EXERCISE

There are many benefits to exercising but specifically for diabetics:

·           Exercise helps your cells to increase sensitivity to insulin created by your pancreas or     provided through medications. 

·         Keeps the body strong and healthy.

·         Supports the body in glucose absorption and maintenance.

·         lowers blood pressure and cholesterol

·         lowers your risk for heart disease and stroke

·         burns calories to help you lose or maintain weight

·         increases your energy for daily activities

·         helps you sleep better

·         relieves stress

·         strengthens your heart and improves your blood circulation

·         strengthens your muscles and bones

·         keeps your joints flexible

·         improves your balance to prevent falls

·         reduces symptoms of depression and improves quality of life

Make a plan that is tailored to you by talking with your doctor, checking your sugar and insulin requirements, and finding exercises that work for you. This should help you and not hurt you, so adjust it the way that you need it. If hypoglycema/hyperglycemia symptoms occur while exercising, check your blood sugar! Always talk to your doctor before making a change in your exercise plan to prevent complications.

Always be prepared to treat hypoglycemia while exercising. Have a quick carbohydrate or sugar such as a sport’s drink, regular soda, or glucose tablets handy at all times just in case. Type II diabetics are still at risk for hypoglycemia, but this risk is much less than someone with Type I diabetes. If you do have a hypoglycemic episode, eat some type of sugar or carbohydrate, wait 15-20 minutes, then recheck your blood glucose.

Example exercises for seniors:

•    Focus on balance exercises, flexibility exercises, endurance, and strength.
•   Avoid strenuous exercises and exercises that raise blood pressure significantly.
•  Yoga, tai chi, side leg raises, and knee extensions are balance
• Flexibility: Stretch all muscles out to provide elasticity, strength, and prevent injuries.
•  Strength: Works with balance many times. Use light weights or bands to work with strength, but do NOT overdo it. Do not be so strenuous as this can cause high blood pressure and retinopathy, a common complication of diabetes.
•  Endurance: Walking, running, jogging, swimming. This helps with the heart and lungs as well as prevents or delays cancer and other complications of diseases.
• For more information go to BD Medical

Exercising with Diabetes Complications
Know what kinds of exercises work for you and what you should avoid.  Follow the link to see what you should avoid if you have another disease process.Exercise with Diabetes

Preventing Injury

• Warm up for 5 minutes before exercising and cool down for 5 minutes when you are finished exercising.
•  Avoid extreme temperatures while exercising.
•  Stay hydrated! Drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercising.
• Stop your activity if you feel light-headed, chest pain, or blood sugar is low.