Regulation of glucose levels is a crucial part of caring for many nursing home patients.  In addition to diet, exercise can also help in regulating blood sugar.  Here are some great tips from Su Rollins.  Thanks Su!

What effect does exercise have on glucose levels?

When exercising, muscles use glucose for energy. At first, the body uses glucose converted from glycogen in the muscles. Then, glucose is taken from the bloodstream. During prolonged exercise, in order prevent blood glucose levels from becoming too low, glucagon and additional hormones are released. These hormones trigger the breakdown of stored fat into components the liver can convert into more glucose. With frequent and regular exercise, the body’s sensitivity to insulin improves and better glycemic control is developed.

Why is the effect of exercise on glucose levels important to those with type 2 diabetes?

Exercise indeed has a good effect on a patient’s glucose level. This is good news for people who have type 2 diabetes. A lot of research indicates that patients of diabetes gain more control over their glycemic as soon as they get used to a regular exercise program. On the other hand, people who do not engage in exercise find no improvement on their glycemic control. Since exercise improves your insulin sensitivity, you will also need less medicines in order to control the levels of your blood sugar.

Should patients with type 2 diabetes exercise more often or differently than otherwise healthy people?

Experts recommend that people who have type 2 diabetes should exercise around two and a half hours (usually only moderate aerobic activity) three days a week. Alternately, they could also do only vigorous aerobic activity for ninety minutes

What type of exercise is best for type 2 diabetes patients?

When it comes to exercise, the kind of exercise that is used is not as important compared to the frequency of the exercise. There are also some studies showing that if you participate in both weight training and aerobic activity, you get even more benefits as a result.

When should patients be discouraged from exercising?

Of course, sometimes patients should not engage in vigorous exercise especially when they have cardiac conditions or they are more prone to developing injuries as a result. It is better if they start of slow and get used to a light intensity program instead.

How might a patient be encouraged to exercise?

You can encourage patients to exercise slowly and surely until they adapt to it.

About the Author - Su Rollins writes for hypoglycemia diet and reactive hypoglycemic diet, her personal hobby blog focused on tips to prevent and cure hypoglycemia using the right diet and nutrition.