Diabetes Cardiorespiratory Exercise

Cardiorespiratory exercise is also known as "cardio exercise" or "aerobics." It is the type of exercise that increases the heart rate, delivers more oxygen and blood flow to the working muscles, and allows the body to burn more calories. Cardiorespiratory exercise is advantageous for everyone, including diabetics. However, people with diabetes may need to take certain preventive measures when they do cardio workouts.

Cardiorespiratory Exercise Benefits for Diabetics

• Cardiorespiratory exercise makes the body burn energy and draw more glucose from the bloodstream to replace that energy, resulting in lower levels of blood sugar. In addition, it can also improve the cells' response to insulin and accordingly lower your need for diabetes medications. Don't assume, however, that you can reduce the quantity of your medications on your own. Your doctor needs to study your blood sugar log and see how consistently your fitness plan affects your blood sugar before he decides to lower the doses of your medications.

Choosing Appropriate Cardio Workouts

• Some diabetics may be able to run a marathon, dance all night long, or trek across the country. Strenuous exercise, nonetheless, is not for everyone. If you have other health problems associated with diabetes, you may have to choose one workout routine over another. For example, if you also suffer from heart disease, you should avoid all straining activities such as push-ups, mountain climbing, tennis and running. If you have high blood pressure, avoid weight-lifting and opt for moderate aerobic workouts such as jogging and biking instead. If you have diabetic neuropathy, stick with circulation-enhancing exercise like swimming and avoid hiking or other sports that put you in extreme temperatures. To make sure whether certain cardiorespiratory routines are proper for your condition, discuss with your doctor before starting a new fitness program.

Insulin Injection Before Exercising

• If you need a regular insulin injection, inject it into your abdomen instead of the parts of the body that will be used most during the exercise routine, even if hours beforehand. For example, if you are going to play tennis, don't inject insulin into your tennis arm. Or if you are going to jog, don't inject it into your leg. The reason is that the working muscles tend to absorb insulin more quickly, which can cause your blood sugar level to plunge faster than you expect and may lead to hypoglycemia.

Exercise Safety Tips for Diabetics

• Monitor your blood sugar before and after your exercise to avoid hypoglycemia. Always keep high-carb snacks or fruit juice at hand when you work out. Also make sure you drink some water before and during exercising. If you have diabetic neuropathy, wear high-quality sneakers with air or gel cushioning to protect your feet, and don't stand on sun-heated surfaces for too long. Diabetics' feet are very vulnerable. Hot surfaces can harm your feet even through the shoes.

Exercising in the Water

• Most diabetics are slow healers, so remember to wear water shoes or aqua socks while swimming in a sea or ocean to avoid foot injuries. Wearing aqua socks in a swimming pool can also help protect your feet from abrasive pool flooring or sharp objects that might have been dropped in there. After swimming, take a shower immediately to rinse the chlorine off your body. Chlorine can cause the skin to dry and crack, which makes it more susceptible to infection.