September 27, 2007
Diabetes and Exercise
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.
Posted by personalhealthnews at 06:33 PM | Comments (0)
September 02, 2007
Diabetes Can Be Controlled
If you are diagnosed with diabetes as an adult, you have diabetes type 2. Today, there are far too many children also being diagnosed with diabetes and theirs is called type 1. There is no known cure for diabetes, but you must know that taking care of yourself is the key to overcoming the problems associated with diabetes. Taking care of yourself does not only mean avoiding sugar, but it also means eating fiber, low carbohydrate and other foods that help control sugar levels, and having proper and regular exercise.
Having diabetes puts a person at risk for many complications such as heart disease, kidney and other organ failures and infections, teeth and gum diseases, and blindness. This is a serious disease that demands respect and concern and if not managed, will take its toll on your health. People with diabetes are 2-4 times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke. Diabetics are also at risk for infections with their feet, which, if not treated, can result in amputation.
The American Diabetes Association recommends that your blood sugar not exceed 70-120 if you are not diagnosed with diabetes. If you have diabetes, it is recommended that a fasting blood sugar level be up to 130. After eating, that level can be up to 180. Your doctor will be doing an A1C test, which shows the levels of sugar in your system for 2-3 months before the test and will let you know the readings. The American Diabetes Association recommends that this level not exceed 7.0. You must make appointments and keep the appointments on a regular basis and get this test done quarterly to know if you are hitting the levels that are most desirable for your situation.
Any amount of exercise you can do will help keep your levels consistently low. Ten minutes three times a day of exercise is fine if you cannot get in 30 minutes of exercise in the day. The goal is to bring down your A1C levels and the sugar levels in your blood. For every 1% you can get your level down, it is thought that you can decrease your risk of certain health problems by as much as 40%. That is a tremendous incentive and will prolong your life and your quality of life.
You should not skip meals to try to bring diabetes under control. After you eat, the body will demand the pancreas to increase the insulin output and also the liver will shut down making more sugar. If you do not eat, these signals are not received. When you have diabetes, these signals are not so pronounced. So, eating small amounts throughout the day is key to keeping the insulin levels in balance and not spiking or dropping levels. If you do not eat, you body can become nervous, shaky, dizzy, light-headed, and you might start to have trouble forming correct sentences. This is called hypoglycemia when your blood sugar levels go too low.
You need to limit severely or cut out alcohol when you have diabetes type 2. The prescription drugs taken with diabetes can have undesirable problems when alcohol is consumed.
If you take diabetes seriously and manage the types of foods and timing of meals and snacks as well as keeping exercise a routine of your day, you can overcome the undesirable problems of diabetes and live a long life. You family and friends are counting on you.
Posted by personalhealthnews at 11:15 AM | Comments (0)
