Posts Tagged ‘diabetes’
Type 2 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder. It happens when the cells of our body’s natural protection system, technically called the immune system turns hostile and targets the organ pancreas. It is this very organ which produces the hormone insulin and reduces the blood sugar level in the blood. Because of its nature, there is no cure for this disease and it can only be treated.
One of the techniques of treating this condition is to exercise and stay fit. This article tries to understand why it is important to exercise while suffering from diabetes.
Role of Fitness and Exercise in Managing Diabetes:
Exercise is well known to burn calories, which in turn helps in shedding excess fat and lose weight. There are several research studies which have confirmed that obesity can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Exercise can reduce the use of valuable insulin in the body of diabetic patients in natural ways.
It is proved by research studies that exercise helps in improving the insulin resistance experienced by these patients.
As the disease the demands extreme degree of change in daily life style, those who cannot cope with the demands end up being depressed.
Exercise naturally improves the mental health of the patients by lifting their self esteem damaged severely by either knowing about it or by suffering it through years.
Exercise reduces the levels of cholesterol in the blood and makes the pathways which carry oxygen rich blood to and from the heart clear. In this way, the risk of heart ailments is reduced. Diabetic people are at increased risk of developing heart diseases.
A strict fitness regime demands consumption of adequate quantities of water. This removes all the toxins from the body apart from pampering the kidneys. Failure of kidneys is a common long side-effect of being a diabetic.
Diabetes and care— there cannot be a better combination of words in the world of diabetes!
Your doctor may examine and advise you for some time on diabetes during your visits to his clinic or his visits to your residence. But you are your own doctor for 24 hours all through the months and years with diabetes. How many times a day do you contemplate about the word diabetes?
But don’t you despair. You can fight it out with proper care.
The two words that stand uppermost in diabetes care are diet and exercise! If you are disciplined in these two areas, half of your battle is won!
Be in the know that 50 to 60 percent of daily calories come from carbohydrates, 12 to 20 percent from proteins, and not more than 30 percent from fats.
As for diet, let the balance weigh heavily in favor of fruits, vegetables and lots of fiber. More intake of fiber will help you immensely. Give up your past habit of taking heavy meals. Take in small quantities, as and when you are hungry. Extremely high or low blood glucose levels need to be avoided. As for losing weight, “slow and steady wins the race.” You have already consulted your doctor, you strictly go by the norms given to you and you lose two pounds per week. Very good! That’s good progress.
Certain factors that contribute to the development of diabetes are
Heredity
Heredity is a major factor. That diabetes can be inherited has been known for centuries. However, the pattern of inheritance is not fully understood. Statistic indicates that those with a family history of the disease have a higher risk of developing diabetes than those without such a background. The risk factor is 25 to 33 percent more.
One reason why diabetes, especially type-2 diabetes runs in the family is because of the diabetes gene. But even it is caused by genetic factors beyond your control; there is no reason to suffer from it. Diabetes mellitus cannot be cured in full sense of the term, but it can be effectively controlled so that you would not know the difference.
Diet
Diabetes has been described by most medical scientists as a prosperity’ disease, primarily caused by systematic overeating. Not only is eating too much sugar and refined carbohydrates harmful, but proteins and fats, which are transformed into sugar, may also result in diabetes if taken in excess.