Diabetes and Exercise
Exercise is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself. That’s because physical activity helps your body more effectively use your blood sugar – not just during your workout, but for several hours after.
Blood sugar (or glucose) is a fuel that the body uses for activity. When your muscles work hard, they call upon the glucose in your blood for energy. This happens during and after exercise. How hard you exercise and how long you exercise affects the amount of glucose in your system. Exercise encourages the body to transfer sugar to where it’s supposed to go – your cells – rather than lingering in the blood. In overweight people, exercise may help the body learn to reverse some of its resistance to insulin, meaning cells are better able to recognize and use insulin.
But exercise alone does not do the trick. Glucose needs insulin, which helps unlock the doors to the cells so that the sugar can enter and be used for energy. If you don’t have enough insulin available, your blood sugar levels may actually increase after exercise. Remember, your body is suddenly working harder and is pouring sugar into the bloodstream to keep up with the demand. If not enough insulin is available to unlock the doors to the cells, then the sugar can back up into your bloodstream.
If your diabetes is well controlled, you shouldn’t have problems with exercising. Exercise helps you maintain good blood sugar numbers on a regular basis.