If you are a regular
reader of this Blog then I am preaching to the converted.
However, I would like
you to give this short but important video to your friends and family who you
know are not getting enough physical activity in their lives.
For investment of just
22-30 minutes per day (which adds up to just over 150 hours per week) you can
keep away from the World's number one preventable killer, lack of
Cardio-Respiratory Fitness.
Which is statistically the strongest predictor of
premature death.
In addition, if you are more physically active, then your likelihood of having of of the other top 5 diseases also decreases, so it is win/win.
Now this physical
activity does not even have to be done in one go!
Three lots of 10 mins,
morning, lunch and evening.
We call this "snacking on exercise."
Even if you get your 30 mins of activity, it is still unwise to be in the same position for too long.
Sitting disease
includes watching a screen for 5 or more hours daily.
Who doesn't use a computer for work these days?
Why not try a standing desk and alternate positions every 30 mins?
Your challenge is:
Can you limit your
sleeping and sitting to just 23.5 hours day?
There are several
potential risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes. Some of these are
controllable, such as regulating your body weight, whereas others are factors
outside your influence, such as aging. One very important risk factor that is
most definitely manageable and influential is physical activity. Exercise (or
physical activity with a goal - in this case to improve your health), is not
only helpful in preventing high blood sugar levels and Type 2 diabetes, but
also plays an active role in the management of the disease.
Diabetes is considered
a dysfunction in the carbohydrate metabolizing systems in the body,
characterized by glycosuria and especially hyperglycemia. This is due to the
insufficient production or utilization of insulin, a hormone responsible for
the uptake of carbohydrate into your body tissues. In the case of Type 2
diabetes, there is a dysfunction in the regular usage of insulin due to insulin
resistance.
What is the importance
of exercise in this context?
Examining the benefits
of exercise in your body from a physical and mental health perspective, could
be a lengthy report on its own. Specifically, in the case of Type 2 diabetes,
exercise is a mediator for blood sugar levels in the cardiovascular system.
Physical activity plays a key role in...
managing your blood
sugar when required to avoid hyperglycemia, and
direct the intake of
glucose throughout your body tissues to prevent hyperglycemia and its
potentially harmful effects.
Exercise causes a very
similar effect in your body's tissues when compared to insulin. Glucose
transporters that direct the uptake of blood sugar into tissues can be found on
muscle cell membranes. These transporters are activated by insulin, although
not exclusively. Physical activity relays signals throughout the central
nervous system and also activates these transporters and brings about the
intake of glucose into your muscle cells to provide for the skeletal muscle
energy demands for muscular contractions. This effect is sustained after a bout
of exercise where glycogen stores in the muscle are depleted and the tissues
will continue to take in sugar to restore its reserves.
Not only will
exercising reduce blood sugar levels and control the harmful effects of
hyperglycemia, it will lower insulin resistance in your body through adaption.
It increases the efficiency of the working insulin in your blood stream. Less
injectable insulin or oral anti-diabetic medications will be necessary to
control your blood sugar, and the timing and activation of the hormone itself
will also improve.
This is a long-term benefit
that will assist in the maintenance of Type 2 diabetes with obvious immediate
benefits as well. The best part about this is, in general, any type of exercise
is beneficial whether it be some form of cardio or resistance training program.
Although managing your
disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must
just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower
both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do
it, the easier it gets.
For nearly 25 years
Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you
build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about
some of those secrets.
The answer isn't in the
endless volumes of available information but in yourself.
