Exercise is an important part of Type 2 diabetes management. Regular exercise can help you keep your blood sugar under control and help your body better use insulin. And the benefits start right away - after only one exercise session your body will already be able to move sugar into your cells better than before you exercised. Combined with a healthy eating plan, exercise can also help you lose weight, which will help you better control your Type 2 diabetes.
But with all these benefits of exercise, you may still be worried about how to adjust your meal plan and your insulin levels when you work out. By learning about the guidelines you can follow, will help you feel more confident about exercising. Here's what you should know...
1. Understand the effects of exercise. In general, when you exercise your body uses sugar for energy. This happens if you're diabetic and either don't produce enough insulin, or don't use your body's insulin effectively. When you exercise, your body doesn't need insulin to move sugar into your cells for energy. This is one reason why exercise is so beneficial for diabetics. It also means you need to be aware of hypoglycemia since your blood sugar could get too low when you work out.
2. Talk to your doctor. He can help you make a plan for adjusting your...
insulin dose,
meal plan, and
medications
when you exercise. Your doctor can also let you know if there's any type of exercise that isn't safe for you. For example, if you have nerve damage in your feet, you might have to avoid high-impact activities.
3. Check your blood sugar. Your doctor will likely want to you check your blood sugar before and after exercise. This way you can make adjustments to your plan and eat a small snack immediately after your workout if you need to. If you're working out for longer than an hour, you may also need to check your reading during your workout. And keep checking your blood sugar regularly after the workout - exercise can continue to affect your blood sugar for up to 24 hours.
4. Pack snacks. Keep snacks like fruit or juice in your gym bag, or pack a snack if you're out hiking or biking. This way you'll be ready if exercise lowers your blood sugar more than you expected.
5. Identify yourself. If you don't already, wearing a medical identification tag is a good idea when you're working out. Just in case your blood sugar gets too low, the tag will help people know how they can help you.
Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.
For nearly 25 years Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.
The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.
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