Diabetes Information

Can exercise cure diabetes? This is a question which is often asked by people. Unfortunately, there is no cure for diabetes. There is a way, however, to manage this disease so patients can live a normal life. The key is exercise. Exercise can play a vital role in keeping the disease under control.

Exercise Stabilizes Blood Sugar Levels

During exercise, the muscles absorb glucose for energy. This causes a lowering of the blood glucose (sugar) levels. The reduction of glucose levels creates a natural treatment for diabetes. It is important to note that exercise that is too strenuous may have the opposite affect of increasing blood glucose levels, which can be harmful to diabetics. The key is to find the type of exercise that will work best for the [ Continue Reading ]

Q. What are the benefits of exercise?

A. For people with diabetes, the benefits of exercise are blood glucose level improvements, stress reduction, increased energy, weight control, and for those who participate in regular physical activity, which includes moderate aerobic exercise, there will be a reduction in cardiovascular disease risk.

Q. How do I begin an exercise program?

A. Schedule a physical exam with your physician before beginning your exercise activities. This is especially important if you have not been active recently. An EKG or ECG test (electrocardiogram) may be recommended by your doctor along with a graded exercise test to evaluate how exercise may effect your heart. Ask your doctor what [ Continue Reading ]

Adult Onset Diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes is often referred to as adult onset diabetes for the simple reason that most Type 2 Diabetes diagnoses occur in the adult years. Unlike Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes is not an autoimmune disease. Rather than destroying the cells that produce insulin, in Type 2 Diabetes, the body shows a resistance to this insulin and the cells ignore the insulin that is produced.

Risk Factors

Like Type 1 Diabetes, there is no known cause for Type 2 Diabetes and there is no known cure. Type 2 Diabetes is a chronic condition, which means that it is a long-term disease that cannot be cured, but that can be managed. Once you are diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, it is important that you begin a plan to successfully manage the symptoms of the [ Continue Reading ]

Diabetes means that your blood glucose (also called blood sugar) is too high. Your body uses glucose for energy. But having too much glucose in your blood can hurt you. When you take care of your diabetes, you’ll feel better. You’ll reduce your risk for problems with your kidneys, eyes, nerves, feet and legs, and teeth. You’ll also lower your risk for a heart attack or a stroke.

People with diabetes are encouraged to exercise regularly for better blood sugar control and to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The reason for this is that muscles which are working use more glucose than those that are resting.

Muscle movement leads to greater sugar uptake by muscle cells and lower blood sugar levels. Additional benefits of exercise include a [ Continue Reading ]

Let’s be honest, controlling your diabetes by eating a strictly diabetes safe diet can be incredibly boring. For snacks, you get crackers and bananas, and you have to lay off the bacon and even all the fancy breads. However, it doesn’t have to be that way.

The Steps!

First…

You should always be on the lookout for new, diabetes-friendly recipes, and be open to new flavors and cooking ideas.

Second…

Be willing to try a healthy substitute in your favorite meals. Some people have found that they wind up loving ground turkey or chicken in place of ground beef, and some people will take cottage cheese over cheddar any day of the week. Play around with your recipes and see which substitutes you develop a flavor [ Continue Reading ]