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Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Fight Diabetes the Right Way, Part 1
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You may not know this, but November is National Diabetes Month. Though it does not get as much attention as other diseases, it should, especially considering the prevelance of it. If you have it you’re feeling the effects of decreased quality of life and a slow painful death.
In a world of traditional Western medicine, the medical and pharmaceutical companies are constantly on a search to find drugs to treat chronic diseases. Type II diabetes is no exception, especially considering the prevalence of it. Interestingly, there are ways to reverse the effects of diabetes without popping a pill. Knowing that I am fitness professional, I’m sure you may think that I am going to say- “exercise and eat right.” Well, there is a little more to it than that and most importantly, you need to know why doing the right things has positive effects on diabetes.
Before I go any further, I feel compelled to tell you that if you have or think you have diabetes, you need to see a medical professional. Preferably, you would see an endocrinologist. Any way you look at it, you will most likely need medication (like glucophage, etc.). Also, I need to remind you of the role of insulin in the body, which is to allow blood sugar to be extracted into the muscle and other tissues. It is also responsible in breaking down fat.
Okay the best way to treat Type II diabetes is yes, to “exercise and eat right.” As always you need to incorporate the synergistic effect of resistance training (weight lifting), cardiovascular exercise, and supportive nutrition if you want to beat diabetes. Every endocrinologist I have known concurs. Here is the first reason why:
The Insulin Effect of Exercise- When you exercise (with weights and with cardiovascular training), your muscles do a very unique thing. It starts to extract blood sugar without the use of insulin. More interestingly, the body will begin to release glucose (blood sugar) from the liver to balance things out. (That’s a really good thing isn’t it?)
Even better, when you lift weights and increase your muscle tone, your muscle will extract even more blood sugar even at rest. Studies show, that many Type II diabetics are able to decrease the amount of diabetic medication as a result of exercise. There are even some reports that when caught early, diabetes can solely be treated with exercise and eating right. This can prevent you from taking med’s and can possibly create physical changes in the body that makes your insulin regulation normal again.
Are you a diabetic who has changed your lifestyle and exercise habits? Share your experiences.
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