part of your daily schedule – even small increases in physical activity will be beneficial to your health. Being active simply means moving more!
All physical activities should begin with a warm-up, and then progress to the chosen exercise. After exercising; remember to have a cool-down period. You will see the most progress with your exercise plan when you are consistent with a specific type of activity. For example, if you chose to walk, try to find the most convenient time of day for walking, and then stick to it.
Your exercise program should always include these three (3) essential elements:
Warm-up: Approximately 5-10 minutes of stretching and bending. This will prevent injuries to muscles and joints.
Activity: 20 minutes (or more) of sustained physical activity. This includes walking, biking, aerobics, swimming, or other sports, such as tennis or racquetball. Cool-Down: Gradually reduce your activity, and then stretch for at least 5 minutes.
Q. Are there any exercise precautions or other guidelines?
A. Remember, exercise will lower your blood glucose level. If you feel symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), take glucose tablets or gel to treat low blood sugar. Avoid very vigorous activity when the insulin activity is peaking (insulin is working at the hardest level). If you plan to exercise at moderate or high intensity, check your blood sugar before beginning your exercise. If the blood glucose level is below 100 mg/dl, eat a light snack with a carbohydrate source before exercising. Remember, low blood sugar can occur shortly after exercise or up to 24 hours after physical activity, so monitor blood glucose levels regularly.
When purchasing shoes for exercise, protect your feet with properly fitting shoes and socks. Plan to purchase your shoes at the end of the day when your feet are larger. Avoid open-heeled or open-toed shoes.
Shoe-Fit guidelines: the in-step of the shoe should conform to your the size and the shape of your foot. Your toes should have some “wiggle-room” – the shoes should securely fit at the heel to prevent slipping.
Sock Suggestions: White socks should be used, and they should be soft and padded with no seams.
Diabetic patients need adjustments in insulin dosing or eating schedule. Food intake may need adjusting to prevent low blood sugar when exercising. For example, if you will be bike riding, do not
inject insulin into your leg. Insulin should not be injected into a body part that you will use during exercise.
Wear medical identification as a precaution when exercising.
Remember to drink water and stay well hydrated. At least 64 ounces of water should be consumed daily.
You can find more articles at Destination Diabetes
Controlling Type 2 Diabetes with Diet
1 in 5 or over 73.3 million North Americans are at risk for health issues caused by poor blood glucose control. The standard treatments are not working. The webmaster of www.Diabetic-Diet-Secrets.com wants to share what will work for most type 2 diabetics
Categories: Diets Tags: Controlling, Diabetes, diet, Type
Walgreens to launch diabetes program
Walgreens to launch diabetes program
Walgreen Co. will roll out a new wellness program to treat the growing number of Americans with diabetes, a key driver of higher health care costs.
Read more on Chicago Tribune
Type 1 Diabetes Affects Every Aspect of Life
Type 1 diabetes is not one of those medical conditions for which you can just pop a pill and then forget about it.
It forces you to think about every bite you put in your mouth, every activity you do, says Andrew Drexler, director of the Gonda Diabetes Center at UCLA. "It's always there. You can never get away from it."
There are almost 24 million estimated cases of diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. Almost 10% of diagnosed cases are type 1.
Experts believe the disease involves an autoimmune process that destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Insulin is a hormone needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy.
"We know there's a genetic component, but not everybody with that genetic component gets type 1," Drexler says.
Type 1 is usually diagnosed in children and young adults. The most serious short-term problem is hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, which can cause wooziness and disorientation. If it strikes while someone's driving, for instance, he's at risk for an accident. If blood sugar dips severely low, coma and death can occur.
Read more on USA Today
Types of Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the body is unable to properly control the amount of sugar in the blood. The body cannot control the sugar in the blood due to the lack of the hormone insulin. Diabetes has long reaching and wide ranging health affects for those that suffer from it. Diabetes significantly raises the risk of heart disease and stroke, blindness and kidney failure. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to death. It is estimated that over 18 million Americans suffer from diabetes, and of these 18 million it is estimated that nearly one third are unaware they suffer from it. Diabetes is easily diagnosed using a fasting blood glucose test. This if the most accurate test available. A fasting blood glucose result of 126 or higher indicates diabetes. Generally a fasting glucose test is part of an annual physical for adults. Type 1 diabetes, or juvenile diabetes, is diagnosed in children and young adults. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and is usually found in adults over the age of 40. Type 2 diabetes is most likely due to poor diet and overweight as 80% of those with Type 2 diabetes are overweight. There is still debate about the genetics of diabetes. If both your parents have diabetes of course your risk is higher than if one parent has it. There are also environmental triggers to diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is more closely linked to genetic factors and factors such as poor diet and lack of exercise. Some of the symptoms of diabetes are unexplained weight loss, lethargy, excessive thirst or excessive hunger, frequent urination, dry skin, slow healing sores, sudden vision changes. If you find you have diabetes you will need to work very closely with your health care provider in order to keep your sugar levels within acceptable ranges. You'll start testing your blood sugar at least once a day and keeping the results in a diary. You will need to re-vamp your diet and pay close attention to portion size and meal frequency. A diabetic diet doesn't necessarily mean you cannot have foods that contain carbohydrates, it means you can't have them in an unlimited fashion. Exercise done on a regular basis has been found to help control blood sugar levels. It is suggested that those with diabetes should exercise 30 to 60 minutes a day. Living with diabetes can seem overwhelming at first, and it will take commitment on your part. However, millions of Americans live full and active lives with diabetes. 
Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes
If you have two or more of these pre-diabetes symptoms you should seriously consider getting yourself checked out: If you find you are excessively thirsty, not just after extreme exercise or hot weather. You seem to constantly have a dry mouth – even if you've just had a drink. You find you are having to urinate frequently. You have unexpected weight loss or gain (even though you may be constantly hungry and eating well. Of course you may be eating the wrong things which would probably make your pre-diabetes symptom worse). You feel lethargic. You always feel as if you've got no energy; you are weak and tired all the time. Sometimes your vision is blurry – be careful, untreated eye problems caused through diabetes can lead to blindness. You should have regular eye checks, especially as you get older because your eyes can be the early warning signal for many diseases – not just diabetes. You have cuts or sores or bruises (especially on your feet) that are slow to heal. If you experience excessive itching or soreness in the genital area or yeast infections (which can be misdiagnosed as thrush) it may be a sign of too much sugar in your urine. AT RISK FACTORS OF DIABETES There are different types of diabetes; pre-diabetes, type 1, type 2, gestational and maturity onset. And, dependent upon your age, lifestyle and family history you may be more susceptible to developing diabetes. 
