You may have heard several times that exercise is one of the important parts of a healthy lifestyle. And when you have type 2 diabetes, physical activity is even more. The treatment for diabetes includes a regular exercise regimen along with a healthy diet and medications. Read on to discover some more tips to cure diabetes.
Benefits of the exercise
If you stay fit and active throughout your life, you can control your blood sugar levels and keep the complications associated with diabetes at bay. Keeping blood sugar levels in the correct range is essential to prevent long-term complications, such as kidney disease and nerve pain.
Exercise has numerous benefits, but the most important is that it facilitates the management of blood glucose levels. It is the best natural treatment for diabetes. Those with type 2 diabetes tend to have too much glucose in the bloodstream, either because their body does not produce enough insulin or because their body does not use insulin properly or become insulin resistant. Regular exercise is beneficial in both cases and reduces glucose levels in the bloodstream. It does not matter if your body is using insulin correctly or not, or if you have enough insulin, when you exercise, your muscles get the glucose they need and, ultimately, your blood glucose levels go down.
In the case of insulin resistance, physical activity causes your body to use insulin properly, and cells in your body can use glucose more effectively. Regular training helps avoid the complications of type 2 diabetes, especially cardiovascular problems. People with diabetes are more likely to develop clogged arteries that can contribute to a heart attack. Exercise helps prevent hardening of the arteries and keeps your heart healthy. See the suggestions below to find out what kind of exercise you need to do to stay free of the complications of diabetes.
The best exercise tips for type 2 diabetes
Exercise is a natural way to reduce blood sugar. Fortunately, it is not necessary to run a marathon or swim a mile to get the benefits of physical activity. A few minutes of exercise can help prevent long-term complications associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Start with these tips to cure diabetes:
Control your blood sugar levels: it is essential that you control your blood sugar levels before and after exercising. In case your blood sugar level is low, eat fast-acting carbohydrates such as an apple, orange, granola bar or a slice of bread. Wait fifteen minutes before checking again. If you have reached the right range with food additives, you are ready to go to the gym and if you still do not follow the same meal schedule and wait 15 minutes until you reach the normal range. If you have high sugar levels before a workout, consider eating a high protein snack one hour before starting your workout.
Listen to your body: if you are using medications to get adequate levels of sugar, and you end up feeling tired, fatigued and want to skip an exercise, it could be due to a significant decrease in your blood sugar. It is wise to control your sugar levels. And take sips from fast-acting carbohydrate sources, such as sports drinks or natural fruit juices, to regain the normal range.
Hydration is necessary: people with diabetes should add additional fluids to the minimum recommendations. Never start a workout if you feel thirsty. Make sure you drink enough water before exercising. Water helps dilute the blood and moves quickly throughout the body.
Move more: decreasing sitting time each day can result in critical health benefits for people with type 2 diabetes. If you work in an office where your homework starts at 9 and ends at 5, try waking up and moving every hour for at least ten minutes.
Walk after meals: the researchers suggest waiting for about 30 minutes and then walking for about 15 minutes. This can be done after a lunch or dinner, and it can involve your family, friends and loved ones, so you do not feel like part of an exercise regimen.
Lifting weights: Weight training can improve your metabolic rate and cause you to burn calories at a rapid rate and burn extra calories keeps your blood glucose levels under control.
Exercise for fun. For every individual, including people with diabetes, exercising should not feel like a punishment. When you finish your exercise, you should feel like doing it again. If you have diabetes, remember that you are training for life. Then, choose the exercise that you like most, such as tennis, cycling etc.