Exercise and Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is increasing in frequency. Between 1980 and 1994, the number of people diagnosed with diabetes increased by 48 and diagnosed cases of diabetes by 49 of the United States population gets the recommended 30 minutes per day of exercise, while 25% of the population is not active at all.

Here’s some advice for getting started with an exercise program designed to prevent or manage Type 2 diabetes:

Getting Started

Always consult with your health care provider before beginning a new exercise program, especially if you’ve been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. If you suffer from any cardiac risk factors, you may want to undergo a stress test to determine how much exercise is safe for you.

If you’ve developed any complications from diabetes, you’ll need to design your exercise regimen to accommodate them. If you have diabetic retinopathy, for instance, you’ll want to stay away from jogging, weightlifting or high impact aerobics since they can put you at risk for additional damage to blood vessels and possible retinal detachment. You’ll also need to keep a close watch on the amount of medication you need to manage the disease – regular exercise will improve your insulin sensitivity, so you may need less over time.

Start Slow

If you have Type 2 diabetes, you can benefit from as little as a simple, brisk walk around the neighborhood everyday. If you haven’t been active for awhile, it is best to begin slowly and gradually add more to your routine. Incorporate healthy choices into your lifestyle at first. Go outside to rake leaves or mow the lawn. Choose the stairs instead of the elevator when you can. Park further away from the door when you go shopping. All these little changes add up!

Even if you can only squeeze in 15 to 30 minutes a day, getting your heart pumping from exercise can really help control your glucose levels or help you prevent diabetes from developing in the first place. Best of all, regular exercise doesn’t have to cost you anything. You don’t need an expensive health club membership or the latest exercise equipment to make a difference. All you need is a decent pair of walking shoes that fit you properly and a direction in which to go!

The complications from Type 2 diabetes can include blindness, heart disease, kidney damage and the loss of sensation in the extremities, possibly resulting in amputation. Regular exercise can help you prevent the onset of this potentially devastating illness or help you manage the condition if you’ve already been diagnosed. Think about that and put it into perspective. Is a little exercise really such a hassle after all?

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