Lifestyle and activity

Defining the proper active lifestyle for people with diabetes is easy: It’s the one everyone with or without diabetes ought to be living.

Combined with a good diet meal plan, physical activity can help you stay in control of your diabetes. Not only does an active body burn sugar faster, but exercise also helps the body utilize insulin better - which helps reduce the amount of glucose in your blood.

In addition, regular activity has a number of overall health benefits for people with diabetes:

• It helps control your weight by burning off calories and fat. Make it part of your lifestyle, and you’ll look better and feel better.
• Planned physical activity and exercise reduce risk factors for heart disease by helping to control fat and cholesterol levels and lowering blood pressure.
• Planned physical activity and exercise improve blood flow and blood pressure. That makes your heart and lungs stronger.
• The benefits of planned physical activity are long-lasting. An active lifestyle helps you feel better and handle stress better.

Every exercise program includes the warning, "Consult your doctor." If you’re a person with diabetes, you’ll want to pay special attention to those words.

Your activity level will impact nearly every aspect of your diabetes management program. Given the increase in exercise levels, your doctor may wish to decrease your prescribed insulin or oral medication or increase the amount of calories you’re allotted.

• Drink plenty of fluids before and during physical activity
• Stretch 5-10 minutes before your exercise routine
• Test your blood sugar before planned physical activity
• Don’t continue exercising if you are short of breath, feel faint or experience pain
• Don’t get discouraged
• Test your blood sugar after exercising

You don’t have to be able to run a marathon to make physical activity a part of your healthy lifestyle.

On the contrary, starting slowly and staying with an exercise program let you make the activity a real part of your life.

Start with something simple. Stay aware of how you’re feeling. If there’s a chance of hypoglycemia, carry glucose tablets or gel with you. If you need to rest, do. Remember, this is for you. You have nothing to prove to the world. Advance as you’re ready and as recommended by your doctor.

Choose an activity that you enjoy. But make sure it’s something that you can participate in day after day, throughout the year.

Find an exercise partner. Ask your spouse or neighbor to go with you. Team up with someone in your support group to provide mutual motivation and encouragement.

Give it time. Stay with your planned physical activity program for at least six months. You’ll be amazed the difference an active healthy lifestyle can make in your life.

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