In one of the previous articles, in which I overturned the myth that sport is contraindicated for people with diabetes, I mentioned that I will return to this topic. Why? If we have together concluded that physical activity is beneficial for diabetics, I think it is the right time to clarify which particular sports are beneficial and which should be avoided.
Certainly, the athlete with diabetes is a special one. No, diabetes is by no means an obstacle, but at the same time, there are certain peculiarities that should be taken into account in order not to cause more harm than good to your body.
I would like to start with a few points that you should pay attention to, regardless of the sport you intend to practice or the type of diabetes you suffer from.
First of all, as I mentioned in the previous article, the type, volume and intensity of physical activity should be agreed with your doctor.
Another key point in planning your physical activity is the schedule. Only after you learn how to properly plan your exercises and their volume, as well as learn how to combine them with your diet and medication, you will turn sport into an effective tool.
It should also be borne in mind that it is unacceptable to immediately start an intensive exercise program without prior training, this threatens with a sharp drop in blood sugar.
Also, keep in mind thatintense exercise should not be stopped suddenly, as blood sugar levels can rise sharply.
It is very important for diabetics on insulin to know that vigorous exercise can lower blood sugar levels. However, if you do not receive medication and follow a proper diet, physical activity is not dangerous for you.
Well, if I told you that exercise volume is an important factor, I must tell you how long it is recommended for diabetics to exercise.
The duration and intensity of exercise is determined depending on the severity of the disease:
- mild diabetes- 30-40 minutes;
- medium form of diabetes – 20-30 minutes;
- severe form of diabetes – up to 10-15 minutes.
After 5-10 minutes after completing the set of exercises, be sure to have a snack.
Which sports are useful and which are not?
Before talking about this, I would like to mention that in order to determine the volume and intensity of physical activity, it is necessary to consider factors such as the patient's age, the state of the cardiovascular system and the degree of compensation of carbohydrate metabolism.
Therefore, when talking about people with diabetes, 3 types of sports will be considered:
- Recommended: Nordic walking, running, ice skating and skiing, cycling, tennis, volleyball, basketball.
- Not contraindicated: aerobics, swimming – those sports that allow you to adjust the load depending on the person's condition and the degree of compensation of the disease.
- Prohibited: climbing, all kinds of weightlifting, power sports, marathon running, triathlon, extreme sports, any critical loads.
Diabetes patients benefit only from sports "for themselves", for the mood! Sports achievements and especially participation in competitions are too serious a burden, and for the nervous system too! Any stress can lead to a deterioration in your health condition, to an imbalance in the body.
Be calm, do sports and take care of your health!