Exercise Guidelines When You Have Diabetes

Everybody knows that regular exercise is very important for everyone, including people with diabetes. One of the reasons why is to increase the body's sensitivity to insulin. Since exercise uses and releases a lot of energy, it can also be beneficial for lowering blood sugar levels. Routinely working out can help a diabetic maintain their ideal body weight to avoid obesity as well.

But in order to exercise, there are some things that you need to pay attention to very carefully first. Here are some of them:

1.     Check your blood sugar level

Check it before, during, and after exercising. If your blood sugar level is below 70 mg/dl, then you should eat carbs around 15 gr first before doing it. You can get healthy carbs from an orange, apple, or a slice of bread. On the other hand, if your blood sugar level is above 250 mg/dl, you better avoid carbs. You’re also recommended to eat food with protein at least 1 hour before exercising. Pay attention to your blood sugar level, always check it to keep it stable to avoid a significant decrease or increase of it.

2. Take good care of your insulin need

Talk to your doctor about your insulin dose and whether you may need to take it on a daily basis or not. It is always wise to check to prevent hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Avoid injecting your insulin dose into your trained muscles.

3.     Keep your diet healthy

Better to provide snacks with a low glycemic index, such as wheat bread, apple, strawberries, pear, tomato, milk, and yogurt. These snacks are good to increase your blood sugar level before exercising.

4.Be progressive

Increase your training difficulty level progressively. Listen very carefully to your body. If you feel something unusual happens, such as a shaky body, dizziness, or even blackout, you should stop immediately stop your exercise and check your blood sugar level.

Exercise is one of the most important things in order to be healthy, but you always need to take care of your body while doing it. Pay attention to any signals that your body give you and talk to your doctor if it’s necessary.