Living with diabetes means that you need to take the best care possible of yourself so that your disease does not take over your life and you can enjoy every moment. One of the most important facets of any diabetes treatment regimen is exercise. Exercise helps us control our weight and lower our blood sugar levels. It also helps lower the risk of heart disease, which is especially important for those of us with diabetes, since it is a common problem that diabetics face. Even further, exercise can boost your self confidence and make you feel better about yourself as it increases your overall health.
Before embarking on any exercise regimen, it is important to speak to your doctor first. The types of exercises you can do will depend on your individual health levels, any other health problems you may have, and any risk factors you might face. You need to consult your doctor, because though there are many, many benefits to exercising when you have diabetes, there are some pit falls you will want to avoid, too. Since exercise changes the way your body reacts to insulin, you need to be aware of it and what you are doing.
Regular exercise makes your body more sensitive to insulin levels, so your blood sugar levels may get too low after you are done exercising (this is called hypoglycemia). Temperature can also affect how your body absorbs the insulin, so you’ll need to be extra vigilant when exercising in very hot or very cold temperatures. Your doctor can tell you what your blood sugar levels should be at both before and after exercise so you can monitor your levels yourself and be sure you are within the safety zone. If your blood sugar levels are too low or too high before you begin exercising, you may do better to wait until your levels improve before you begin for the day.