Diabetes and Exercise - natural bedfellows!

[tim2000s]

Having seen reference in yet another topic to diabetes and exercise not being natural bedfellows, I do wonder sometimes what world people live in.

As a T1 since the age of 13, I've always been active, whether running around with friends as a child, cycling tours (90 miles a day as a teenager), playing sports, winning national competitions,running sub-two hour half marathons, etc.

Why is there almost a common view that having diabetes means that you have to be scared of participating in sports or exercise? Hypos are not something to be afraid of. They are a fact of life that can be easily managed, as long as you are not hypo-unaware. Hypo management is straightforward, and even easy.

Maybe I'm just a bit more blasé about it than many, but I've always thought that, and was always encouraged by medical teams (and the BDA back in the day) that, exercise is just another part of life and something that everyone should be doing, especially those with diabetes. Am I missing something?

 

[Baruney]

Having seen reference in yet another topic to diabetes and exercise not being natural bedfellows, I do wonder sometimes what world people live in.

As a T1 since the age of 13, I've always been active, whether running around with friends as a child, cycling tours (90 miles a day as a teenager), playing sports, winning national competitions,running sub-two hour half marathons, etc.

Why is there almost a common view that having diabetes means that you have to be scared of participating in sports or exercise? Hypos are not something to be afraid of. They are a fact of life that can be easily managed, as long as you are not hypo-unaware. Hypo management is straightforward, and even easy.

Maybe I'm just a bit more blasé about it than many, but I've always thought that, and was always encouraged by medical teams (and the BDA back in the day) that, exercise is just another part of life and something that everyone should be doing, especially those with diabetes. Am I missing something?

Nope. But you knew that already.

 

[noblehead]

Where does this common view come from @tim2000s ?

As far as I'm aware all diabetics are encouraged to stay active and keep fit as part of a healthy lifestyle, much the same for non-diabetics.

 

[zicksi101]

Agree Tim. Exercise improves insulin sensitivity which is a good thing.

Knowing how to manage the BG during exercise is the key really. Also for someone who is unfit they might get pretty spooked at how extreme the BG drop is when they first start doing exercise as a type 1! Speaking from experience here, I was a pretty sendentary T1 before starting to run a couple of years ago to be honest. It would have been very easy to blame the diabetes and give up.

That's where these forums are useful, if someone is struggling they can ask for a bit of advice to help work through the issue.

 

[Lamont D]

Having seen reference in yet another topic to diabetes and exercise not being natural bedfellows, I do wonder sometimes what world people live in.

As a T1 since the age of 13, I've always been active, whether running around with friends as a child, cycling tours (90 miles a day as a teenager), playing sports, winning national competitions,running sub-two hour half marathons, etc.

Why is there almost a common view that having diabetes means that you have to be scared of participating in sports or exercise? Hypos are not something to be afraid of. They are a fact of life that can be easily managed, as long as you are not hypo-unaware. Hypo management is straightforward, and even easy.

Maybe I'm just a bit more blasé about it than many, but I've always thought that, and was always encouraged by medical teams (and the BDA back in the day) that, exercise is just another part of life and something that everyone should be doing, especially those with diabetes. Am I missing something?

I think what you are getting at, is that most T1s are younger and encouraged more to do more physical activity to keep fitter.
Whereas most T2s are of the older generation and physical activity will be beyond them.
This is where a lot of T2s are told to walk rather than run. More and often than doing a workout in the gym etc!
Walking helps in lowering blood glucose levels, and walking at our age is probably more realistic for them!

Hypos for me are not a problem because I have become very hypo aware! I don't have them no more because my diet is designed not to get them!
For T1s, hypos are a way of life, but for T2s it's not!
I hope I have cleared some of the ops wondering!