Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that impairs the body’s ability to process sugar (glucose). This can occur because the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or because it cannot use the insulin that it does produce effectively. Over time, elevated glucose levels can damage blood vessels and nerves, leading to long-term health complications such as heart disease, kidney damage, and damage to the eyes and feet. More than 1.3million (1 in 20) Australians are living with some form of diabetes. Some signs and symptoms of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes can include any of the following: feeling more thirsty than usual, losing weight without trying, having blurry vision, feeling tired or weak, having cuts that might heal slower than usual, and/or urinating a lot.
Pre-Diabetes is a condition where an individual has elevated blood glucose levels however are not high enough to be diagnosed as Type 2 Diabetic. This condition doesn’t often have any signs or symptoms however does have many risk factors including obesity, smoking, heart disease, PCOS and high blood pressure. 5-10% of Australians who have Pre-Diabetes will go on to develop Type 2 Diabetes.
There are three main types of diabetes:
Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune condition where your blood glucose level is too high because your body can’t make a hormone called insulin, which controls blood glucose. This condition is most often developed during childhood but can develop at any age. Most often this condition is genetic and set off by environmental factors.
Type 2 Diabetes is a condition where the insulin your pancreas makes, cannot work properly, or your pancreas cannot make enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone that controls blood glucose levels. This condition often develops later in life and is the most common type of diabetes. This condition can be delayed or prevented with changes to diet and lifestyle.
Gestational Diabetes is a type of diabetes that starts during pregnancy. It occurs when your pregnancy hormones reduce your body’s ability to use glucose properly. This leads to higher-than-normal levels of sugar in your blood, which can be unhealthy for both you and your baby. Gestational Diabetes usually presents around week 24-28 of pregnancy and often disappears once your baby is born.
Gestational Diabetes increases the chance of developing Type 2 Diabetes later in life. Being overweight or having a family history of gestational diabetes are both risk factors for diagnosis.
How can exercise help your Type 2 Diabetes?
Regular exercise can assist to reduce the risk of developing diabetes in the future but can also help manage the condition once already diagnosed.
Exercise can help to increase the sensitivity of insulin and ensure it is working effectively. This is important to ensure glucose is reaching the muscles and creating energy. Exercise can also help to lower blood pressure, as well as reduce stress and anxiety and improve sleep.
Different types of exercise can have different benefits during management of diabetes. Resistance training can help increase muscle size, which means more movement of glucose around the body. This physiological response helps to lower blood glucose levels. Aerobic training (cardio) helps to maintain body weight whilst also keeping the heart and lungs healthy to prevent complications from occurring. A reduced bodyweight can also prevent other comorbid conditions from developing.
Exercise is extremely important for management of insulin and blood glucose levels. It is important to remember that although at risk of hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar) patients on insulin medications are also at risk of hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) when exercising as well. It is important to consult with a health professional before undertaking any exercise, so they can design and guide you through an appropriate and safe exercise program.
When starting out exercising it is important to monitor signs and symptoms throughout and check blood glucose levels at the start and end of the session. Signs and symptoms to watch out for include chest, abdominal, neck, jaw or arm pain or tightness, irregular heartbeat, feeling faint or dizzy, cramps or pain in the legs, and most importantly symptoms of low blood sugar. If any of these symptoms present, it is essential to gain advice from health professionals before continuing.
Health professionals such as Exercise Physiologists can assist in managing diabetes to ensure for a safe and effective treatment plan.