{"id":46280,"date":"2021-11-12T09:30:19","date_gmt":"2021-11-12T14:30:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=46280"},"modified":"2021-11-15T14:51:41","modified_gmt":"2021-11-15T19:51:41","slug":"diabetes-and-exercise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/diabetes-and-exercise\/","title":{"rendered":"What you should know about exercising if you have diabetes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Diabetes, or diabetes mellitus, is a chronic health condition in which too much sugar remains in the bloodstream. When we eat, our food is broken down into sugar, or glucose, that is released into the bloodstream, triggering the pancreas to produce a hormone called insulin. Normally, insulin acts to help your body turn that glucose into energy. But when your body either doesn\u2019t make enough insulin or it has become insulin resistant, you can develop diabetes, meaning your body cannot effectively process and use sugar.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Although there is no cure for diabetes, <\/span>lifestyle changes<\/span><\/a> can go a long way in managing the disease and boosting your overall well-being. Along with maintaining a healthy body weight and eating a healthy diet, exercise is one of the most effective ways to keep your diabetes in control.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How does exercise affect diabetes?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Exercise can improve symptoms of diabetes in a couple ways by helping your body maintain healthy blood glucose control and cholesterol levels.<\/span><\/p>\n

Blood sugar<\/span><\/h3>\n

Physical activity increases your body\u2019s sensitivity to insulin, allowing your body to convert blood sugar to energy, <\/span>according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 Exercise also serves to control blood sugar levels, thereby decreasing your risk of heart disease as well as the nerve damage that can occur after long periods of elevated blood sugar levels. \u201cIf exercise could be bottled and sold [as a] treatment for diabetes, it would have a glucose-lowering effect that lasts for hours,\u201d says<\/span> Angela Ginn-Meadow, RD<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

A regular exercise program is of great importance to our overall health. Benefits include physical strength, balanced mood, weight regulation, and blood glucose control, says Minisha Sood, MD, a board-certified endocrinologist at Lenox Hill Hospital. \u201cExercise lowers glucose levels and leads to a better insulin response,\u201d Dr. Sood says. There are some exceptions to this, she says, but generally, controlling your weight through lifestyle modifications such as exercise lowers the risk of complications from diabetes. <\/span>Diabetes complications include<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n