Whether it’s preventing diabetes or living with the disease without fear, habits like exercising and maintaining a healthy diet can make a difference. In this way, prevention is a great ally of this disease that affects 1 in 11 people in the world, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO).
“Exercise is a great natural remedy in the fight against diabetes and it is also a way to prevent the disease, since it controls blood glucose levels. Daily activities stimulate the production of insulin, facilitating its transfer to cells.
The benefits of physical activity
According to professionals, physical exercise improves metabolic control (type 1 and type 2 diabetes). With this, glucose is used by the muscles and eventually, the doses of drugs used by patients are reduced. “Mobility also helps prevent diabetes-related problems, such as changes to the retina, blood vessels, nerves, kidneys, and heart,” he adds.
Diabetic exercises
People with diabetes can choose any type of activity as long as their blood glucose is less than 250. However, having blisters on their feet is a barrier to doing some activities. In this case, it is not recommended to perform methods such as fighting or jumping. However, light exercise, such as cycling, or water sports, such as swimming or aqua aerobics, are also possible.
“Resistance methods, such as bodybuilding, are essential for people with diabetes mellitus, because it is an exercise that keeps blood glucose levels low for a long time, it is also necessary for the development of lean mass, and muscles are an excellent consumer of sugar”, adds the professor.
Exercise Tips to Prevent Diabetes
Walks
Doing this activity has the advantage of accelerating metabolism and improving blood circulation, avoiding the so-called “diabetic foot”. For sedentary people, the ideal is to walk about 20 minutes a day, at least 3 times a week, at a slow pace. As performance improves, gradually increase to 45 minutes per day, 5 times per week.
Task
Daily routines can be great physical exercise to lower blood sugar and burn calories. Any useful movement like cleaning, washing the dishes, sweeping the floor or washing the car.
Balance exercise to prevent diabetes.
Finally, diabetic neuropathy can interfere with walking and make it difficult for a person to balance. Over the years, it is normal to lose some ability to balance. Lack of sensation in the feet, for example, is a common condition for sufferers of this disease.
Therefore, it is important to practice balance exercises that help neutralize this problem. Try to balance on one foot near a step, performing a unilateral calf flexion movement (3 sets of 15 reps 45 seconds to 1½ minutes apart). Gradually increase the number of groups.
