Diabetes and Exercise

Exercises For Diabetics – How To Manage Diabetes With Exercise

Exercise is a vital part of the management of diabetes. All diabetics should aim to make exercise a part of their daily routine. Exercise can help to improve the quality of life for diabetics. But there are some safeguards to consider before you start an exercise regime. It is wise to consult your health professional before you begin. This would be true for anyone, but it is especially so for someone who suffers from diabetes.

There are two types of diabetes. Type 1 usually manifests itself at an early age. It is sometimes referred to as adolescent diabetes. In Type 1 the body cannot produce enough of its own insulin. Type 2 diabetes manifests itelf later in life. In Type 2 diabetes the body fails to produce adequate levels of insulin or it becomes resistant to its own insulin.

In both types of diabetes the body is unable to process sugar properly. Blood sugar levels increase because the body cannot transport sugar to the cells where it is needed. It becomes essential to reduce blood sugar levels. This can be done by medication, by diet and by exercise.

Exercise can, therefore, be a valuable tool in diabetes management. This is true for both types of diabetes. Whether an individual has Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes they can benefit from exercise.

Type 1 diabetics will benefit from exercise because it can assist in the maintainance of insulin sensitivity and increases the use of glucose by the muscles. Exercise will also help to avoid excessive weight gain. Type 1 diabetes cannot be cured, but some of the health problems associated with it can be reduced by means of exercise.

Type 2 diabetics will also benefit from exercise. Type 2 diabetes is preventable and exercise will help in its prevention. Even such a simple activity as a 30 minute walk every day can reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

To sum up: exercise will reduce blood sugar levels and help maintain insulin sensitivity. It will also improve circulation. This is important for diabetics because they are known to have circulatory problems. Diabetics often suffer from poor circulation in the legs and feet. Exercise helps to promote blood circulation. Regular exercise will also help to lower blood pressure and so reduce the risk of stroke.

There are, however, certain risks associated with exercise for diabetics. Since exercise lowers blood sugar diabetics must measure their blood sugar levels before and after exercise. The body will use more sugar during exercise and become more sensitive to insulin. Exercise can potentially result in hypoglycemia. Checking blood sugar levels will avoid this danger. With this precaution the benefits of exercise will outweigh the possible risks.

A diabetic should also take care to carry candy or fruit juice with them during exercise in case their blood sugar falls too low. They should make sure to inform the staff at the gym or their exericise partners that they are diabetic. An exericse buddy is a good idea for anyone but doubly so for a diabetic. Exercising with a friend can help maintain your motivation and for a diabetic it can help avoid the dangers of your blood sugar falling too low.

Watch out for the tell tale signs of low blood sugar level. Check your heart rate after exercise. Are you sweating abnormally, shaking, or feeling very hungry? These can all be signs of low blood sugar.

The general rule for everyone beginning exercise is to take things slowly. For diabetics this should be emphasised. Build up your routine as your level of fitness improves. Set yourself realistic goals. Begin with short sessions of gentle exercise. Gradually move on to more ambitious targets are you feel confident to do so. There is not need to push yourself to the point of exhaustion. Little and often is the best plan.

Successful incorporation of exercise into your daily routine will significantly improve your quality of life as a diabetic. It will help you manage your condition and avoid many of the health problems associated with diabetes.

TCOYD: Exercising For Life with Diabetes

Host Dr. Steven Edelman talks with guests, Sheri Colberg PhD and Larry Verity PhD on the importance of exercise for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics.

Series: “Taking Control of Your Diabetes” [11/2006] [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 12050]

Duration : 0:27:1

Atkins Diet Misconceptions: Low Carb and Diabetes (Part 2)

This video is the second half of the Atkins Diet Misconception: Diabetes series. If you have not seen Part 1, please watch it here:

The last video dealt with case damning the existing treatment or recommendations to follow a high carb diet managed with ever increasing doses of insulin. This video deals with the evidence for rather managing it with a low carb lifestyle. There are two great studies for advocating this method.

