The role of physical activity is crucial in the effective management of diabetes.
Its inclusion in the daily routine is not as difficult as it may seem at first glance.
What are the benefits of physical activity for diabetes?
Physical activity includes any movement that increases energy expenditure. Exercise is planned and structured physical activity.
Physical activity during diabetes helps the body to better use the hormone insulin, the duty of which is to transfer glucose as a source of energy from the blood into the cells.
In this way, it becomes easier to control blood sugar levels, and the risks of damage to blood vessels, heart diseases and nerve damage are reduced.
Other positive impacts are:
- Weight loss/maintenance
- Improving mood
- Improving sleep quality
- Improving memory
- Control of arterial hypertension
- Lowering cholesterol level.
How to plan physical activity
In order to select and plan physical activities, it is necessary to take into account the cardiological and general health status and the doctor's recommendations regarding this issue.
The general goal of physical activity planning in diabetes is to achieve at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week.
To collect this number of minutes, you can choose one of the following options that suits you best:
- Set aside 30 minutes at a time, 5 days a week, or
- 15 minutes once 10 times a week or
- 10 minutes at a time, several times a day.
The next step is to select activities that are interesting and suitable for you, in which all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, stomach, chest, shoulders, arms) will be involved.
Examples of such moderate-intensity physical activities include:
- Fast walking
- Dancing
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Engaging in sports activities
Such activities activate large muscles, increase heart rate, deepen and increase breathing, which is the goal of fitness.
Breathing deeply means getting more amount of oxygen into the blood. A faster heart rate improves the delivery of this oxygen-enriched blood to each organ, thereby dramatically improving their functioning.
However, if the condition of the body does not allow for medium-intensity exercises, it can be successfully replaced by low-intensity activity, which involves walking at a slow pace.
Moreover, it is possible to get results even just by standing up, the main thing is to reduce the time spent in a sitting position.
Even the smallest change in physical activity makes a big difference and improvement in how the body functions.
Ways to effectively plan physical activity
Find an activity that you enjoy doing yourself. This is an important factor to form a bond and make this activity a routine for the best results in the future.
Start small. For example, park your car far away and walk some distance to your destination. Use the stairs instead of the elevator, even if it's just a floor or two. Do yard work. walk the dog Gradually increase the time and intensity of the load every week.
Find a partner. For some people, engaging in physical activity with others is more fun and stimulating and helps sustain enthusiasm for longer.
Develop a goal in advance. Set yourself a target amount of time per day or week that you will devote to physical activity. The main thing is that this goal should be specific and realistic. Discuss the goals you choose with your doctor.
Maintain regularity. The more regular the physical activity, the sooner it will become a habit. Try not to "throw" more than 2 days.
Some common phrases that are the reason for refusing physical activity
I can't start physical activity because it's very difficult..
Physical activity does not mean only spending hours in the gym. Start with a 10-minute walk after dinner, gradually increasing the time to 30 minutes most days of the week.
It takes a long time to achieve the result..
It may not be noticeable at first, but the benefits start instantly. If you check your blood sugar before and after you walk, you'll notice how it drops in response to physical activity. If you give it a regular character (over months, years), the benefits will become more and more pronounced.
This isn't fun..
The main thing is to find a form of activity that suits your character, interests and mood. Try different options and don't force yourself to engage in a type of physical activity you don't enjoy.
This is very expensive..
Walking, dancing to your favorite tune at home, using online videos for training - this is an incomplete list of completely free possibilities.
It's hard to find the time..
Try to combine physical activity with your daily activities. For example, use the stairs instead of the elevator. Plan to spend time with your children outdoors. When watching TV, use a commercial cut and skip. With determination, everything becomes possible. Try to collect 20-25 minutes a day with such activities.
I'm too old for this..
It's never too late to become more active. Talk to your doctor about which low-intensity physical activity might be more appropriate for your health status.
I'm completely out of shape..
In this case too, start small. For example, ask for a product in a market that is further away. Take the waste to a bin located further away. Try to increase the number of steps progressively.
Special instructions
During the period of physical activity, it is necessary to take sufficient amount of water.
Wear comfortable, well-fitting shoes.
Take a good look at your feet after engaging in physical activity. Look for scratches, sores, irritation, blisters on the skin. Contact your doctor if the lesion does not improve within 2 days.
For patients on insulin therapy - it is important to check the amount of sugar in the blood before starting physical activity.
If the reading is less than 100 mg/dL, you need to eat 15-30 g of carbohydrates, which is for example 100 ml (half a glass) of a sugary drink.
And if the glycemic index is more than 240 mg/dl, it is recommended to check the level of ketones in the urine - its high level means that there is not enough insulin in the body.
Starting exercise with high ketones can cause serious complications in the form of ketoacidosis.
It should be noted that during certain types of high-intensity exercise, it is possible to increase the blood sugar level.
Such is the case with heavy training or sports competitions, during which the release of the hormone adrenaline in the blood is stimulated, which in turn increases the glucose content.
Against such cases, it is possible to change the type and intensity of exercise, move the activity to the evening hours instead of the morning, refrain from eating simple carbohydrates before exercise, use fast or short-acting insulin in agreement with the doctor before starting this type of exercise.
Written by: Elga Giorgadze, MD (Doctor Endocrinologist)
