Exercise for Diabetes Prevention and Precautions for Diabetics

Do you have diabetes, or have you been told by your physician that you’re going to have diabetes if you don’t change your lifestyle? Along with changing your eating habits, exercise is essential for regulating your blood sugar. Here’s what exercise can do for you:

Helps your body use insulin more efficiently. Your muscles and other tissues use insulin more easily when you exercise. With physical activity, less insulin is needed to move sugar out of the blood and into the muscle cells.
Improve your overall health. Regular physical activity has been shown to help protect against heart disease and stroke. It’s also a great way to reduce stress and help manage your weight

Exercises for Diabetes Prevention and Precautions for Diabetics

How many lean, muscular people do you know with diabetes? OK, so listen up!!! Begin to live a lean, healthy lifestyle and you will be way ahead of the diabetes game.

Exercise and exercise everyday. I’m talking cardiovascular activity and resistance training and you will increase your metabolic rate, as well as level out your blood sugar.

Some special things that people with diabetes need to remember:

Take care of your feet. Make sure your shoes fit properly and your socks stay clean and dry. Check your feet for redness and sores after exercising. Call your doctor if you have sores that do not heal.
Make sure the weights you lift aren’t so heavy that you feel pressure in your eyes.
Drink about 2 cups of water before you exercise, about every 20 minutes during exercise, and after you finish, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
Warm up and cool down for 5 to 10 minutes before and after exercising. Example walk slowly first, then walk faster. Finish up by walking slowly again
Test your glucose before and after exercising
Eat a small snack if your blood glucose is below 100. Know the signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and how to treat it.

References and Resources:

http://www.diabetes.org/