Feb 27, 2011

How exercise can act as insulin in type 2 diabetes


Insulin is an important component of everyone's bodies, but for some the importance is far greater than for others. That's because, due to a combination of their weight, level of exercise, and family history, some people do not process insulin in the right manner. This can lead to other problems, the most common of which is diabetes. But did you know that exercise can give you the same results as insulin?

In order to understand the dynamics, you first have to understand what it is and its importance. Insulin is a hormone that works to regulate levels of a simple sugar called glucose. Produced in the pancreas, insulin provides the body's energy throughout the day. Since glucose comes from the foods we eat, then why is it that we don't suffer from shortages between meals? That's why insulin is so important.

Insulin attaches to your cells and allows the cells to burn the stored energy from food. Without insulin the energy in the glucose cannot be accessed. So the overall key is to control the proper flow of insulin. Not only does exercise accomplish that, but it does it quite well.

Exercise is not only good for your heart and cardiovascular system but it does an amazing job of regulating your body's level of insulin. Exercise causes blood sugar levels to lower which in turn regulates the release of insulin from the pancreas. By controlling your body's insulin level it isn't allowed to dip and there is no need for additional insulin to be introduced into the body in the form of shots.

It is important to specify your body becomes more sensitive to insulin during exercise. That means for those who have sensitivity it is vital that they monitor their levels throughout their workout. By over extending yourself you risk decreasing your blood sugar levels too far. That is why moderation is the key.

While moderate exercise is good, rigorous exercise can lead to complications. Too much vigorous exercise can cause epinephrine to be released, which leads to elevated blood sugar levels. If corrections aren't made the person could go into a coma.

The best type of exercise for these diabetics is aerobics. That's because sudden bursts of energy are not required to perform this type of exercise and at the same time it increases the body's cardio strength. It involves a slow, steady burn of energy that is not taxing on the system. And by improving the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems of the body you increase the efficiency of how it burns and stores fuel.

As you can see exercise is just as important as diet and in some cases as important as drugs in managing Type 2 diabetes [...]

(Ezine Articles)
Photo: News Pulse Today.
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