How to Conquer Your Diabetes with Diet & Exercise

Part of the reason I first became a personal trainer was because I wanted to make a difference in the lives of those who needed it. 10 years ago I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and came perilously close to losing my life in the days leading up to it. One of the things that I found hardest was that nobody was able to supply me with any great info to help me begin to deal with this new chapter in my life.

There were vague recommendations about exercise and eliminating sugar (which is a myth!) but I was essentially patched up and sent out into the world blind. A lot of trial and error brought me to the realization that exercise is the most fundamental weapon in the arsenal of any diabetic, be it type 1, 2 or gestational. This is the message I want to bring to others out there who might be struggling with their condition.

A positively structured, challenging & comprehensive exercise program can change the way you look at diabetes and how you can make it into a far more positive aspect of your life. I found that a low GI diet combined with weight lifting & cardio exercise 5-6 days a week made a huge impact on my insulin sensitivity and overall blood sugar control. My average levels went from 8-11mmol to an average these days of around 5.4mmol. This made a major difference to my outlook on my condition, I felt safe for the first time with it and felt that it was something that I was finally in charge of. It didn't have control of me! I know that many diabetics face a daily battle with their condition, but you can turn the tide of the war by following a few simple tips:

1) Forget about starches & sugars

The only thing you need to look at is the Glycemic Index (GI) & Glycemic Load (GL) of foods. This is a measure of how quickly a food is broken down and is processed to blood sugars. Something like potatoes has a high GI of around 70 while Pasta is on the low end of the scale at around 55. These low GI foods have a much more gentle effect on blood sugar and will help you to keep it in a much tighter range, which in turn means you might have to use less insulin! Try substituting the spuds for 60-70g of pasta and see the difference for yourself. For more information check out http://www.glycemicindex.com/

2) Exercise, exercise, exercise!

This is a truly key component if you want to succeed in truly controlling your blood sugar levels. A good mixture of cardio-respiritory and strength/conditioning exercise will work wonders. A typical workout for me might include 30-40 mins of cardio with a jump rope interspersed with some simple push-ups and pull-ups. I try to exercise on a an almost daily basis, with 1-2 days off per week for rest and recovery. I have always found this to be a great way of keeping my blood sugar in check (my levels these days stay in the 5.5-6.5 mmol/l range).

A few pointers- try to exercise when your circulating insulin levels are on the lower side (e.g 3-4 hours after your previous injection/ tablet). This is because exercise can sometimes cause your blood sugars to drop rapidly, causing hypoglycemia. Any diabetic will tell you that this isn't a pleasant feeling and is best avoided. Have some glucose/ dextrose tablets on hand just in case!

Secondly, ensure you test your blood sugar before and after exercise. This will help prevent low/ high blood sugars adversely affecting you training sessions. Establish your daily trends and make the adjustments you need.

3) Test, all day long...

Knowledge is power, you've heard that before right? Well, when it comes to diabetes there was never a truer word spoken. Testing of your blood sugar levels is vital if you want to maintain control of them. My own routine has me testing 5-7 times per day (depending on my activity levels). I always know the trends of my blood so I can then adjust my insulin levels accordingly. This really helps me avoid low and high sugars and overall keeps me feeling pretty good. If you only test sporadically you'll never be able to truly understand your body's reaction to your everyday routines. Control will always be just out of reach. So grab that glucometer and use it!

4) Know your enemy!

I don't like burying my head in the face of adversity. When I was first diagnosed with diabetes, after the initial shock, I got my hands on as much information as I could. I read books, I scoured the internet, I found other people who were dealing with the same condition. I did all I could to find out how my condition worked and what I could do to combat it. Sometimes that information can be hard to read. Getting to know the long term effects of diabetes- blindness, kidney disease, heart disease, death- its not exactly a list of spa treatments! But those possibilities have to be acknowledged and then used as motivators (shouts of "I'm going to make sure that doesn't happen to me!").

The more you know, the better prepared you will be for the lifelong battle you will have with this condition. In the end it will make this battle a hell of a lot easier!
So there you go, 4 simple tips to help you on the road to better blood sugar control that you can start today! Join my-personaltrainer.net today or Contact me if you want some help in tailoring this approach to your specific needs.

Enjoy your health.
Chris.