E-newsletter for Patients - April 2008

A Day in the Life

Spring into exercise!

Physical activity is an integral part of your diabetes management. The American Diabetes Association recommends the following tips on starting a routine.

• Find out which activities will be safe for you from your health care team.
• Make detailed plans. Your activity should be challenging, but not overly difficult. Write down exactly what you want to do.
• Learn your blood glucose response to the exercise, and learn how to avoid lows when exercising.
• If you have high blood glucose (above 300) before exercising, it can go higher with physical activity. Be cautious.
• If low blood glucose is interfering with your routine, eating a snack before exercising, or adjusting medication, may help.
• Have water and snacks available.
• Wear a medical identification bracelet, necklace, or medical ID tag to protect yourself.
• Keep track of your progress.

Another good tip from someone who has diabetes is to make exercise a habit by scheduling it into your routine. You make time to eat and wouldn't miss a meal on purpose, would you? So, think of exercise in that way, too. Make time in your schedule on a regular basis (at least three times a week) and mark it as an appointment. Keep that appointment like you would make time for a meal. That way, exercise will become a habit for you.

Also, find something to do that you enjoy. Maybe that is a gym membership, but it doesn't have to be. There are many DVDs available that are 15 or 20 minute segments, and a short period of time is better than nothing. DVDs also offer variety, such as walking, kickboxing, pilates, yoga, low-impact cardio, stretching, working with weights, strength training, and step aerobics. Your local library offers exercise DVDs. On-line programs such as Netflix.com or Blockbuster.com also carry DVDs, and are free if you are a subscriber. On-demand from Comcast also features many 15- to 30-minute segments of a wide variety of exercise videos - all free with your standard cable subscription. If this sounds too complicated for you, just put on a pair of sneakers and get outside! Walk around the block or up and down the stairs - anything to keep active and stay healthy!

For more information, visit http://www.diabetes.org/weightloss-and-exercise/exercise/getting-started.jsp.