Diabetes and Exercise

Aerobic exercise can actually be beneficial for people with diabetes.
This exercise increases the insulin sensitivity and when combined with good eating, can help restore a normal glucose metabolism.
Before starting into a workout program, you need to see your doctor first to determine if there are any risks for coronary artery disease and that your blood glucose control is appropriate for exercise.
Once cleared, you will feel better and see for you the benefits associated with exercise.



Article By Georgette Pann :

There are two main types of diabetes, type I and type II. Type I diabetes is characterized by the pancreas making too little or no insulin. An individual with diabetes type I will have to inject insulin throughout the day in order to control glucose levels. Type II diabetes, also known as adult onset diabetes, is characterized by the pancreas not producing enough insulin to control glucose levels or the cells not responding to insulin. When a cell does not respond to insulin, it is known as insulin resistance. When a subject is diagnosed with type II diabetes, exercise and weight control are prescribed as measures to help with insulin resistance. If this does not control glucose levels, then medication is prescribed. The risk factors for type II diabetes include: inactivity, high cholesterol, obesity, and hypertension. Inactivity alone is a very strong risk factor that has been proven to lead to diabetes type II. Exercise will have a positive effect on diabetes type II while improving insulin sensitivity while type I cannot be controlled be an exercise program. Over 90% of individuals with diabetes have type II.

Exercise causes the body to process glucose faster, which lowers blood sugar. The more intense the exercise, the faster the body will utilize glucose. Therefore it is important to understand the differences in training with type I and type II diabetes. It is important for an individual who has diabetes to check with a physician before beginning an exercise program. When training with a diabetic, it is important to understand the dangers of injecting insulin immediately prior to exercise. An individual with type I diabetes injecting their normal amount of insulin for a sedentary situation can pose the risk of hypoglycemia or insulin shock during exercise. General exercise guidelines for type I are as follows: allow adequate rest during exercise sessions to prevent high blood pressure, use low impact exercises and avoid heavy weight lifting, and always have a supply of carbohydrates nearby. If blood sugar levels get too low, the individual may feel shaky, disoriented, hungry, anxious, become irritable or experience trembling. Consuming a carbohydrate snack or beverage will alleviate these symptoms in a matter of minutes.

Before engaging in exercise, it is important for blood sugar levels to be tested to make sure that they are not below 80 to 100 mg/dl range and not above 250 mg/dl. Glucose levels should also be tested before, during, after and three to five hours after exercise. During this recovery period (3-5 hours after exercise), it is important for diabetics to consume ample carbohydrates in order to prevent hypoglycemia.

Exercise will greatly benefit an individual with type II diabetes because of its positive effects on insulin sensitivity. Proper exercise and nutrition are the best forms of prevention for type II diabetics. It is important for training protocols to be repeated almost daily to help with sustaining insulin sensitivity. To prevent hypoglycemia, progressively work up to strenuous activity.

As with individuals with type I diabetes, carbohydrates should also be present during training to assist in raising blood sugar levels if the individual becomes low.

About Georgette Pann, BS health/Physical Ed., Physical Therapist assistant, ACE Certified Personal Trainer, IFA Certified Sports Nutrition. She is owner of Nutrifitness for online personal training ,nutritional counseling, diet and fitness information and more.She has been profiled in the E-Book "Fit Over 40". To find out more go to: http://allyourstrength.com/fof/gpfof.html To visit her website go to http://thenutrifitness.com

Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke

What is heat exhaustion?
Heat exhaustion happens when your body gets too hot. It can be caused by exercise or hot weather. You may feel weak, dizzy or worried. You also may have a headache or a fast heartbeat. You may get dehydrated and have very little urine.

What is heatstroke?
Heatstroke can happen when your body gets too hot, or it can happen after heat exhaustion. Heatstroke is much more serious than heat exhaustion. Heatstroke can kill you. People with heatstroke may seem confused. They may have seizures or go into a coma. Most people with heatstroke also have a fever.



Heat-related illnesses can be a common occurrence when exerting energy in the outdoors or poorly ventilated indoors.
Two primary contributors can be alcohol consumption and not enough water.
Three types of illness include heat cramps, which are very painful and might be combined with headache or nausea, heat exhaustion, which is more serious and includes vomiting, chills, headache, dizziness, among other symptoms, and heatstroke, which if the most dangerous and if not caught and treated immediately, can be fatal or lead to permanent brain damage or coma.

For all three of these, particularly the last two, the best action is prevention.
If you notice that your heart starts beating too fast and you feel light-headed, get out of the sun.

Wear loose fitting clothing, preferably made from lightweight cotton as well as light colors.

Drink LOTS of water. Even if you do not feel thirsty, drink anyway. Do not go with the old rule of taking salt tablets. You should always stay clear of these unless you have first consulted with your physician.

Stay away from alcohol, soft drinks, caffeine, or heavily sugared drinks to include fruit juice. Take frequent breaks and if necessary, stop for the day. If you do believe you are in trouble, seek medical attention immediately.
It is far better safe than sorry!

Medication and Exercise

If you are on scheduled prescription medication, you should know that some drugs could have a negative affect if mixed with exercise.

Some can cause the heart to work too hard or you might not sweat as needed, to mention a few.

If you are taking medication, before you start any exercise program, consult with your physician to ensure there are no harmful effects.


Mixing Medication and Exercise

Is there a best time to exercise? The short answer is yes: anytime you can fit it into your schedule. But exercise such as walking and moderate aerobics brings down blood sugar both while you do it and for up to a day afterward.

While that's the big payoff, it's also a potential hazard, especially if you take medication or insulin. The reason? Let's say you've just taken oral medication or a dose of insulin to bring your blood sugar down, and then you immediately walk for an hour. The glucose-lowering combination of the treatment and the activity could send your blood sugar crashing.

On the other hand, if you're taking insulin but don't give yourself a large enough dose, your blood sugar may actually rise too high during exercise. That's because when you're physically active, the liver pumps out more glucose, and without adequate insulin, your body will have trouble shifting glucose from your blood to working muscles. Only you and your doctor can sort this all out, but you may be able to avoid most problems by following these guidelines.

Exercise an hour or two after eating. At that point, your blood sugar levels are elevated from food, and you'll have ample glucose to fuel your muscles. At the same time, your digestive system will have finished most of its work, so it won't deplete the energy you need for your workout.

If you take medication, ask your doctor if you can skip it before exercising or take a lower dose; the blood sugar drop from physical activity may be able to substitute for the drug. Otherwise, avoid exercising when the effects of your medication peak.

If you use insulin, time your workouts so you're not active when the effects of the insulin peak, often within the first hour or two after an injection. Your doctor will probably want you to monitor your blood sugar before and after to see how activity affects it, and based on those results, he may want you to adjust your insulin dose before you exercise.

Asthma and Exercise

If you have asthma and love to exercise, it is important to keep your inhaler with you.

However, if for some reason you forget, remember that caffeine can provide temporary relieve of bronchial constriction.

If you do not have asthma but after years of running, you develop breathing problems, you could be suffering from “Exercise Induced Asthma”, which should be mentioned to your physician.

Pregnancy and Exercise

Do not think that just because you are pregnant means you have to stop exercising, unless you have special needs.

Before you exercise during pregnancy, always check with your doctor first.

Once you get permission to proceed, you will find that leg extensions, standing curls, and other exercises can be done with ease.

If you are not sure what you can and cannot do, ask your doctor for recommendations.