Exercise, Exercise, Exercise

Endorphins are released as a result of exercise and these cause good feelings and relaxation for your body. The amount of exercise needed to release these endorphins has not been measured and very little attempt has been made to do this.

Even with this knowledge, many people just do not see the benefits of exercising and do nothing about exercise. And people that have had diabetes for a long time and have developed any complications take this as a sign they should not exercise.

Not so, according to Jacqueline Shahar, MEd, RCEP, CDE, a clinical exercise physiologist and manager of Exercise Services in the Joslin Clinic at Joslin Diabetes Center. Patients with diabetes complications should definitely continue to find appropriate opportunities for physical activity. In the Joslin’s Easy Start program many patients have significant diabetes complications and are able to exercise regularly and safely as part of their diabetes self-management plan.

She also explains that there is always some type of exercise people with complications can do. Not remaining active can lead to developing additional complications. Without some exercise people with diabetes can lose functional capacity (the ability to do the activities of daily living).

Take time to read the blog here where the different exercises for different complications is discussed. She covers the main complications and what can be done in spite of the complications.

After you have read that blog, another blog by Victoria Kron may also help make you want to exercise. She does have a brief discussion about why it is so hard for people to start an exercise routine or regimen. “It’s the execution of the intention that loses something in the translation” is her explanation.

The one factor that both authors and often myself tend to forget is the necessity to mention talking to your doctor for approval. The doctor may have suggestions or objections to how you exercise. Start out slowly, make sure it is something that fits within the guidelines of the first blog above if you have complications. What are you waiting for?

Depending on the level of exercise you are capable of, be sure to know the blood glucose levels that are safe for exercising and test to be sure you abide by these guidelines. Again your doctor should provide you with the guidelines.

Now that I have covered the more difficult parts, this article should also encourage you to take what you have learned and give you even more reasons to exercise. We are all used to being told that adults should do at least 150 minutes (five days at 30 minutes per day) of exercise per week and this has been a good thing.

Now a study done in Taiwan shows that 15 minutes per day can reduce the risk of death by 14 percent and increase life expectancy by three years. While the study is based on self reported results over an eight year period, it included more than 400,000 people. Fifteen minutes per day equates to 105 minutes per week.

This study should help convince people about the need for exercise. Also read this blog about the same study.