Exercise 4 Diabetes
People with diabetes are encouraged to exercise regularly. The reason for this is that muscles which are working use more glucose than those that are resting. Muscle movement leads to greater sugar uptake by muscle cells and lower blood sugar levels.
Benefits of Exercise for Diabetes:
- Improves blood glucose control
- Decreases body fat percentage
- Increases fitness of the heart and lungs
- Minimises risk of developing comorbidities such as heart, kidney and eye disease
- Reduced need for medication
- Maintains muscle mass in older people to enhance physical function and independence
- Lowers cholesterol and blood pressure
- Reduces stress
Research shows that combining both aerobic and resistance training is more beneficial on blood glucose levels in people with diabetes than one type of exercise alone. Aerobic exercise (e.g. walking or running) increases heart and lung fitness, while resistance training (e.g. lifting weights) can maintain and increase muscle and bone strength.
For overweight people with Type 2 Diabetes, weight loss will reduce joint pain and discomfort when exercising, and encourage continued exercise.
4 Life Exercise Physiology is registered with Medicare for the provision of Diabetes Programs. Please either speak to your GP regarding a Medicare EPC referral or call us on 95835200 for more information.
Click Here to download referral form
