How to Control Diabetes and Blood Sugar with Exercise

KOMPAS.com – To keep the body healthy, Sports and physical activity is indispensable.

In fact, people who have disease diabetes also have to exercise regularly. With exercise, levels blood sugar diabetics will be relatively stable.

So, if you are at risk of developing diabetes, or have type 1 and type 2 diabetes, exercise can provide benefits.

” Sports regularly is very important for those who have diabetes, “said Alex Li, MD, an internal medicine specialist in Los Angeles, United States.

Also read: 4 Tips for a Healthy Diet for Diabetes Sufferers

However, in diabetics, exercise can cause complications. So, people with diabetes need to know what sports can be done.

American College of Sports Medicine and American Diabetes Association agree, sport is important to shape health optimal in diabetics.

When we exercise, the body burns glucose or blood sugar as fuel. This process helps lower blood sugar levels.

With more intense exercise, the glucose burning process will increase over time and lead to a decrease in insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body’s cells can’t use blood sugar properly, because the body’s cell response to insulin is disrupted.

This resistance is one of the factors causing type 2 diabetes.

Regular exercise also helps build muscle and reduce fat. Both of these increase the body’s ability to use insulin.

“Exercise in the short term can lower blood sugar, and in the long term it will increase insulin sensitivity,” says Emory Hsu, MD.

Hsu is an endocrinologist at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, California, USA.

One scientific finding in 2019 published in a journal Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine uncover the benefits of regular exercise.

Also read: 7 Best Exercises for Diabetes Sufferers

The findings suggest that following exercise – such as certain exercise classes for eight weeks – can reduce insulin resistance for people with type 2 diabetes.

The participants’ average blood sugar decreased 5.12 points after participating in the exercise class.

Another 2017 study published in Journal of Jiroft University of Medical Sciences also found a link between regular exercise and decreased blood sugar.

The study looked at 28 women with type 2 diabetes for eight weeks.

A total of 14 participants did not exercise, while 14 other people did aerobic exercise three times a week, and resistance training twice a week.

After eight weeks, participants who did aerobic exercise and resistance training experienced a decrease in blood sugar, and was successful in reducing insulin resistance.

Of course these results were not found in participants who did not exercise at all.

Duration of exercise for diabetics

Just like people who are in good health, those with diabetes need to exercise 150 minutes of moderate intensity per week.

That is the reference issued American Diabetes Association.

“If we haven’t exercised, don’t let the 150 minute duration intimidate us,” said Hsu.

According to him, any form of exercise is much better than no exercise at all.

“We can start with low intensity exercise and increase the intensity slowly,” said Hsu.

American Diabetes Association recommends that people with type 2 diabetes or those at risk for the condition exercise every day.

The ADA recommendation also states that we shouldn’t skip sports or physical activity for more than two days.

Most types of physical activity can count as exercise, whether it’s gardening or walking.

“If we walk, we have to walk quickly so that the sweat comes out,” warned Hsu.

Other types of moderate-intensity physical activity that diabetics can do include mowing grass, swimming, playing tennis, or riding a bicycle.

A 2019 scientific study published in The International Journal of Exercise Science studied 905 previously less active type 2 diabetics.

They were asked to do 49 minutes of aerobic exercise, resistance training, or a combination of both three times a week.

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The result, all three types of exercise that the participants underwent reduced hemoglobin A1c levels, which measure the average blood glucose over time.

Combined exercise has the greatest impact in reducing hemoglobin A1c levels, followed by aerobic exercise and resistance training.

So it is proven, making exercise as routine is a must to control diabetes and blood sugar.

This can be done by walking during lunchtime, or doing any activity that makes it easier for us to reach our sports target of 150 minutes per week.

The safe way to exercise for diabetics

Exercise is highly recommended for diabetics, but we must take precautions.

“For people with type 1 diabetes, exercise can drastically lower blood sugar,” said Hsu.

If the amount of blood sugar is too low (hypoglycemia), diabetics can experience health complications, including: seizures and comma.

So, in the ADA reference, people with type 1 diabetes should carefully plan their exercise, including taking into account their food intake and insulin dosages.

For diabetics, it’s best to measure blood sugar levels before, during, and after exercise.

Also read: Tips to Prevent Covid-19 Transmission in Diabetes and Heart Patients

There are several steps to watch out for if someone with diabetes has a plan to exercise regularly.

Among others:

1. Consultation with a doctor

Consult your doctor if you have experienced other health complications with diabetes, such as eye problems, heart disease, or stroke.

2. Exercise with low intensity first

Get in the habit of measuring blood sugar before and after exercise, and monitor whether there are significant changes or not.

Blood sugar must remain within the normal range as prescribed by the doctor.

3. Pay attention to the wound on the leg

“Many diabetics experience decreased sensation in the feet, “said Li.

As a result, sufferers may not feel any wounds in the legs.

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