Staying Healthy with Diabetes: Physical Activity and Fitness

Physical activity is good for everyone, but it is especially important for a person with diabetes because it improves the body's ability to handle glucose. This book in Joslin's Staying Healthy with Diabetes Series explains how physical activity can lower your blood glucose by improving your body's ability to use both glucose and insulin. It also provides information about weight loss, managing highs and lows during physical activity, exercising when you have other physical limitations and how to avoid the road blocks to fitness. There are countless advantages that physical activity and fitness have to offer. For example: -It helps tone and strengthen muscles and helps the heart and lungs work more efficiently, which means more energy. -Physical activity is especially beneficial for people with diabetes, because it lowers blood glucose levels. -People who take diabetes pills often find they need less medication as they perform regular physical activity. The same is true for people who take insulin; the dose may need to be adjusted to prevent a low blood glucose. -Physical activity helps control your weight and tone your muscles, and is essential for maintaining weight loss. -Regular physical activity also helps prevent type 2 diabetes. Physical Activity & Fitness will tell you all you need to know about how to get the physical activity you need in a way that's easiest and safest for you.