By Beverleigh H Piepers
It has long been said that exercise is a powerful tool to clear the blood of sugar and help to control Type 2 diabetes. Walking is one of the best forms of exercise for just about anyone. It is low intensity which means that people with joint problems can participate in walking programs fairly easily. New research is showing that taking more steps per day could actually lower your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Walking burns a lot of calories but even if it doesn't lead to weight loss, it has been shown diabetics:
* improve their HbA1c level by 0.4%
* lower their risk of heart disease
* improve their cholesterol levels
This was found during a national research study in Australia. During the study which commenced in the year 2000 and continued through to 2005, researchers gave pedometers to over 600 adults so they could measure how many steps they were taking during two consecutive days.
Diabetics who walked the most during the five-year period had a lower body mass index (BMI) and also had better insulin sensitivity. Experts recommend that people take at least 10,000 steps per day which is the equivalent to about 5 miles. The study showed also that a sedentary person could increase their daily steps to reach 10,000 and lower their BMI by almost 1 point while improving insulin sensitivity by three times.
So how do you start a walking program that you will stick to? Everyone is motivated by different things so it's hard to give a one-size-fits-all approach to commencing a walking program.
However, if you work with a group of people, why not set aside part of your lunchtime or time before or after work to walk with a group of friends or work colleagues. Often, having camaraderie and the accountability of walking with other people will help you stay on track.
If you don't like to walk outside, or it's too hot or cold where you live, there are indoor walking programs available on DVD that you can purchase and work with at home. These particular DVDs allow you to walk in a small area and still get the same benefits of walking outside.
Of course, using the treadmill is another option for people who can't or don't want to walk outside. You can also try walking inside the mall or the local track if you so desire.
Set small goals so that you don't get overwhelmed at first. If you haven't done a lot of physical activity in recent years, you might want to start out walking 10 to 15 minutes per day, three or four days a week, as you build up your stamina.
It has also been repeatedly demonstrated that exercising or walking after eating, when blood sugar levels are at their highest, lowers blood sugar. If walking after meals brings on angina, or chest pain, wait a few hours before exercising.
It has long been said that exercise is a powerful tool to clear the blood of sugar and help to control Type 2 diabetes. Walking is one of the best forms of exercise for just about anyone. It is low intensity which means that people with joint problems can participate in walking programs fairly easily. New research is showing that taking more steps per day could actually lower your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Walking burns a lot of calories but even if it doesn't lead to weight loss, it has been shown diabetics:
* improve their HbA1c level by 0.4%
* lower their risk of heart disease
* improve their cholesterol levels
This was found during a national research study in Australia. During the study which commenced in the year 2000 and continued through to 2005, researchers gave pedometers to over 600 adults so they could measure how many steps they were taking during two consecutive days.
Diabetics who walked the most during the five-year period had a lower body mass index (BMI) and also had better insulin sensitivity. Experts recommend that people take at least 10,000 steps per day which is the equivalent to about 5 miles. The study showed also that a sedentary person could increase their daily steps to reach 10,000 and lower their BMI by almost 1 point while improving insulin sensitivity by three times.
So how do you start a walking program that you will stick to? Everyone is motivated by different things so it's hard to give a one-size-fits-all approach to commencing a walking program.
However, if you work with a group of people, why not set aside part of your lunchtime or time before or after work to walk with a group of friends or work colleagues. Often, having camaraderie and the accountability of walking with other people will help you stay on track.
If you don't like to walk outside, or it's too hot or cold where you live, there are indoor walking programs available on DVD that you can purchase and work with at home. These particular DVDs allow you to walk in a small area and still get the same benefits of walking outside.
Of course, using the treadmill is another option for people who can't or don't want to walk outside. You can also try walking inside the mall or the local track if you so desire.
Set small goals so that you don't get overwhelmed at first. If you haven't done a lot of physical activity in recent years, you might want to start out walking 10 to 15 minutes per day, three or four days a week, as you build up your stamina.
It has also been repeatedly demonstrated that exercising or walking after eating, when blood sugar levels are at their highest, lowers blood sugar. If walking after meals brings on angina, or chest pain, wait a few hours before exercising.
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