Can exercise cure diabetes? This is a question which is often asked by people. Unfortunately, there is no cure for diabetes. There is a way, however, to manage this disease so patients can live a normal life. The key is exercise. Exercise can play a vital role in keeping the disease under control.
Exercise Stabilizes Blood Sugar Levels
During exercise, the muscles absorb glucose for energy. This causes a lowering of the blood glucose (sugar) levels. The reduction of glucose levels creates a natural treatment for diabetes. It is important to note that exercise that is too strenuous may have the opposite affect of increasing blood glucose levels, which can be harmful to diabetics. The key is to find the type of exercise that will work best for the patient and to do this exercise at levels that are not harmful.
Lower Rate of Cardiovascular Disease
Studies have shown that exercise has a positive impact on blood pressure, cholesterol, and glycemia. This significantly reduces the risks of cardiovascular disease, which leads to the death of many diabetic patients. So, although exercise cannot really cure diabetes, it can definitely prevent some life threatening symptoms in diabetic patients.
Weight Loss
Exercise also helps in the reduction of body fat. This is important for individuals that suffer from type 2 diabetes, which is characterized by a reduction in the sensitivity to insulin. Weight loss has a proven effect of increasing insulin sensitivity and improving the efficiency of insulin production in the body. Reversing problems with insulin sensitivity may be as close as we can get with regard to a cure for type 2 diabetes. Many overweight people originally diagnosed with type 2 diabetes no longer experience diabetic symptoms once they shed the excess pounds.
An Improved Sense of Well-Being
The psychological benefits of exercise also have a profound impact on diabetics. The endorphins released by exercise create an improved sense of well-being. This increasingly positive outlook is accompanied by a desire to work toward a better physical, mental, and emotional state. The result is a stronger commitment to engaging in the daily habits that are necessary to gain control over this disease and manage its symptoms. Patients begin to eat better, feel better, look better, and live better. This doesn’t imply that exercise is a cure for diabetes but it definitely illustrates how exercise can have the power to bring about a newer and brighter phase in the patient’s life.
Diabetics Can Benefit from a Variety of Exercises
Exercises that improve cardiovascular health are ideal for diabetic patients. These include walking, swimming, cycling, jogging, roller blading, etc. Walking is recommended more than any other exercise because it is not too strenuous and can be done for a longer duration without exhausting the patient. Strength Training is also great for those suffering from diabetes because it will aid in the burning of fat and building of lean muscle mass, which is necessary for controlling insulin sensitivity. Additionally, yoga, pilates, tai chi, qi gong and other types of mind/body/spirit disciplines will also help tremendously with managing diabetes.
Conclusion
So for anyone posing the question “can exercise cure diabetes?”, it is important to understand that exercise can only help you manage the disease. Nevertheless, management of the disease may lead to the complete elimination of all known symptoms of diabetes. This is as close to a cure as anyone can get. If you suffer from diabetes, you should begin incorporating exercise into your lifestyle as soon as possible. Start by determining which exercise regimen will be the most enjoyable for you, as well as help you to meet your goals in the safest way possible. Be sure to consult a physician before starting any exercise program. Furthermore, monitoring your blood sugar levels before and after exercising is a must. You need to educate yourself on how to determine when it is safe for you to exercise so you do not put yourself in any danger.
