Exercise

Exercise is any kind of physical activity that gets a person moving. Exercise helps people to stay fit and healthy.

There are easy ways for diabetic people to incorporate physical activity into their lives without having to go to a gym or play sports -- including walking, dancing, doing housework or yard work.

Benefits of exercise
Exercise is beneficial in many ways: it improves physical fitness, it is a good and an easy way to weight control, and it also have psychological advantages.


 * Exercise can lower your blood glucose level, blood pressure and cholesterol.
 * Exercise helps to improve blood circulation and helps your body to use insulin more efficiently.
 * Exercise reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke.
 * Exercise can help you to lose weight, and maintain your target weight.
 * Exercise gives psychological benefits too - reduces stress and helps in boosting self confidence and relieving depression.
 * Exercise can increase your metabolism and build muscle.

Getting started
Getting started for exercise begins with motivation and a will to exercise. A person with diabetes will benefit more from doing even a light exercise but on a regular basis. The is also a preventive method to ward off diabetes, and at the same time it is one of the major component of lifestyle changes required to manage diabetes.

Exercise is beneficial for most of the people unless forbidden on account of health related or other complications. It is more important for people with diabetes as it helps in better control and management of the level of blood sugar. One may start exercising after consulting the medical care personnel, and age is not an inhibiting factor for exercising - persons of all ages may derive benefit by exercising. One should start slowly and select an activity or a set of activities which one enjoys. Gradually, exercise should become part of one's daily routine.

Reference

 * Exercise for the Health of It - a page from Joslin Diabetes Center
 * Benefits of Treadmill Walking - a page from Treadmill Fun
 * What exercise burns the most calories