Exercise and diabetes-Diabetes Hospital

Exercise is also known as physical activity and includes anything that gets you moving, such as walking, dancing, or working in the yard. You can earn the benefits of being physically active without going to a gym, playing sports, or using fancy equipment. When you're physically fit, you have the strength, flexibility, and endurance needed for your daily activities. Being physically active helps you feel better physically and mentallyPhysical activity can lower your blood glucose (sugar), blood pressure, and cholesterol. It also reduces your risk for heart disease and stroke, relieves stress, and strengthens your heart, muscles, and bones. In addition, regular activity helps insulin work better, improves your blood circulation, and keeps your joints flexible. If you're trying to lose weight, a combination of physical activity and wise food choices can help you reach your target weight and maintain it. All of these benefits can be yours even if you haven't been very active before.

There's no question, taking that first step for your own personal exercise program can be hard. Maybe you've never exercised. Maybe you used to, but stopped. Learn how you can overcome your exercise barriers.

Find out which activities will be safe for you. Talk to your health care team about which activities will be safe for you. Your health care provider's advice will depend on the condition of your heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, feet, and nervous system. They may recommend that you have an exercise stress test to see how your heart reacts to exercise. If the tests show signs of disease, ask what physical activities will help you without making your conditions worse.
Choose what you'll do and make detailed plans. Think about what activities are realistic for you and choose the ones you think you can do. Start slowly. Your activity should be somewhat challenging but not overly difficult. Write down exactly what you'll do, where and when you'll do it, how often, and for how long. Allow yourself to get into a routine. Be flexible and don't get discouraged. For example, I'll get off the bus one stop earlier. Don't be too hard on yourself if you can't. For example, if it's raining, you may not want to walk outside so you can choose a different activity. It's more important to reach your long-term goal than to follow the plan from day to day. Plan how you'll reward yourself for your efforts. For example, some people treat themselves to a movie when they meet their goal for the week.

Learn your blood glucose response to exercise. Everyone's blood glucose response to exercise is different. Checking your blood glucose before and after exercise can show you the benefits of activity. You also can use the results of your blood glucose checks to prevent low blood glucose or high blood glucose.
If your blood glucose is high before you exercise (above 16.7mmol / L), physical activity can make it go even higher, so be cautious about doing something active. For those with type 1 diabetes, if your fasting glucose level is above 14.0mmol / L and you have ketones in your urine, it's best to avoid physical activity.
Learn how to avoid low blood glucose ( hypoglycemia ). See later - Keep in mind that low blood glucose can occur during or long after physical activity. Low blood glucose is most likely if:

       * Take insulin or some types of anti-diabetes pill

       * Skip a meal

       * Exercise a long time

       * Exercise strenuously
If low blood glucose is interfering with your exercise routine, eating a snack before you exercise or adjusting your medication may help. Talk to your health care team about what is right for you. During activity, check your blood glucose if you notice symptoms such as hunger, nervousness, shakiness, or sweating. If your blood glucose is 4.0mmol / L or below, have 2 to 5 glucose tablets, ? cup (4 ounces) of fruit juice, or ? cup of a regular soft drink to raise your blood glucose. After 15 minutes, check your blood glucose again. If it's still below 4.0mmol / L, have another serving and repeat these steps until your blood glucose is at least 4.0mmol / L.
Plan to have water and snacks handy during activity. Drink plenty of water before, during, and after activity. If you are at risk for low blood glucose, always carry a source of carbohydrate to so you'll be ready to treat low blood glucose.
Wear a medical identification bracelet, necklace, or a medical ID tag to protect yourself in case of emergency.
Decide how you'll keep track of your progress. You may find it motivating to write down what physical activity you've done each day. For example, you can make a note of what you did and how long you did it. Some people enjoy using a step counter, also called a pedometer, to see how far they've walked. Ask your health care team where to get one.

If you have diabetes, you know that your goal is to keep your blood glucose (also called blood sugar) under control. And you know that you keep blood sugar under control by following your meal plan, and your blood-testing schedule, and by taking your insulin.

Following your meal plan means eating healthy foods on a regular schedule. Eating properly means your body is getting all the nutrients you need to grow and develop. Eating on schedule also helps you avoid swings in your blood sugar, especially low blood sugar, which can cause insulin reactions.

Testing your blood sugar helps you and your doctor know that your diabetes control plan is keeping you healthy.

And taking insulin helps you control your blood sugars. That's because insulin's specific job is to help your body use blood sugar (blood glucose). Glucose is the main chemical fuel our bodies use for energy. Our bodies make glucose from foods we eat, such as breads, cereals, potatoes, rice, and corn.

Insulin links up with special doors on cells throughout our bodies, like a key that fits into a lock and unlocks a door. Insulin opens the door to the cell and lets glucose inside. Then, the cell either uses the glucose for instant energy or stores it for later use.

But when you have type I diabetes, your body doesn't make insulin. So, you have to give yourself insulin injections. Also some patients with Type 2 diabetes need to take insulin injection to control their blood sugar levels.

Why do you have to give yourself an injection ? Why can't you take an insulin pill? The answer is simple: You have to give yourself a shot because the juices in your stomach would destroy insulin before it ever got a chance to work. The pills used for Type 2 diabetes do not contain insulin. They either make you make more insulin or make your insulin work beter

But it's important to remember that insulin injection s aren't like all other injection s. Ever notice how your arm doesn't hurt after your insulin injection ... but it sure did after your booster injection last year. That's because insulin is injected with a very short, thin needle. When you inject insulin, you're putting it right under your skin. This is called a subcutaneous (sub-Q-tane-E-os) injection . But that booster injection was put into your muscle. That's called an intramuscular (in-TRA-mus-Q-lar) injection .