10 Tips to Keep Active as a Diabetic

According to the Ohio State University Fact Sheet, diabetes is listed on U.S. death certificates as the seventh leading cause of death. It can also lead to irreversible kidney disease, amputations of lower body extremities, and blindness. As a group, diabetics experience an increased risk of heart attack and flu complications that is two to four times higher than the risks associated with non-diabetics. Staying active is important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle even with the onset of diabetes.

Here are ten tips to help you keep active as a diabetic:

1)    Diet

Good health requires healthy eating, regular exercise, and sensible safety precautions. The combination is not a make-or-break recipe for enhanced living, but it comes closer than any other game plan. According to HelpGuide, a non-profit resource, weight control lowers blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. It is never too late to make a positive change in your eating habits.

2)    Exercise

People who have diabetes must be watchful for the changes exercise can generate within the body and upon the body. Your sensitivity to insulin may change. Your blood sugar may drop. You must learn to monitor your body, especially when exercising in extremely cold or hot conditions. You must also consider the risks of physical bruises. Even a short walk can result in injury due to the external pressure of your shoes against your feet and toes. Diabetic socks help, even when you are not exercising. Efficient exercise programs help prevent type 2 diabetes and lower your metabolic syndrome factors.

3)    Protective Clothing

Exercise can involve more than merely going through a set of physical routines. Perhaps you like working in the garden. If so, put on a wide-brimmed hat. It helps prevent bumps and cuts to the head. Other protective clothing ideas:

• Shin guards
• Kneepads
• Elbow pads
• Long-sleeved shirts
• Full-length coveralls
• Work gloves
• And diabetic socks.

4)    Exercise Checklist

Plan your activities. Start by consulting your doctor, and then admit to and abide by your known limitations. Your exercise checklist for diabetes should also include:

• Checking your blood sugar before and after exercising
• Wear proper shoes and diabetic socks
• Monitor your feet before and after for blisters or sores
• Engage in pre-exercise warm-ups and post-exercise cool-downs
• Keep fluids on hand and drink as needed
• Take a snack for emergency needs.

5)    Medication

Do you want to live longer? Follow your doctor’s instructions. Diabetes medicines lower blood sugar in various manners, including:

• Blocking stomach enzymes
• Inhibiting the liver’s production and release of glucose
• Stimulating the production and release of insulin from the pancreas
• And more.

Only you and your doctor can work out which is best for your condition.

6)    Acupuncture

According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), acupuncture therapy reveals some positive effects for diabetic patients with neuropathy. Advocators of acupuncture also report a direct link between therapy and weight loss.

7)    Biofeedback

Biofeedback focuses on pain awareness. By using positive imagery techniques, biofeedback can help diabetics and others reduce or eliminate some pain.

8)    Ginseng

This plant has gained a great reputation as a cure-all. Formal studies based on American strands of ginseng reveal the plants’ ability to lower glucose levels.

9)    Magnesium

Although the diabetes-related healing properties of magnesium have not been definitely established, it is believed that low magnesium can interrupt insulin secretion in the pancreas. Likewise, magnesium is thought to raise cell resistance to insulin.

10) Yoga

Yoga is an ancient form of meditation and healing. However, current studies seem to reveal a startling success rate when Yoga therapy is applied to diabetic patients.

A holistic health solution is not limited to eastern or western applications. The process involves an overall health plan that can and does combine dieting, mental health, nutrition, muscle building, fitness, yoga, and more into the best solution for your diabetic condition. Apply these ten tips in whatever manner best enables you to enjoy an active lifestyle.