Contents:
- Medical Video: How to Use an Insulin Pen - Mayo Clinic Patient Education
- Not only sports, you also have to increase physical activity
- Tips for starting exercise for diabetes after a long period of non-exercise
- 1. Calculate how many hours you need to exercise
- 2. Listen to the sound of your body while exercising
- 3. Your diabetes medications affect exercise
- 4. Prepare carbohydrates that are quickly absorbed, for example in fruit and in some types of snacks
- 5. Make sure you drink lots of water before and during exercise
Medical Video: How to Use an Insulin Pen - Mayo Clinic Patient Education
As you know before, sufferers diabetes need to control blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels can increase the risk of complications of diabetes. How to control blood sugar levels is to maintain food intake, adequate rest, and increase physical activity.
Exercising for diabetics is recommended, but with various notes. Starting sports again after too long not exercising, must be done carefully.
Not only sports, you also have to increase physical activity
Physical activity carried out by people today, especially those living in urban areas, tends to be low. Currently there are many cars, motorbikes or public transportation, as well as elevators that reduce people walking and going up and down stairs. In fact, there are now food orders online so you don't have to go outside to buy food at lunch time. With a lifestyle like that, of course it is very important to do daily physical activities that require your body to move more.
Diabetics also need to do physical activity. Why so? According to Diabetes Canada, low physical activity is a risk factor that is as strong as smoking, as a cause of death. In fact, the level of fitness is one of the strongest predictors of the cause of death in diabetics. The lower the level of fitness, the higher the risk of death.
Another fact states that physical activity is also almost as effective as blood sugar-lowering drugs and of course with lower side effects. In fact, physical activity coupled with eating healthy food and controlling body weight can also reduce the incidence of diabetes mellitus by 60 percent. These facts certainly show how important exercise is for diabetes.
Tips for starting exercise for diabetes after a long period of non-exercise
Behind the many benefits of exercise for diabetes, there are things that must be considered especially for those of you who haven't been exercising for a long time. If you have not exercised for a long time, consult your doctor and reduce heavy exercise. Do light aerobics first.
You can increase the level of exercise gradually. In addition, there are a number of things you need to know before you start exercising for diabetes again.
1. Calculate how many hours you need to exercise
Experts recommend a minimum of 150 minutes a week. You can take a daily duration of 30 minutes per day. The exercise in question is mild aerobic exercise such as running, swimming and walking.
If this is too heavy for you, start by living more actively for example doing your own household activities such as sweeping and mopping, or taking the time to walk or ride a bicycle when heading to the nearest minimarket for shopping, instead of riding a motorized vehicle.
2. Listen to the sound of your body while exercising
If you feel limp and gasping for breath, take a break. Don't force your body that hasn't been exercising for a long time. Let the body make adjustments little by little. When you do it regularly, your body's ability will increase.
3. Your diabetes medications affect exercise
If you have just injected insulin with yourself to reduce blood sugar levels, it will quickly drop when you are physically active. Extreme exercise will significantly reduce blood sugar levels and can cause hypoglycemia.
Hypoglycemia is a condition in which blood sugar levels are below average and can adversely affect other body organs, such as the nervous system.
4. Prepare carbohydrates that are quickly absorbed, for example in fruit and in some types of snacks
Why is this important? This is used if hypoglycemia is present, where you need energy immediately to continue exercise for diabetes. In fact, if your blood sugar level is below 100 when you want to exercise, you need to eat carbohydrate snacks to make it more energetic. You can also bring sweet tea or other sugary drinks just in case
5. Make sure you drink lots of water before and during exercise
Aerobic exercise such as running, swimming and cycling will make you sweat a lot. Sweat comes out to maintain body temperature. In addition, you may have a desire to urinate continuously. If not replaced by drinking water, you can experience it dehydration.
