If you’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you’ve probably been advised to start taking exercise more seriously. Physical activity has many benefits, especially for those over 50. And regular exercise appears to have a profound effect on diabetes management, even in older people, recent studies have shown.
Age-related changes that occur in the body, such as reduced muscle mass and different metabolic regulation that facilitate weight gain, are challenging enough even when you don’t have diabetes, but they can be especially challenging if you have the condition.
When starting any exercise program, consult your endocrinologist to discuss safe ways to exercise without significant fluctuations in your blood sugar levels. If it seems difficult to choose from the multitude of exercises you could do, consider the following three options, especially for their benefits in managing type 2 diabetes:
Aerobic exercises
Why do it: Aerobic exercise improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system in several ways, including better delivery of oxygen throughout the body, improved blood flow and reduced inflammation. All of these can help lower the risk of heart problems for people with type 2 diabetes. One of its most serious complications is diabetic cardiomyopathy, which occurs when the disease negatively affects cardiovascular function. According to studies published in Frontiers in Endocrinology, aerobic exercise not only reduces the risk of developing this complication, but can also help to solve this problem in the early stages and prevent it from turning into heart failure in the later stages.
Cardio exercise can also help prevent circulation problems, another significant complication that people with type 2 diabetes can face. That’s because high blood glucose levels cause fatty deposits to build up inside the blood vessels. , and the inflammation associated with diabetes can exacerbate this effect. This leads to problems such as numbness in the hands and feet, as well as slow wound healing. Also, as you do aerobic exercise more often, your body becomes more efficient at processing glucose and insulin sensitivity increases.
How to do them: The good news is that you’re probably already doing at least some aerobic activity. Every time you walk, dance or ride a bike, you are doing cardio. Other options include swimming, kayaking, canoeing, skipping rope, hiking and running. Even classic gymnastics exercises such as jumping jacks are considered cardio exercises.
Strength training
Why do it: Diabetes is an independent risk factor for decreased muscle strength as well as overall decline in muscle function. When you add age-related changes to the equation, strength training becomes even more important if you have type 2 diabetes and are over 50. That’s because strength training improves body composition (by increasing muscle mass), bone mineral density, blood pressure, cardiovascular health, insulin sensitivity, and mental health.
For older adults with the condition, strength training can also provide a boost to joint support and stability, an important advantage given that the disease comes with an increased risk of various bone and joint problems. according to the Mayo Clinic.
How to do it: Also known as resistance training, strength training can be done with free weights – such as dumbbells or barbells – as well as muscle-group-specific machines at the gym, resistance bands and even body weight , if you don’t have equipment.
Yoga
Why do it: Two issues that tend to worsen the symptoms of type 2 diabetes are chronic stress and sleep problems. Both tend to disrupt hormone regulation and cause inflammation, which can make the disease more difficult to manage.
A mind-body exercise like yoga focuses on pairing breath with movement and has been shown to influence stress reduction and therefore help with blood sugar control.
How to do it: Try taking a beginner’s yoga class so a certified instructor can supervise the workout and help make safe changes to positions you might be uncomfortable with. There are also numerous yoga classes available online and through apps.
Foto: Shutterstock
2023-12-15 16:21:32
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