The importance of being active
Regular physical activity is good for almost everyone, but it is especially good for people with diabetes. Being active can:
- Lower your blood sugar levels
- During physical activity, and often for hours afterward, blood sugar levels go down.
- Reduce your need for diabetes medicine
- Physical activity can help your body use insulin better. You can become more sensitive to the effects of insulin.
- Improve your heart health
- Regular physical activity may help you reduce “bad” (LDL) blood cholesterol and increase “good” (HDL) blood cholesterol. Regular physical activity can also help lower blood pressure.
- Help you manage your weight
- Physical activity helps your body burn calories, making it easier to manage your weight. Regular physical activity can help you burn body fat and build muscle. This can make your body stronger and increase your energy level.
If that isn’t enough, exercise can also:
- Strengthen your bones and muscles
- Physical activity can also lower your risk of thinning bones (osteoporosis) by building bone mass, which makes bones stronger. Your appearance can improve as you build, tighten, and tone your muscles. Your body can become more flexible, and you may be less likely to injure yourself while doing physical activity.
- Give you energy and relieve stress
- Physical activity can help you feel better about your body and increase your sense of well-being.
- Improve how you look and feel
- With all of these benefits, doesn’t being active make sense for you?
