How Diabetes effects blood sugar….
I am part way through the Level 3 Diploma in Supporting Clients with Long Term Conditions formally known as the GP Exercise Referral course and I am learning so much.
A long term health condition is defined as…“One that cannot currently be cured but can be controlled with the use of medication and/or other therapies” The Department of Health (2010)
To test my understanding of some of the conditions, I am sharing them with you in my blog.
Today I want to share information about Diabetes and how to manage it.
✨ What is it…?
When we eat, food is broken down into Glucose which enters the bloodstream. Insulin is then released so that our body can use the Glucose for energy when we need it. Insulin also signals the liver to store Glucose to be used for later.
Without adequate Insulin, our cells are starved of energy which causes severe issues in the body if Insulin is not managed.
There are 2 different types of Diabetes.
Type 1 – Effecting 8% of the UK population (Diabetes UK 2019)
The body produces little or no insulin.
Type 2 – Effecting 90% of the UK population (Diabetes UK 2019)
The body’s receptors are unable to respond to Insulin effectively.
If Diabetes is not properly managed, it can lead to issues such as heart failure, strokes, foot ulcers, amputation of lower limbs, visual impairment and blindness.
✨ Who is at risk….?
There is no known cause for Type 1 Diabetes but genetics and environmental factors have been shown to be a possible contributing factor.
There are several contributory factors for who is at risk of Type 2 diabetes:
Being overweight
Weight being held around the waist – Over 40” for men and over 35” for women
Family history
Race- Black, Hispanic, American Indian, and Asian-American are at a higher risk then white people
Over the age of 45
Pregnancy – usually between 24-28 weeks
Polycystic Ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
✨ What can you do….?
Type 1 – Medication and light regular exercise.
Type 2– Medication and lifestyle changes such as weight loss, exercise, healthy diet are recommended to keep blood sugar levels stable.
Cardiovascular exercise is recommended to be at a lower intensity such as swimming and cycling to reduce the risk of Hypoglycaemia (low sugar) and having a fast acting carbohydrate snack to hand is advised i.e biscuit/sports drink.
Light weight training and balance exercises are recommended to keep the muscles and bones strong.
Diet – Follow the EatWell Guide.
As diabetes can effect the nerves which can lead to numbing in the lower legs, it is important to wear comfortable footwear and to maintain good footcare to avoid rubbing which can lead to ulcers.
Before, during and after exercise is it advised that you have your insulin medication, a fast acting carbohydrate snack (biscuit/chocolate), water and glucose monitor.
✨ Exercise you can do and precautions to take…
As mentioned above, Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) is a risk factor for people with diabetes and it is something that can occur during exercise if precautions are not taken.
Avoid exercising before bed, it is important that you have time to eating hydrate after exercise to stabilise your blood sugar levels.
Avoid isometric exercises – Any holds such as planks, wall sits should be avoided.
Avoid heavy weight lifting
Avoid vigorous cardio – Exercise where you are at a level where you can’t speak.
All of these factors can have an impact on our blood sugar levels.
To make some positive changes which will help to manage Diabetes, you can implement some small healthy habits using the tracker.
Let me know if you found this useful.
I would love to hear whether you will use the Healthy Habits Tracker. You can this whether you have Diabetes or whether you just want to make improvements to your overall health.