Diabetes And Exercise: Perfect Together
Having diabetes doesn't mean you are bedridden for the rest of your life. On the contrary, regular exercise is a great way to manage your diabetes. And exercise has other health benefits such as help keep your circulation going, your heart strong and your energy levels up. You don't have to become a triathlete in order to get benefits from regular exercise if you are diabetic. But you do need to have both your diabetes and exercise plans approved by your doctor.
Weight Loss
The most common type of diabetes is Type 2 diabetes, which is usually triggered by obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. That means put down the Twinkie and get off of the couch and go outside. Don't look at your diabetes as a curse - see it as a warning sign to strongly motivate you to a healthier and less painful way of living. Managing your weight and your diet can greatly help you manage your diabetes. And exercise is inexpensive, varied and good medicine.
Attitude Of Gratitude
Best-selling author Dr. Anthony Weil has suggested that diabetes - especially Type 2 diabetes - may be an evolutionary advantage to keep us from eating ourselves to death. So, maybe with diabetes you are more advanced than other human beings. The fact you have diabetes can't be changed, but your attitude towards your diabetes can be changed. That might be all the difference you need.
Diabetes and exercise work together to help try and keep you healthy, alert and active. Along with walking, riding a bike, gardening, swimming or doing household chores, you can find many ways of adding exercise to your daily life. Follow your doctor's advice and do not exercise to the point where it's painful. Take it easy at first and gradually work up to longer and longer periods of activity.
In order to help your diabetes and exercise plans, you need to eat a sensible diet, quit smoking and quit drinking. This will give you the energy you need to exercise, manage diabetes and get through the day. Eating more healthy foods takes a couple of weeks to get used to, but you can retrain your taste buds to like almost food. Quitting smoking will also help you taste your food a lot better.
Neither diabetes nor exercise is welcomed by the average person, but they needn't be so dreaded. One is an alarm call, and the other is your road to recovery. Use them wisely.
