Guidelines For Type 1 Diabetes And Exercise - Health

If you have type 1 diabetes you are already aware that your condition requires you to manage your blood sugar levels by injecting yourself with insulin on a daily basis. However you may not be certain how to balance your training regimen with your insulin needs. This article will clarify the relationship between type 1 diabetes and exercise and will help you to achieve your goals while keeping your blood glucose levels stable.

Lets start with the many benefits of exercise:

Exercise lowers blood glucose levels during and after exercise thus aiding in stabilising blood glucose levels.

Exercise improves the body's sensitivity to insulin, thus allowing for less insulin to be required.

Exercise lowers blood pressure and lowers bad cholesterol thus reducing the risk of stroke or heart disease.

Increases strength, flexibility and bone health resulting in less fat and more lean body mass.

Aids weight loss and improves body composition.

Lowers stress levels and improves self-esteem, confidence and overall quality of life.

With type 1 diabetes and exercise, your training programme should ideally consist of:

Cardiovascular exercise, swimming, walking, cycling, dancing and running are good cardio exercises for type 1 diabetics. You should train for a minimum of three to four times a week of low to moderate intensity cardio for 30 to 60 minutes.

Type 1 diabetes and exercise

Strength/resistance exercise. Increasing your muscle mass will increase your metabolic rate and make you more toned. It is essential to discuss your strength training programme with your physician and trainer as some of these exercises can be dangerous for type 1 diabetics.

Type 1 diabetes and exercise

Stretching, Include stretching into your workout, this will aid in flexibility and will decrease stiffness as well as injuries.

Type 1 diabetes and exercise guidelines

If you have type 1 diabetes with complications then you should avoid heavy weight lifting especially If you have eye problems that developed as a complication of your diabetes, lifting heavy weights can put additional pressure on your eye's blood vessels.

If you have developed nerve damage as a result of your diabetes you should avoid high impact exercises like running or high impact aerobics and rather stick to low to moderate impact exercises like swimming to prevent injuring the blood vessels in the feet.

You may find that your training changes your insulin requirements. In the short term, the blood glucose lowering effect of exercise may result in your insulin dose needing to be reduced before or after exercise or at your bedtime dose. In the long term as your strength and fitness improves and your duration and your intensity of training changes, you may find that you need to alter your diet or insulin doses accordingly, to keep your blood glucose levels within the correct range and to prevent a hypoglycaemic episode. Discuss with your physician how to reduce your insulin dose safely.

Try where possible to exercise at the same time each day and preferably exercise in the morning rather than the evening, to prevent exercising during the peak of your insulin dose's activity.

It is advisable to wear a medi alert bracelet that identifies you with type 1 diabetes and exercise with a partner that is able to assist should you have a hypoglycaemic episode.

Consume extra fluids that do not contain sugar before, during and after your exercise session to stay hydrated.

Ensure good foot hygiene by wearing well-fitted shoes and absorbent cotton socks. Also check your feet regularly for any blisters or other sores and get them treated before they become more serious.

Hopefully you have come to the realisation that your diabetes needn't hold you back from you training goals as long as you pay close attention to your diet, training programme and insulin levels and you follow these type 1 diabetes and exercise tips.

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