Lifestyle of Diabetes 

Q – How do you deal with exercise and type 1 diabetes?

A – Exercise and Type 1 diabetes is essential. Why? Because type 1 diabetics need all the help we can get to improve our health!  Exercise  helps you control diabetes and prevent long-term complications. Exercise helps you to have better circulation and will lower problems with your heart, (People with type 1 diabetes are susceptible to developing blocked arteries which can lead to a heart attack.) cholesterol, sugar levels, and stress (which can cause high blood pressure and a lot of other problems!)  Exercise helps keep you healthy and strong!

Exercise helps people with diabetes because it is an effective way to control blood sugar levels. Exercise counteracts elevated blood glucose levels that frequently occur after eating. Exercise benefits people with type 1 because it increases your insulin sensitivity. In other words, after exercise, your body doesn’t need as much insulin to process carbohydrates. With exercise, the amount of insulin injected for controlling blood glucose can be lowered in those with type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes should exercise a minimum of three to four times per week from 20-60 minutes each time.  To lose weight, I exercised 45 minutes and for maintenance I have exercised for 30 minutes. But each person will need to adjust the time for their own metabolism. More importantly, cardiovascular is most important for type 1 diabetes.And it helps type 1 diabetics stay trim! The ADA recommends 150 minutes of moderate intense aerobic exercise a week. (30 minutes, five days a week.)

Some common aerobic exercises include the following:

• Walking
• Jogging/Running
• Swimming
• Biking
• Dancing
• Stair-stepper/elliptical machine
• Cross-country skiing

Don’t forget to  include weight lifting for strength building and strong and healthy bones. Do one to three  sets of 10 to 15 repetitions of each exercise. Work on all body part: arms, (biceps and triceps) legs, (quads and hamstings) chest and back. You can do this working out these muscles 10-20 minutes each day.

The biggest concern for exercise and type 1 diabetic is working out so hard you get low sugars or other complications. Yuck!! I hate it because it takes away from your workout time and fatigues you so you can’t do anything but rest and wait for the blood sugar to rise. First make sure to always take with you some glucose tablets or something like it.  (juice or fruit)  Also, wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace in case of emergency. Be prepared!!

To avoid this pitfall, I make sure to have my sugar level a little higher then normal. (I make sure my sugar is higher then 135.) But each type 1 diabetic is different and needs to consult their Doctor for the best course of action to take for their own body. You also need to avoid exercising if your sugar level is over 200.  Make sure to check your sugar level before, during and after each work out.

Set realistic goals if this is the first time you are exercising. Start small and work your way up little by little,  gradually increase the level of activity as you build endurance and stamina. (The goal is not to exercise to be an Olympic winner.) If you exercise and have type 1 diabetes, you will be a champion for life!