“The hidden pandemic” is what many specialists call the development of diabetes cases. More and more people are suffering from type 2 diabetes.
To counteract this, there is a remedy that does not require a prescription and is not expensive: exercise. However, it is often neglected.
A sports scientist and diabetes specialist from Germany explains how movement and exercise can help people with diabetes.
What is type 2 diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is a disease in which blood sugar or glucose levels are too high. In this form of diabetes, the body’s cells do not react well to insulin. This hormone causes sugar from food to reach the body’s cells, where it is then metabolized.
When this mechanism does not work properly, glucose remains in the blood, and blood sugar levels rise. In the long term, this can damage nerves and blood vessels. Type 2 diabetes is caused by a genetic predisposition, but also by an unhealthy lifestyle.
Therapies usually do not include enough exercise.
Of course, there are medications that can help people with diabetes to lower their blood sugar levels. However, the basis of any diabetes treatment is a healthy lifestyle. The mainstay of treatment should therefore be movement or physical exercise.
However, “it is prescribed by doctors less than necessary,” warns German diabetologist Ulrike Becker, who is a member of the Society for Diabetes, Sport and Movement of the DDG. She says that the simple advice “move more” is not enough for most people.
Becker compares this to drug treatment: Patients are not asked to research diabetes medications themselves, choose the best one for them from the available medications, and take it as directed on the Internet. So why aren’t they given clearer guidelines about which sports or activities can help their diabetes?
Four reasons to do more sports
The diabetologist explains what effect exercise has on blood sugar levels. Four factors play a role in this:
- “Working your muscles makes insulin work better,” Becker says.
- With moderate exercise, the body burns carbohydrates, which reduces blood sugar levels and prevents sugar from being stored in the liver and fatty tissues, from where it should then be eliminated.
- Exercise helps keep the pounds at bay, which in turn allows insulin to work better.
- Those who develop more muscle also consume more calories at rest, which is good for blood sugar levels and weight.
Even small changes can make a difference
Professor Christine Joisten from the German Sport University in Cologne believes that exercise – incorporated into a healthy lifestyle – is the decisive factor in counteracting type 2 diabetes. “Exercise is medicine,” says the director of the Department of Physical Activity and Health Promotion.
He explains that this doesn’t mean running marathons or lifting weights. Even small changes can make a big difference.
Therefore, the best strategy is not to aim to walk 10,000 steps a day from now on, as this plan will most likely fail within three days, resulting in nothing but frustration. Instead, you can try to walk 1,000 to 2,000 steps more than you have been doing so far in the next few weeks.
Another important tip: to be able to maintain physical activity, it has to be fun. Therefore, you have to try different things until you find the right activity.
Joisten also recommends being kinder to yourself when it comes to sports. “When you learn a language, you don’t expect to master it in two weeks. Why should it be any different with exercise?” says the vice president of the German Society for Sports Medicine and Prevention.
How to be successful in sports
What should people with type 2 diabetes consider when starting to exercise? This depends on what they want to do, says Joisten. “Increasing daily activity, walking more steps, these things are always possible,” she says.
Anyone who wants to become more physically active should discuss their plans with their doctor. For women over 50 and men over 40, or if there is a family history of cardiovascular disease, a stress electrocardiogram is recommended before starting. People with high blood pressure – often a concomitant disease of diabetes – should refrain from overly strenuous exercise.
So, what sport is right for people with diabetes? “It doesn’t matter,” says Joisten. “The important thing is that you like it,” he warns.
Those who don’t feel like going to the pool or going out for a bike ride can also try an online course. The internet offers everything from dance choreography to pilates. According to the sports science specialist, these courses are useful for trying out what suits you best and for overcoming initial fears about exercise. However, she believes that in the long term, it is better to do sports with a professional who can show you the correct ways to exercise.
Diabetologist Becker recommends being open to new options. “It doesn’t always have to be Nordic walking or aqua gym,” she says. You can also go climbing or trampolining. However, it is important to know that if your eyes already suffer from retinopathy due to diabetes, this may not be the ideal sport.
If you are very overweight, it is not advisable to do activities that put too much stress on your knees. In these cases, yoga or tai chi may be better, but also less common sports such as ultimate frisbee or walking football (wabol).
Geocaching, which involves finding “treasures” using a GPS, can be an option for people who are bored of going for walks. In addition, there are specific rehabilitation groups for people with diabetes that can be prescribed by the doctor. Ultimately, the ideal recommendation, according to Becker, is “to do the sport that you end up doing.”