IDEA21(국제 당뇨병 교육 협회) : 당뇨란



		Understanding of Exercise When you start Exercise [ Understanding of Exercise ] A diabetic patient can have lots of advantages from exercise such as tennis, skiing, and swimming by controlling body weight, preventing heart disease, lowering blood glucose level, and increasing the effectiveness of insulin. Yet, most Americans are not into physical exercise and less than 15% of the adult population follow the international guidelines of daily exercise. For example, 15% of the adult population who follow the guidelines regularly does 20-60 minutes of aerobics for 3-5 days a week, as well as strength-training exercises such as sit-ups, push-ups, and weight lifting at least twice a week. Another 40% of the population exercises but not on a regular basis. The rest(45%) of the people do not exercise at all. The couch-potato life style can be an obstacle for staying healthy, particularly for diabetic patients. Recent study shows that doing hard exercise once in a while is no better than doing nothing at all. [ When you start Exercise ] 1. Choice of Exercise: The activity has to be something good as well as something we need. We have to consider the undesirable factors, such as the cost of equipment and the location. For example, when there is a waiting line for the tennis courts, you do not want to go there as much, or walking can be a great form of exercise in the spring but not in the cold winter. When it gets really cold outside, you can change your routine to indoor exercise. 2. Planning of Exercise: Doing the regular exercise should be a part of your daily routine. When you make a exercise plan, it is better to consider time, duration, and date in advance -usually a week ahead. The plan has to be realistic and should be considered like any other important appointment. If it is possible, it is good to start exercising 30-60 minutes after a meal because that is when blood glucose levels begin to increase. With an empty stomach, it is ideal to have a light snack 30 minutes before you start your exercise. It is also advisable to carry a light snack or sugar pill with you all the time to respond to hypoglycemia(low blood glucose). 3. Duration of Exercise: Do not try to do a lots of exercise all at once. It should not be too stressful, both physically and mentally. Discuss with your doctor about strength and duration of the exercise. If you want to increase the duration of exercise, you have to be very careful because sudden increase can do more harm than good. So it is wise to increase exercise gradually, such as 10% more of what you did from the previous week. 4. Type of Exercise: Needless to say, exercise requires effort. Try not to put too much energy from the beginning. If you feel too tired after the exercise, you may overexert yourself and jeopardize your health as a diabetic. Try to control the muscle tension and breathing. If you feel too much muscle pain or difficulty in breathing, choose lighter exercise or shorten the duration of exercise. You don't have to take the medical bracelet off when you are exercising. 5. Records: The date of exercise, time, duration, and glucose level can be recorded. Looking at your improvement on record increases self-esteem and encourages you to do better. Keeping a record can also help you measure the effect of exercise on your blood glucose level and calculate new insulin dosages. 6. Before and After doing exercise: Whatever the exercise, you must warm up first before you start. If you chose walking as your exercise, start with slow walking, then pace up, and finish it by walking slowly again. Remember to drink water during the exercise so you don't become dehydrated. 7. Let's start today: Don't expect the improvement overnight. It usually takes anywhere from 6 month to one year to see a difference. You may start feeling better even after a few tries and it can be a part of daily activities. Exercise is good for you and you will like it. Come on up and start it today, you won't regret it!