Move More - Help prevent diabetes or improve diabetes outcomes

November is Diabetes Awareness Month.  Being active is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but it’s particularly beneficial for people with diabetes or those who are at risk for type 2 diabetes.  Exercise can help prevent type 2 diabetes and can help avoid complications in people who already have diabetes.

Physical activity

• Makes your body more sensitive to insulin and burns glucose (calories).  This helps improve blood glucose.   
• Lowers blood pressure
• Raises good cholesterol (HDL) and lowers bad cholesterol (LDL)
• May help people with diabetes take less insulin by lowering blood glucose and weight
• Helps you sleep better
• Reduces risks for other health concerns such as heart attack, stroke, some cancers and bone loss.

Get Started Moving More

If you have health issues, you might want to talk with your doctor about activities best suited to your health concerns.  Once you get a green light, get going.  Remember that even little changes can make a big difference.  Ten minutes at a time is fine – studies show that even 10 minutes of physical activity can yield health benefits.

• Start slowly to prevent injury.  If you don’t normally walk much, set a goal to walk 10 minutes three times a week.  Increase the number of minutes each week, and add a couple of walking days.  Aim for 30 minutes of walking at least 5 days a week.
• Find something you enjoy – if you don’t like doing it, it’s easier to find reasons not to.  Walk with friends or neighbors, allow yourself to watch your favorite TV show only while doing walk pushups or stretches, dance or ride your bike.
• Find an activity partner or join a class – we’re better at being accountable when someone else is counting on us.  Try Club Ped from the American Diabetes Association for a free online walking support group and step tracker.
• Add more activity to your daily routine – take the stairs when you can, park further away at malls, get up to change the channel instead of using the remote, stand and stretch while you’re on the phone.

We often think that if we can’t do it all, it’s not worth doing anything.  The opposite is true when it comes to physical activity – anything you can do is better than nothing at all.  So get out there and Move More for your health.