Exercise helps more than just weight

By Laura Christensen

If you have diabetes, you may be aware of the three "arms" of
diabetes management: Nutrition, exercise and medications.
Independently, each arm helps with diabetes management, but together
they can have a cumulative effect on control of blood sugar and
prevention of the complications of diabetes.

The exercise arm can help contribute to weight loss, which is
generally recommended for those with diabetes and pre-diabetes who
are overweight. However, physical activity has been shown to have
more beneficial outcomes in diabetes management than weight-loss
alone. Regular activity can counteract many of the effects of
diabetes throughout the body, by improving insulin sensitivity,
reducing high blood pressure and reducing risk of heart disease.

Insulin sensitivity:


Glucose is a sugar that provides energy to all the cells in your
body. The food that you eat is a source of glucose that can be used
immediately or stored (in liver and muscle) for later use between
meals. Insulin is a hormone that is responsible for telling cells to
use and store glucose. With Type 2 diabetes, a person has become
resistant to insulin's blood sugar-lowering power, such that blood
sugar remains high after a meal and when it is released from the
liver between meals.

Numerous studies have shown that regular exercise helps to make
cells more sensitive to insulin so they can take up more glucose
from the blood. What's more, this sensitizing effect can last up to
48 hours. This means that regular bouts of exercise (about 30
minutes each day) can help people with diabetes retain better round-
the-clock control of their blood sugar. Other studies have shown
that the onset of diabetes can be delayed or even prevented by
regular physical activity.

Blood pressure

When blood sugar levels are high in the early stages of Type 2
diabetes, the pancreas responds by making more insulin. This extra
insulin causes blood pressure to increase, putting a person at risk
for damaging tiny vessels in the eyes, kidneys and other organs.
Exercise lowers blood pressure and may reduce the future chances of
developing high blood pressure by 30 percent to 50 percent. Having
lower blood pressure may also help prevent heart disease.

Heart disease

Heart disease is the leading cause of death among people with
diabetes. It is not unusual for people with diabetes to have high
blood triglycerides (blood "fat"), more dense LDLs ("bad"
cholesterol), and low HDLs ("good" cholesterol). This combination is
associated with increased risk of heart disease and plaque formation
in the arteries. Physical activity has been shown to decrease
triglycerides and LDLs and may increase HDLs, helping to reduce this
risk. Your heart also becomes stronger with physical activity —
after all, it is a muscle!

Muscle tissue

Not only does exercise give the heart a good workout, but it also
works many of the other major muscles in the body. This helps to
increase overall metabolism and strength. In the later years, it may
help to increase mobility and prevent bone-breaking falls.

Mental outlook

Many regular exercisers will tell you that regular physical activity
improves their mood. Some of the most common effects are less
depression and anxiety, more energy and more feelings of
accomplishment. When you have a positive outlook, it may help your
body to function better, too.

To reap the benefits of physical activity, you will need about 30
total minutes of movement each day. If you are short on time, you
can split the 30 minutes into two or three sessions, because
exercise can add up throughout the day.

Before beginning an exercise program, find out what will be safe for
you by talking to your doctor. You may need to start out slowly or
make adjustments to your diet or medications. It is a good idea to
check your blood sugar before and after your workout to get a good
idea about how it affects you.

For all people, exercise of any type has numerous benefits and can
contribute to a healthier life. For more information about diabetes
and physical activity, see www.diabetes.org.

This column was written by Laura Christensen, an OSU graduate
participating in the University of Northern Colorado dietetic
internship program. Laura is fulfilling program requirements at

The Corvallis Clinic with Registered Dietitian Carol Walsh.