Can a person with diabetes exercise? Incredible benefits
The diabetes consists of a chronic disease that occurs or appears when the pancreas is not able to synthesize the amount of insulin our body needs, it does not use it effectively or simply elaborates it with a quality inferior to the precise one.
And what is insulin? As you probably know, the insulin It consists of a hormone produced by the pancreas, whose main function -among other important functions- is to maintain the proper glucose values in the blood, allowing it to enter our body and be transported into the cells, where precisely it is transformed into energy so that both tissues and muscles function properly.
When there is diabetes it means that there is an excess of glucose in the blood, which is medically known by the name of hyperglycemia. Following proper medical treatment and healthy lifestyles are essential to control glucose, since those patients who do not have high glucose will gradually damage the tissues of the body, and produce serious complications over time.
The importance of physical exercise when you have diabetes
Precisely Physical exercise becomes one of the proper and fundamental ways of treating diabetes mellitus, fulfilling several objectives: not only is it useful to control glycemia (and therefore glucose values or blood sugar), it is also essential to avoid the appearance of complications derived from poor glucose control, lose weight in if necessary and maintain the weight, and enjoy a better quality of life.
However, it is essential that physical activity be practiced daily, because although momentarily physical exercise can increase sensitivity to insulin in specific cases, this does not mean that the control of diabetes is carried out automatically. So, regularity is imperative.
What to do if you have type 1 diabetes mellitus?
It is also known as the insulin-dependent diabetes. In these cases it is necessary to maintain a certain set of basic rules, which should always be taken into account before to start sports practice:
- Inject insulin into muscle groups that do not participate actively or do not move during the practice of physical activity.
- Administer an extra amount of carbohydrates before or during physical exercise. Or, reduce the dose of insulin.
- Avoid sports when it is very hot or cold.
- It is not advisable to perform physical exercise in periods of metabolic decontrol.
On the other hand, it is vital to plan the physical exercise, so that we will always do it regularly and at the same time of day, adapting it to the time of the meals and to the hours of action of the insulin itself. And what is the best time of the day to practice it? Preferably during the first hours of the morning. 
What are the benefits of physical exercise in case of diabetes?
Although its benefits are obviously the same in a person with or without diabetes, in the case of having diabetes the regular practice of moderate physical exercise helps a lot when it comes to controlling the blood glucose values. For example, increases glucose utilization by the muscle improving insulin sensitivity.
Further, reduces the incidence of cardiovascular diseasesso related to the existence of poorly controlled diabetes, by helping to maintain blood pressure and cholesterol levels at normal levels, and reduces the daily needs of insulin.
In fact, if the follow-up of an unhealthy lifestyle and a lack of physical activity has caused the onset of type 2 diabetes, now more than ever the practice of regular physical exercise it is the least fundamental.
Why? Fundamentally because physical activity - above all aerobic exercises - helps people with diabetes to reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems, so that mortality is reduced, by reducing the risk of vascular or cerebral accidents, arteriosclerosis and myocardial infarction.
We must not forget either the importance of physical exercise in weight control, which together with the pursuit of a healthy and adequate diet, help in a very positive way to regulate blood glucose levels.
Did you know that physical exercise also helps prevent diabetes?
In the case of type 2 diabetes, has been shown to follow an unhealthy lifestyle, based on the maintenance of an unbalanced diet rich in foods high in fats and sugars, and in turn linked to a sedentary lifestyle (that is, little or no activity practice). physical) has a decisive influence on its appearance.
Therefore it is essential to maintain an ideal weight, according to our physical build and height. To achieve this, in addition to following a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a varied and healthy diet, it is essential to practice physical exercise.
Among other aspects, aerobic physical activity helps reduce the weight that we have left over when we are overweight or obese, which then results in a regulation of normal blood glucose levels.
In addition, it is useful to feel better with ourselves, is a good de-stressing and helps prevent cardiovascular disease (for example, lowers high blood pressure, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, while increasing the numbers of good cholesterol).
Bibliography:
- Merlotti C, Morabito A, Pontiroli AE. Prevention of type 2 diabetes; a systematic review and meta-analysis of different intervention strategies. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2014 Aug; 16 (8): 719-27. doi: 10.1111 / Sun.12270. Available at: //onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/dom.12270
