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DEL.ICIO.USFight 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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Comments
By Rosie
October 30, 2007 8:35 AM | Link to this
I have been a borderline diabetic for years, but have also been somewhat in denial for years. Recently, I got a new blood sugar monitor, after ignoring it for a year. When I began to monitor my sugars I was horrified at my numbers (towards the 300s). No wonder I felt so bad. My doctor added Actos to my glucophage regimen, but within 2 days I was so sick and felt like I was going to have a heart attack (chest pain, pain down my arm, migraine headache, etc.)….so I decided to knuckle down on this disease rather than use that drug. I read “Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution” and began following his plan, which includes (horrors!) a low carb diet. He is an older doctor with type I diabetes…his book is a fascinating journey into his own experience and practice with diabetes. I’ve tried the ADA diet, the low fat diets, etc., with very little success. Dr. Bernstein’s diet and plan got my numbers down immediately. I’ve been into the plan for 2 months now, have lost 24 pounds, my numbers are getting better and better and I feel so much better it’s scary! The science behind his plan is sound, and how can you disagree with success? I am learning how to deal with the restrictions of the diet, mostly because I am aware of the sensitivity of my body’s response to different foods because I test often and see how they affect my sugars. I have a lot more weight to lose, and I am adding exercise to my regime. My knees, hips, and joints are very damaged from years of abuse, so I have to be careful of how I go about it (example is that I can’t lift any weights with my legs because of bad knees, but I can bicycle which is much easier on them). I have a long way to go, but I figure if I want to have any quality of life in the next year or 20 years, I have to do this. For me and for those that I care for. Otherwise I’m going to be depressed and sick the rest of my days. Another note…it truly has pulled me out of a deep depression since I got my head on straight about this!
By Jack Bookout
October 31, 2007 11:07 AM | Link to this
I am not a doctor, but, I agree with you 100%. My doctor, Dr. Robert Miller of Jacksonville, Florida, who is an Indocrinologist told me, if I loose the weight I could probably get off The Avandia. We keep trying, don’t we? Jack
By Kelly
October 31, 2007 1:41 PM | Link to this
Good feedback Rosie and Jack. Keep working on it and you will achieve it. By the way, Rosie, you can lift weights even with bad knees. Working with people who have had ACL recon’s and knee replacements, it could be the best thing you do. You just have to make sure you do it in a controlled and structured manor. Look into getting witha personal trainer and/or see if you can get a prescription for physical therapy to teach you how.
Kelly