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Exercise and types of diabetes
Regardless of the type of diabetes you have, regular physical activity is important for your overall health and wellness. Physical activity recommendations may vary by diabetes. If you have type 1 diabetes, you know how challenging it can be to manage blood sugar levels and exercise! It is extremely important to know your blood sugar levels, before, during and after exercise and to make adjustments accordingly. For people with type 2 diabetes, physical activity helps to decrease insulin resistance, and contributes to improved blood sugar control. In addition, exercise can help reduce the risk of other complications, such as heart problems. Additional benefits include better weight management, improved mood, reduced blood pressure, stronger bones, better energy – to name just a few! If you have prediabetes, one way to help reduce the chance of developing type 2 diabetes is to exercise regularly, along with healthy eating and weight loss. Diabetes at different life stages Children with or without diabetes benefit from exercise. It is recommended that children and youth build up to 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day. Reducing sedentary behaviour by limiting after-school TV and video game time to no more than 2 hours per day is…
Exercise planning
If you are new to exercise, you likely have a lot of questions about where to start. This may include questions such as: How much exercise is needed? When is the best time to exercise? What are the health benefits of exercise? Are insulin adjustments required when you exercise? Are there tips for exercising in extreme weather – very cold or very hot temperatures? What are some tips for making an exercise plan?
Exercise with health conditions
Getting enough exercise while living with diabetes can be a challenge in and of itself, but some people have other health conditions or physical limitations that make exercising that much more difficult. With any type of physical disability, you will need to alter the activity plan according to your capabilities. If you are suffering from chronic joint pain or arthritis, there’s no reason why you still can’t exercise regularly. You just need to know what types of exercises are best for your condition. A common complication of diabetes is nerve damage (diabetic peripheral neuropathy or DPN) which can lead to pain, numbness and tingling in the extremities. This can be challenging in terms of incorporating exercise, especially since it is important to avoid the development of foot ulcers. Some exercises are better than others, and it’s important to have properly fitting shoes. According to the Hypertension Canada guidelines, people who have diabetes and high blood pressure should exercise for 30 to 60 minutes between four and seven days per week. The types of activities that are best for diabetes and high blood pressure are moderate-intensity aerobic exercises and resistance exercises. It is important to discuss your conditions and/or limitations with…
Emotional Well-being
Mental health
Diabetes and mental health are very closely linked. Everyone can feel stressed from time to time. Managing your diabetes, as well as other life demands, can feel very overwhelming. Emotional swings can affect your blood sugar levels, so it’s important that you know how to recognize mood changes or stressors and how to deal with them. It is estimated that 30% of people with diabetes have symptoms of depression at one time or another. Sometimes people living with diabetes feel distressed, which can include feeling frustrated, sad, angry or worried. Diabetes distress is a very common condition, so do not feel that you are alone. The articles in this mental health section explore these and other commonly seen emotional and psychological issues, and offer helpful tips on how to cope and develop management strategies.
Finding support
The burden of living with diabetes can seem overwhelming at times. Without support it can lead to emotional turmoil, stress and even depression. During these times, it is important to remember that you are not alone. There are many resources available to help you. Support goes beyond diabetes medical specialists. It also includes emotional and mental health guidance and assistance from social workers, psychologists, advocates for financial aid for people living with diabetes, diabetes support groups and, of course, family and friends. In this section we’ve grouped articles that focus on helping you create a diabetes support plan so you can locate and access support you need when you need it.
Providing support
Perhaps you are a caregiver for an aging parent or spouse with type 2 diabetes, or you are the parent of a child living with type 1 diabetes. You can benefit from some help and guidance to relieve your stress but, most importantly, to provide the necessary care for your loved ones. Teens in particular are already navigating a challenging time in their life and the burden of diabetes management adds to their emotional and mental health strains. Similarly, newly diagnosed children with type 1 diabetes are in need of special education and support. In fact, at one time or another, whether newly diagnosed or having lived with diabetes for many years, caregivers are called upon to provide support. We have assembled a group of articles in this section which will help you develop a caregiving strategy for you and your loved ones.
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Insulin and other injectables
Insulin (rapid-acting, short-acting, intermediate-acting, long-acting) Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that stimulates cells in the body to remove glucose from the blood for storage or usage. Insulin is normally released by the body following a meal to bring high sugar levels back into the normal range. GLP-1 Agonists (e.g. liraglutide, exenatide, dulaglutide, lixisenatide) These medications, also known as incretin mimetics, work by copying the functions of the natural incretin hormones in your body that help lower post-meal blood glucose levels. These functions include stimulating insulin secretion, inhibiting the release of glucagon and slowing glucose absorption into the bloodstream. Combination insulin products Basal insulin has been combined with GLP-1 agonists in a single injection and have similar advantages as oral combination medications – reduced side effects, simplified regimens, improved efficacy.
Oral medications
Metformin This is a common medication used for type 2 diabetes and is often the first one that is prescribed. It decreases glucose production from the liver and therefore lowers blood sugar. Thiazolidinediones (e.g. pioglitazone, rosiglitazone) These medications decrease insulin resistance, the inability of cells in the body to respond appropriately to insulin by removing glucose from the blood. Sulfonylureas (e.g. glyburide, gliclazide, glimepiride) Sulfonylureas continuously stimulate the release of insulin from the pancreas. DPP-4 Inhibitors (e.g. sitagliptin, saxogliptin, linagliptin, alogliptin) Inhibiting the enzyme DPP-4 increases the level of a hormone named GLP-1. GLP-1stimulates insulin production and decreases production of glucagon when glucose levels are too high. SGLT-2 Inhibitors (e.g. canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, ertugliflozin) This class of medication lowers blood sugar by causing the kidneys to removexcess glucose through the urine. SGLT2-inhibitors wor independently of insulin. Combination drugs There are several combination oral medications available in Canada. Usually, they include metformin plus a medication from another drug class, but they may also be a combination of a DPP-4 inhibitor and an SGLT-2 inhibitor. The combination medications are generally more effective and potentially reduce side effects compared to taking multiple drugs separately. Combination medications are also more convenient as they reduce the number of times…
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