Exercise and walking are excellent tools for controlling Type 2 diabetes and improving health for people with diabetes. Brisk walking workouts can help you maintain a steady blood sugar level and body weight if you have Type 2 diabetes.
Try to work your way to 10,000 steps per day or at least 30 minutes a day to cut your risk of type 2 diabetes. If you have trouble walking 30 minutes at a time, try walking in smaller amounts throughout the day, such as 10 minutes in the morning, afternoon, and evenings.
Research studies have shown that walking can be beneficial in bringing down blood glucose and therefore improving diabetes control.
Physical activity can lower your blood glucose up to 24 hours or more after your workout by making your body more sensitive to insulin. Become familiar with how your blood glucose responds to exercise. Checking your blood glucose level more often before and after exercise can help you see the benefits of activity.
When you have diabetes, moving more can make a huge difference to how you feel and how you manage your condition. So, whether you have type 1, type 2 or another type of diabetes, walking is a good way to get physically active and build movement into your daily routine.
Drink plenty of water
Drinking plenty of water helps your kidneys flush out excess sugar. One study found that people who drink more water lower their risk for developing high blood sugar levels. And remember, water is the best. Sugary drinks elevate blood sugar by raising it even more.
On average, walking dropped my blood sugar by approximately one mg/dl per minute. The largest drop I saw was 46 mg/dl in 20 minutes, more than two mg/dl per minute. Walking was also surprisingly effective: my blood sugar dropped in 83% of my tests.
Caution! Very strenuous activity, heavy lifting or straining and isometric exercise. Most moderate activity such as walking, moderate lifting, weight lifting with light weights and high repetitions, stretching.
Making positive lifestyle changes such as eating a well-balanced diet, exercising regularly and getting down to a healthy weight (and maintaining it) are the key to possibly reversing or managing type 2 diabetes.
Not everyone's blood sugar (glucose) tumbles as quickly as Jeff's, but there is plenty of research affirming that a healthy diet like the Pritikin Eating Plan combined with daily exercise can profoundly reduce blood sugar levels in just two to three week's time.
Brisk walking is the best walking workout to manage diabetes. If you are still in doubt, consult your doctor or healthcare provider to know the best physical activity for your body and the advantages of brisk walking for diabetic people.
Start Strength Training. If you're already walking more throughout the day, add in strength training too. In one study where sedentary overweight or obese adults over age 50 with prediabetes performed resistance training twice a week, 34 percent of participants had normal blood sugar levels after three months.
In general, the best time to exercise is one to three hours after eating, when your blood sugar level is likely to be higher. If you use insulin, it's important to test your blood sugar before exercising.
Eat at regular times, and don't skip meals. Choose foods lower in calories, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar, and salt. Track your food, drink, and physical activity. Drink water instead of juice or soda.
Going for a short walk after eating may help control your blood sugar. “Intermittent standing breaks throughout the day and after meals reduced glucose on average by 9.51% compared to prolonged sitting.
Just 2 minutes of walking after eating can help blood sugar, study says. Getting up and moving after you eat -- even if it's only for two minutes -- can help control blood sugar levels, a new study says. If you can't do that, try standing. It helps, too.
Ten thousand steps equates to about eight kilometres, or an hour and 40 minutes walking, depending on your stride length and walking speed.
Adrenaline Can Raise Blood Glucose (Blood Sugar) Levels
Using your muscles helps burn glucose and improves the way insulin works. That's why blood glucose levels usually come down during exercise. But you might see blood glucose go up after exercise, too.
If stress doesn't go away, it can keep your blood sugar levels high and put you at higher risk of diabetes complications. It can also affect your mood and how you look after yourself, which can start to affect your emotional health. But there are things you can do to take the pressure off.