The consequences of not exercising after a type 2 diabetes diagnosis include elevated levels of stress, higher blood pressure and bad cholesterol.
Heart disease is a big killer these days, and diabetics are more at risk than those who do not have the disease, making exercise a top priority for the diabetic patient.
Some people worry about the word "exercise", particularly as many are overwieght, and the thought of going to a gym horrifes them. Simply walking a set distance every day can make a vast difference.
I bought a local large scale ordnance survey map and planned a route that measured 2 miles. I find that I can walk this is about 45 minutes and I generally do it before work in the morning. My wife takes a train every morning to work which again is a 2 mile round trip.
I have been doing this for about 2 months now, and have found my weight reduced and my stress levels are way down.
If you are an animal lover, now may be the time to get that dog you always wanted. Be careful though, they are a 10-20 year commitment, but if you do get one, you have no choice but to walk, so you no longer have to rely on willpower alone!
However, you do have to be careful if you suffer from certain diabetic conditions:
Diabetic Eye Conditions
You need to be careful here, and there are some forms of exercise that should be avoided. For example, any exercise that increases blood pressure, jerks the head or increases the air pressure (diving for example) should not be undertaken, or any exercise that requires your eyes to be below your heart, toe touching for example.
Disease of the Kidneys.
You need to be careful with kidney disease, or neuropathy as it is called. An increase in blood pressure, particularly when doing hard exercise for long periods, should not be allowed.
Clogging of the Arteries, or PAD.
PAD can show itself very quickly in diabetics, although it is not exclusive to diabetic sufferers. However, diabetics are far more likely to develop the disease. It's symptoms are a pain in the legs when walking.
The result is pain in the legs after walking a certain distance. The way to exercise with this condition is to walk a distance just short of the distance at which pain begins and rest. Then having rested walk the same distance again, and then rest again. Keep repeating this process.
The good thing is, that as you continue to exercise like this, blood vessels will be encouraged to grow in your legs, reducing the pain.
Toby was found to be a type 2 diabetic over 2 years ago. He is determined to stay active, and help others with his own experiences of the disease. He also has many interests, visit his latest website about ryobi 18v battery at http://www.ryobi 18v battery.net
Posted under blood pressure
This post was written by Toby Dushieney on July 3, 2010
