Thursday, July 10, 2008
Exercise for Diabetics Diabetes is a challenge. However, the enjoyable challenge of exercise can help the majority of diabetics manage their disease. Exercise can directly improve diabetes, as well as increase your overall health and help you ward off future complications. To provide these benefits, it must be properly done. It is especially important for diabetics to get their physician's advice before beginning an exercise regimen. Ask your doctor for realistic suggestions and insist on understandable answers. You must know your limits and what exercises are appropriate for you. The degree of exercise that can be safely undertaken will vary according to your fitness level and overall health. It will also vary according to your condition on a particular day. In response to exercise the blood glucose level rises. This response varies from day to day and from individual to individual. With vigorous exercise, a high glucose level of 300 mg/dL can rapidly rise to a dangerous level. If you have Type 1 diabetes with a fasting glucose level beyond 250 mg/dL you probably have ketones in your urine. Exercising in this condition can raise your ketones to a dangerous level known as diabetic ketoacidosis. Low blood glucose levels (hypoglycemia) can also be a problem; insulin injections may lower the blood sugar too much. Unfortunately, if you eat carbohydrates to raise you blood sugar to normal, you may eat enough to gain weight. Weight gain can push pre-diabetics into true diabetes, in time. All these factors demonstrate the need for a realistic exercise program. Diabetics sometimes must start exercise programs more slowly than other people. Don't be discouraged; you can still reap exercise's numerous health benefits. You must exercise with moderation and watch your condition with care, like others who have health or physical limitations. Don't expect immediate results. Regardless of your health condition, it is easy to get discouraged if you have unrealistic expectations. Many diabetics have been sedentary and this has contributed to their condition. It is more difficult to begin exercise if you are not used to activity. You will be sore and stiff and tempted to give up exercise. Don't! Beginning slowly and building up your strength will eliminate this temptation. Exercise must become part of your routine, not just an easy fix for a special problem. Walking is an easy start. Walk every other day at first and then daily. Swimming is also an excellent heart exercise, which is easy on the joints. You may feel too tired to begin exercising. Ask your doctor if low blood sugar may be the problem. A light snack before exercise may help. Your medication may also require adjustment. Because blood glucose levels can quickly change as you exercise, they must be monitored during your workout. A device is available which monitors both blood glucose level and the intensity of your workout as you exercise. Whatever monitoring method you chose, remember to pay close attention to your body's own signs. Stop and cool off if you are dizzy, nauseous, or otherwise distressed.
cise for Diabetics
Diabetes is a challenge. However, the enjoyable challenge of exercise can help the majority of diabetics manage their disease. Exercise can directly improve diabetes, as well as increase your overall health and help you ward off future complications. To provide these benefits, it must be properly done.
It is especially important for diabetics to get their physician's advice before beginning an exercise regimen. Ask your doctor for realistic suggestions and insist on understandable answers. You must know your limits and what exercises are appropriate for you. The degree of exercise that can be safely undertaken will vary according to your fitness level and overall health. It will also vary according to your condition on a particular day.
In response to exercise the blood glucose level rises. This response varies from day to day and from individual to individual. With vigorous exercise, a high glucose level of 300 mg/dL can rapidly rise to a dangerous level. If you have Type 1 diabetes with a fasting glucose level beyond 250 mg/dL you probably have ketones in your urine. Exercising in this condition can raise your ketones to a dangerous level known as diabetic ketoacidosis.
Low blood glucose levels (hypoglycemia) can also be a problem; insulin injections may lower the blood sugar too much. Unfortunately, if you eat carbohydrates to raise you blood sugar to normal, you may eat enough to gain weight. Weight gain can push pre-diabetics into true diabetes, in time.
All these factors demonstrate the need for a realistic exercise program. Diabetics sometimes must start exercise programs more slowly than other people. Don't be discouraged; you can still reap exercise's numerous health benefits. You must exercise with moderation and watch your condition with care, like others who have health or physical limitations.
Don't expect immediate results. Regardless of your health condition, it is easy to get discouraged if you have unrealistic expectations. Many diabetics have been sedentary and this has contributed to their condition. It is more difficult to begin exercise if you are not used to activity. You will be sore and stiff and tempted to give up exercise. Don't! Beginning slowly and building up your strength will eliminate this temptation. Exercise must become part of your routine, not just an easy fix for a special problem.
Walking is an easy start. Walk every other day at first and then daily. Swimming is also an excellent heart exercise, which is easy on the joints.
You may feel too tired to begin exercising. Ask your doctor if low blood sugar may be the problem. A light snack before exercise may help. Your medication may also require adjustment.
Because blood glucose levels can quickly change as you exercise, they must be monitored during your workout. A device is available which monitors both blood glucose level and the intensity of your workout as you exercise. Whatever monitoring method you chose, remember to pay close attention to your body's own signs. Stop and cool off if you are dizzy, nauseous, or otherwise distressed.
Diabetes is a challenge. However, the enjoyable challenge of exercise can help the majority of diabetics manage their disease. Exercise can directly improve diabetes, as well as increase your overall health and help you ward off future complications. To provide these benefits, it must be properly done.
It is especially important for diabetics to get their physician's advice before beginning an exercise regimen. Ask your doctor for realistic suggestions and insist on understandable answers. You must know your limits and what exercises are appropriate for you. The degree of exercise that can be safely undertaken will vary according to your fitness level and overall health. It will also vary according to your condition on a particular day.
In response to exercise the blood glucose level rises. This response varies from day to day and from individual to individual. With vigorous exercise, a high glucose level of 300 mg/dL can rapidly rise to a dangerous level. If you have Type 1 diabetes with a fasting glucose level beyond 250 mg/dL you probably have ketones in your urine. Exercising in this condition can raise your ketones to a dangerous level known as diabetic ketoacidosis.
Low blood glucose levels (hypoglycemia) can also be a problem; insulin injections may lower the blood sugar too much. Unfortunately, if you eat carbohydrates to raise you blood sugar to normal, you may eat enough to gain weight. Weight gain can push pre-diabetics into true diabetes, in time.
All these factors demonstrate the need for a realistic exercise program. Diabetics sometimes must start exercise programs more slowly than other people. Don't be discouraged; you can still reap exercise's numerous health benefits. You must exercise with moderation and watch your condition with care, like others who have health or physical limitations.
Don't expect immediate results. Regardless of your health condition, it is easy to get discouraged if you have unrealistic expectations. Many diabetics have been sedentary and this has contributed to their condition. It is more difficult to begin exercise if you are not used to activity. You will be sore and stiff and tempted to give up exercise. Don't! Beginning slowly and building up your strength will eliminate this temptation. Exercise must become part of your routine, not just an easy fix for a special problem.
Walking is an easy start. Walk every other day at first and then daily. Swimming is also an excellent heart exercise, which is easy on the joints.
You may feel too tired to begin exercising. Ask your doctor if low blood sugar may be the problem. A light snack before exercise may help. Your medication may also require adjustment.
Because blood glucose levels can quickly change as you exercise, they must be monitored during your workout. A device is available which monitors both blood glucose level and the intensity of your workout as you exercise. Whatever monitoring method you chose, remember to pay close attention to your body's own signs. Stop and cool off if you are dizzy, nauseous, or otherwise distressed.
About the Author:
Julia Hanf author of the book How To Play the Diabetes Diet Game and Win\r\nThrough a real life crisis Julia figured out how to live diabetes free.\r\nVisit http://www.yourdiabetescure.com and learn more about your solution\r\nfor diabetes.