December 5, 2012

The Role of Exercise in Diabetes Management


Are you suffering from diabetes? Have you started a treatment regimen that helps you manage your condition? Is exercise a part of this plan?

What is Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus or DM is a metabolic disorder characterized by excessive amounts of glucose in the blood with not enough insulin to transport the glucose to the body cells for energy. Excessive amounts of blood glucose are often termed as hyperglycemia. If the blood glucose is above the therapeutic level of 80-100 mg/dl, this means the person is a candidate for hyperglycemia. However, if the blood glucose is above 180mg/dl, this means that the person has DM.

Types of DM

There are three types of Diabetes.

1. Type 1 DM or more commonly known as insulin dependent DM. This condition means that there is no insulin being produced by the body so those who are affected with this type of DM undergo insulin therapy. Hyperglycemia is a symptom of this kind of DM.

2. Type 2 DM or the non-insulin dependent DM. This type of DM is characterized by excessive amounts of insulin being produced in the body. An increase in insulin results in a decrease of glucose, causing hypoglycemia or decreasing sugar in the blood.

3. Gestational Diabetes Mellitus or GDM is only common to those who are pregnant. This is characterized by an increase in blood pressure during pregnancy. As soon as the child is delivered, GDM may also subside.

Signs and Symptoms of DM

If your blood glucose has reached the definition of DM, then your body begins to compensate by releasing excess glucose through the urine. This is termed as glucosuria or commonly known as sugar in the urine. If these sugar levels continue to increase, this will lead to excessive urination or polyuria. As a person suffers from polyuria, possible dehydration may be a result. Increased thirst or polydipsia will be your body's response to the possible dehydration. When there is excessive loss of glucose in the urine, there will be less glucose to be fed to the body cells, so the body will compensate by increasing the appetite or polyphagia of the person.

Benefits of Exercise in Persons with DM

According to research, exercise is an integral component of treating Type 2 DM. It is one way to control your weight and has been proven to lower the blood glucose levels to the extent of reducing or doing away with the need for insulin or any pharmacologic interventions for persons with Type 2 DM. In general, even if people is suffering from DM or not, exercise is already proven to maintain good cardiovascular health.

Studies have shown that exercise done by a person with Type 2 DM is more challenging because of differences in body composition. According to some studies, low muscle glycogen levels are present in persons with Type 2 DM. Without sufficient glycogen stores, the result may be fatigue induced by exercise. It is recommended by most health care professionals that exercise should be done in a slow and gradual manner for those with Type 2 DM.

Prior to any exercise, it is recommended that you first consult with your physician for any precautionary measures. For instance, if your heart rate response to exercise is impaired, there is will most likely be oxygen deprivation if the activity is too strenuous. Exercise also lowers your blood pressure and improves blood circulation, thus decreasing chances of cardiac disease. Exercise also helps in reducing stress and promotes relaxation by relieving any anxiety and tension.

Article Source: EzineArticles

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