Managing Diabetes

Physical activity Is crucial for a diabetic patient

• it helps control your blood glucose
• it helps keep your weight down
• it helps keep your blood pressure down
• it helps raise your HDL (High-density lipoprotein), good cholesterol levels
• it helps lower your LDL (Low-density lipoprotein), bad cholesterol levels

These five benefits have a DIRECT bearing on how successfully you manage your diabetes. Exercise also has other general health benefits - you sleep better, your mental state improves, etc.

How much exercise should you do?

Most experts say you should do exercise on at least five days of each week. Each session should be of moderate-intensity and should not last less than thirty minutes. The following activities could be classed as of moderate-intensity:

• fast walking
• swimming
• cycling 5-9mph (level terrain, perhaps some slight hills)
• dancing
• rowing
• mowing the lawn

Moderate-intensity physical activity?

• You should experience some increase in your breathing rate
• There should be an increase in your heart rate
• A Borg Scale perceived exertion of 11 to 14
• You should burn 3.5 to 7 calories per minute
• You should reach a METs of 3 to 6

Metabolic Equivalent (MET)

MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent. An MET of 1 is when you are sitting down doing nothing. If you walk slowly your MET may rise to 2 or 2.5. If you walk normally it will go up to 3, while a brisk walk may bring it to 5. If a wild gorilla suddenly appeared in the street and started chasing you your desperate sprint would shoot your MET right up to about 8 or even perhaps 9.

Beginners be careful!

If you have not done exercise for a long time you will need to start with a little light exercise and build up slowly over time. Each week add a little more time to each session and/or increase the intensity.



Remember regular exercise is what matters. 5 days of 30 minutes each is great. One day per week at 150 minutes is not.

You must talk to your health care provider about an exercise plan. He/she may want to check you over before you start. Certain exercises are not ideal for patients who suffer from high blood pressure, eye and/or foot problems.

Strength training is also good

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that strength training exercises are good because they help you build muscle. Strength training usually involves using weights.

Join a gym

There are many gyms today whose staff are experienced and qualified to receive and train people for various illnesses and conditions. In North America, Western Europe, Japan and Australasia gyms receive doctors' referrals - doctors send them to specific gyms as part of their therapy.

Having somebody there to help you along, occasionally to push you along, can be a great motivator - especially for beginners who may view the whole experience with apprehension.

Gyms are all-weather; they have equipment which gives you immediate feedback on how well you are doing - your speed, heart rate, calories burnt per minute/hour, your progress, etc.

Numerous people prefer gyms because it gives them a feeling of doing something with others. Do not be afraid of joining one. They are generally welcoming and members will not be concerned about what you look like or how unfit you may be - they are there for their health, just like you.