Mar 03 2009
Diabetes And Exercise
Diabetes and exercise should really go hand in hand – as even moderate exercise is a great way to help control your diabetes. Having diabetes places no restrictions on the type of physical activity you can do.
If you haven’t been active for some time, your best route is to start with any form of gentle activity, assess its effect on your blood glucose level and adjust your diabetes management accordingly You can then build up your fitness gradually – once your body is used to regular activity you should aim to be active enough to feel warm and slightly out of breath.
If you can sing while you are active you could probably work harder; if you feel you are gasping for breath, slow down and get your breath back. You should not exercise so hard that you experience any pain – worrying about your diabetes and exercise is not a good plan, so pace yourself.
Physical activity doesn’t necessarily mean competitive sports or weight training. It also includes less vigorous pursuits such as walking, gardening, or housework. Doing something energetic for 30 minutes a day, five times a week, improves your fitness and helps you to control your blood glucose level more easily.
You could spread your 30 minutes of activity throughout the day, or work out for an hour three times a week – whichever suits you best. Managing your diabetes and exercise programs is easily achievable if you go about it sensibly.