Diabetes Information and Treatment Guide | Aerobic Exercise and Diabetes

Aerobic Exercise and Diabetes - Relation between Two

03.25.2008 by Dr John Anne in Diabetes Information

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Diabetes Exercises can help control your weight and lower your blood sugar level. It also lowers your risk of heart disease, a condition tht is common in people who have diabetes. Exercise can also help you feel better about yourself and increase your overall health.

Aerobic exercise increases insulin sensitivity and, along with proper nutrition, helps restore normal glucose metabolism by decreasing body fat. Strength training (a.k.a. resistance or weight training) also decreases body fat by raising the metabolism. It’s main benefit, however, is increasing glucose uptake by the muscles and enhancing the ability to store glucose. Exercise can mean the difference between “medical management” and “lifestyle management” of Type 2 diabetes.

Any physical activity that engages the large muscles and elevates breathing — known as aerobic exercise and is a part of diabetes exercise — will benefit someone with diabetes.

For aerobic exercise, participants used a stationary bike or treadmill, gradually lengthening their workouts from 15 minutes to 45 minutes. For resistance training, they performed seven exercises using weight machines, eventually doing two to three sets of each exercise.

Activities like mowing the lawn, doing housework, dancing, pushing a stroller or walking nine holes on the golf course are just as effective as more focused fitness-oriented activities.

Since many Type 2 diabetics are sedentary and overweight, low-impact exercise such as walking or stationary cycling is recommended, along with enough exercise to promote weight management. Their goal should be to exercise five times per week, up to 40 - 60 minutes per session at a moderate intensity. This level of exercise can be reached gradually, starting as low as 10 - 20 minutes a few times a week for a person who has never exercised. Remember to increase only one factor at a time (days per week, length of session, or intensity).

Aerobic exercise, which makes you breathe more deeply and makes your heart work harder are mostly recommended for diabetic people. Examples of aerobic exercise include walking, jogging, aerobic dance or bicycling. If you have problems with the nerves in your feet or legs, your doctor may want you to do a type of exercise that won’t put stress on your feet. These exercises include swimming, bicycling, and rowing or chair exercises.

Thus Aerobic exercises are major part of diabetes and exercise which improves blood cholesterol levels and blood pressure control. This benefit occurs regardless of weight loss.

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