1:) Dietary carbohydrate restriction in type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome: time for a critical appraisal
Nutrition and Metabolism(Lond) 2008; 5: 9.
Numerous authors including Richard Bertstein, Mary Vernon, Jeff Volek, Eric Westman

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2359752&tool=pmcentrez

Conducted Multi-center trial in which 63 obese men and women were randomly assigned to either diet, 21 Low Carb, 21 Control, 21 High Carb for a one year study.
This discussion focuses on type 2 diabetes but many of the principles will apply to metabolic syndrome and possibly to type 1 as well[6,7].
1. Carbohydrate restriction improves glycemic control, the primary target of nutritional therapy and reduces insulin fluctuations.
2. Carbohydrate-restricted diets are at least as effective for weight loss as low-fat diets.
3. Substitution of fat for carbohydrate is generally beneficial for markers for and incidence of CVD.
4. Carbohydrate restriction improves the features of metabolic syndrome.
An important idea guiding current medical thinking is that clustering of seemingly disparate physiologic states, obesity, atherogenic dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia and hypertension, termed metabolic syndrome (MetS) suggests a common underlying cause. A recent review showed that carbohydrate restriction improves all of these markers[24].
5. Beneficial effects of carbohydrate restriction do not require weight loss. It’s not simply a weight loss argument or due to people losing weight do they achieve the benefits.

2.) Low-carbohydrate diet in type 2 diabetes: stable improvement of bodyweight and glycemic control during 44 months follow-up
Jörgen V Nielsen email and Eva A Joensson email

http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/5/1/14

Conclusion:
There is now little evidence for the claim that a fat-reduced diet for weight reduction has any particular value beyond caloric counting [10]. Current dietary recommendations seem to be a major part of their problem rather than being part of the solution. Carbohydrate restriction, however, reverses or neutralises all aspects of the metabolic syndrome [20,21].

Duration : 0:12:56

Taking Control of Your Diabetes: Healthy Diet

Dr. Steven Edelman and dietitian Lorena Drago discuss nutrition and practical ways to eat well with diabetes, at home or at your favorite restaurant. Series: Taking Control of Your Diabetes (TCOYD) [12/2008] [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 15595]

Duration : 0:29:1

Atkins Diet Misconceptions: Low Carb and Diabetes (Part 1)

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This video comes out of another myth that gets propagated out by Atkins Diet bashers that somehow we are more likely to get diabetes by following low carb. Certainly there is no shortage of misinformation on the web:

http://www.atkinsexposed.org/atkins/122/Nutritionists_Warn_Diabetics_to_be_Wary_of_Atkins_Diet.htm

http://www.diabetesuffolk.com/LivingWithDiabetes/The%20Atkins%20diet.htm

Some say we are dangerous for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics. Some just type 1 diabetics, but it really couldn’t be further from the truth. As all people, ESPECIALLY diabetics, could benefit from controlling blood glucose levels by carbohydrate monitoring or restriction.

There are two major proponents for Low Carb for diabetics:
Richard Bernstein, Type 1 Diabetic since 1946

http://www.diabetes911.net/about.php

Author of THE DIABETES DIET and Diabetes Solution

Mary Ross Vernon
Chairman of the board, American Society of Bariatric Physicians
Co-Author of Atkins Diabetes Revolution with Robert Atkins

http://tinyurl.com/cbjk76

2007 and 2008 Runner Up for Diabetic Educator of the Year Award

Mary Ross Vernon has been controlling diabetes with an Very Low Carb Diet (similar to Atkins Diet) for many years. She says both her Type 1 and Type 2 patients have benefited from carbohydrate restriction. She also notes that seeking quality physicians to handle the dramatic decrease in insulin requirements is paramount as some patients could be medication free in 3 days! See the attached quote (http://rjr10036.typepad.com/askdrvernon/2007/05/ron_of_sarasota.html).

Recently a number of studies have been released to support this position as well. One of the most notable for describing the failure of the existing recommendation of high carb and regulating with increasing doses of insulin is the study released in 2005 Nutrition and Metabolism magazine, “The case for low carbohydrate diets in diabetes management.” (http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1188071&tool=pmcentrez) They detail that the high carbohydrate diet has lead to worse glycemic control, dislipidemia, hypertension, obesity, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). They noted in their review of studies that the low carb followers showed dramatic improvement in comparison to the high carb followers.

(Part 2 to be released later)

Duration : 0:11:8