Exercise and Fitness Tips for Diabetes

Written by iHeartKhmer, May 2, 2019


Diabetes is common among many Cambodian people due to poor dieting. Lets face it, we consume a lot of white rice daily. People who suffer from diabetes need to take care of their health and fitness by exercising regularly. Diabetics are either not able to produce enough insulin which is required for effectively utilizing the sugars in the diet, as in Type 1 Diabetes, or the cells of their body fail to use insulin properly to utilize the sugars in the diet for energy, which is also combined with an insulin deficiency in some cases, as in Type 2 Diabetes. The reason why it is so important for diabetics to exercise is that the muscles which are made to work harder consume sugars in a better way, which can contribute to lower the sugar levels in the blood. Also, exercise decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

If you are suffering from diabetes or know someone around you who is tormented by the disease, then you should look forward to exercise regularly and recommend exercise to such patients, while taking necessary precautions. One of the most basic exercises is walking. Depending on your physical condition and ability, you should look forward to try more sophisticated exercises. But you should always make a slow start, beginning with a low impact exercise such as running, cycling or swimming. Which ever exercise you choose, you should always have brief workout sessions in the beginning, like a five minute session, and should gradually increase the time duration. This is even true for people who are not suffering from diabetes.

However, you need to be watchful of your condition before choosing the right exercise. You should see if you really are fit to run, because a lot of diabetics have problems with their feet. In any case, you should completely avoid lifting heavy weights or other heavy objects, because that could create blood pressure complications. If you work out outside your home, then make sure you wear an ID band with the universal symbol of diabetes, so that others would know that you are a diabetic and what sort of medical attention you would require in case of an emergency. Before working out, you should check if your carbohydrates intake level, your medication and your insulin dosage are compatible with the demands of the particular exercise or not.

You could choose exercises ranging from walking to swimming, and from cycling to cardio and strength training, depending on your physical health and endurance levels. Whatever type of exercise you choose, you should try to work out at the same time every day, which will help your body get accustomed to it. Try to aim for sessions of 30 to 45 minutes in time duration, and if you cannot do that every day, then try doing it two to three times a week. A basic rule of exercise is to stretch before and after your work out session, which will prevent you from injury during the action. Make sure your feet are comfortable during the workout and you should choose a comfortable pair of socks and sneakers.  

Exercise will surely bring changes in your body, particularly your blood sugar level. But that is not the only change, and those changes will not always be pleasant. Your condition could even worsen at times, especially if you exert too much. If you start feeling unwell, and when your body starts telling you that there is something wrong, then it is better to stop the exercise. If your blood sugar level exceeds 300 mg/dl, then you should stop the exercise. You should also stop working out if your blood sugar level lowers than 100 mg/dl during the session.

Other such signs include shortness of breath, feeling pain, tingling or numbness in legs. You should keep an eye on your urine test results for ketones, and in case of positive results, you should stop working out for some time. Watch out for Hypoglycemia and acquaint yourself with its symptoms. Discuss the condition with your physician.

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