If you are one of the millions of people who have been diagnosed with diabetes, your physician probably suggested that you increase your physical activity. Since most people believe controlling diabetes is only about regulating sugar intake, many are not exercising as much as they should. This is very unfortunate because it can be a significant contribution when it comes to improving your condition.
A diabetes diagnosis may seem like a life sentence to some, but the reality is that many people are able to successfully reverse the effects of this disease. Making lifestyle changes is the only way that someone with this illness will be able to sustain a long and healthy life. In addition to making a host of changes to your diet, there are other modifications that need to be made, including increasing your fitness levels.
It can be difficult to add more fitness to your schedule, especially if you are dealing with side effects of the disease, including blurred vision and neuropathy, but it is necessary. Instead of struggling to do vigorous activity, it is perfectly fine if you need to start things off rather slowly. Keep in mind that you will need to increase your exertion levels at some point since low-intensity workouts are not much better than doing nothing and remaining idle.
Being sedentary is counterproductive if you are trying to battle diabetes. When you do not have much physical activity over an extended period, your body becomes resistant to insulin and leptin, which is a hormone that helps regulate your weight and appetite. Once you become resistant to leptin, your brain stops signaling your body when it is no longer hungry. As a result, you will consume more food, your fat storage will increase and insulin resistance will set in. As you probably already know, this is extremely dangerous for those who are diabetic.
Another problem that people with diabetes should be concerned about is decreased heart function. Having this disease leads to thickness of the blood, which means that your heart has to work overtime in order to pump as much as needed. As a result, it is imperative that you work on keeping your heart in the best shape possible. Exercise can go a long way when trying to reach that goal since it helps lower blood pressure levels, control weight and increase the amount of HDL (good cholesterol) in the body.
Doing exercise is essential and it is important that you make sure to get enough. Ideally, you should aim for a half-hour daily. If that is too much for you to handle at once, you can break it down into three small ten minute workouts each day.
Try to make exercise fun since boredom can lead to missed workouts. Things like walking your dog, playing Frisbee with your children or taking a stroll through a botanical garden are ways to increase your activity without feeling like it is a chore. The more creative you are when looking for ideas, the more likely you will be to stick with it.
This may seem like a great deal to endure in your quest to battle diabetes, but it is absolutely necessary. People who ignore advice such as this end up dealing with diabetes-related complications, which can sometimes lead to death. If your plan is to be around for the long haul and live a long and healthy life, you have to be willing to make some much-needed changes, otherwise, there is no guarantee that you will be around to experience all that life has to offer you.
Jim Sanders is a health enthusiast and enjoys working out. Visit his site, OutdoorExerciseIdeas.com for the latest outdoor exercise tips and advice.
