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Diabetes is a serious metabolic disorder that affects the way your body uses glucose. There are two types of diabetes--type 1 and type 2. A precursor of the disease is prediabetes, which puts otherwise healthy individuals at risk for type 2 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetics do not make enough insulin, a hormone produced in your pancreas. Insulin is necessary for your cells to process glucose. Type 2 diabetics normally produce enough insulin, but their cells are resistant to it, so the tissues cannot use glucose. Prediabetes precedes type 2 diabetes and is largely affected by poor diet and lifestyle choices.
The most common form of diabetes is type 2 diabetes. It typically affects adults later in life and can be exacerbated by a sedentary lifestyle, obesity and poor diet. -
Exercise is an effective means of treating type 2 diabetes, in conjunction with eating a heart-healthy diet. There is a direct relationship between obesity and the inability of the cells to use glucose. As you gain weight, your tissues become resistant to insulin. Many type 2 diabetics enjoy relief from the disease just by losing weight. Regular aerobic exercise also stimulates your muscle cells into becoming more sensitive to insulin, improving glucose uptake.
While diabetics respond well to almost any type of exercise, the best choices are activities that use large muscle groups like your arms, legs and shoulders, and that you sustain for at least 20 minutes per exercise session, most days of the week.
Diabetics who use exercise as a form of treatment need to be cognizant of their blood glucose levels and measure them frequently. Measure your glucose levels before, during and after exercise using a home glucose monitor if there are any changes in your diet or medication. -
Adhering to a heart-healthy diet that focuses on managing carbohydrate intake has proved to significantly reduce blood glucose levels in individuals who use it conjunction with exercise and weight loss. The most popular approaches are using the Diabetes Food Pyramid, Create a Plate, carbohydrate counting and using the glycemic index of carbohydrates.
The Diabetes Food Pyramid is similar to the USDA Food Pyramid developed in 1992, but categorizes carbohydrates by their type instead of general food classifications. Diabetics are urged to manage their carbohydrate intake by consuming similar foods from each level of the pyramid. The American Diabetes Association's Create a Plate approach divides a dinner plate into thirds, filling each section with specific types of food. By dividing their plate into specific types of carbohydrates, people can better manage their blood glucose levels. Carbohydrate counting involves monitoring the number of grams of carbohydrates in specific foods to avoid raising blood glucose levels. The glycemic index (GI) qualifies how quickly various carbohydrates raise blood sugar levels. By learning how to avoid eating foods with a high GI, diabetics can lower their blood glucose levels.
Many type 2 diabetics and prediabetics must take oral medications if diet and exercise do not sufficiently lower blood glucose levels. Oral medications are designed to either increase insulin production, enhance insulin sensitivity or both.
