As we get older our bodies change. Our hormonal system produces less of the hormones than it did in our teens or twenties. Our metabolism, in most cases, slow down. Our body and its defenses become more vulnerable to outside stresses. But, during this time in life, our stresses seem to grow exponentially. We are going place with our careers. We have families. These families have demands on us physically and psychologically. Homes, automobiles, vacations, as well as many other thing s add to the stress load. This creates a downward spiral for our health. That is, unless we take measures to counteract the stresses that affect us daily.
We must eat healthy. We must supplement our diet with vitamins, minerals, and herbals which are appropriate for our age and our current health and stress situations. We must somehow learn to manage our stress. And we must exercise to keep our bodies healthy and vital. Doing theses things will help us manage stress and keep us younger. These will help cancel the negative effects on our bodies, caused by stress.
Lets see how this affects a person afflicted with diabetes, in particular. We are going to narrow it down to the exercise factor. We will even narrow it more to just weight training. Everyone knows, or is in denial, that exercise can only be beneficial in diabetes care. The importance of weight training has not been emphasized enough to the diabetic world. Let us address this.
As we get older, our bodies change, unless we act to prevent that change. After the age of 30 years, our body adds one pound of fat each year. Not only that, but we lose about one-half pound of lean tissue mass (muscle ) each year. Add these up and we gain 15 pounds of fat every 10 years. This is preventable. This is the reason for weight training.
A study at the University of Southern California was conducted on teens who were at high risk for type II diabetes. The study was conducted for a sixteen week period. They were divided into two groups. Group A had weight training twice a week for the test period. Group B had no changes to their lifestyle. All of the subjects were overweight and had symptoms of insulin resistance. The results are rather dramatic. At the end of the study, Group A had increased insulin sensitivity by 45%. Group B had a 1% decrease in insulin sensitivity.
Muscle is a major factor in clearance of circulating blood glucose. As lean body mass increases, greater amounts of blood glucose are cleared from the blood. Muscle tissue takes in the blood glucose and stores it as glycogen. And even cooler, the greater the proportion of muscle mass to fat, the more calories are burned at rest. And weight training further increases metabolism, even after working out.
How does one accomplished this superb state of being? It is achieved by incorporating a weight training program into your lifestyle. The American Diabetes Association suggests a minimum of weight training twice a week. Target at least two major muscle groups. Perform 8 to 12 repetitions per set, and 4 to 6 sets per muscle group. There are tons of information available on the subject. All the muscle magazines have an ongoing section for beginners. Or you can find information on the internet. For your sake do it, and do it now. It can only help.
Remember, if you have diabetes, Eat a snack prior to workings out. Hydrate during and after working out. Check your blood sugar level before and after working out to prevent any episodes of hypoglycemia.
Written by John Markus at http://www.feelmorelife.com John had been a pharmacist for 33 years. His wife has type I diabetes. Also, his eight year old granddaughter has diabetes. He and his family have been dealing with these type of problems for a long time. Tough at times, but successfully in end. John Has also studied exercise and the effects of exercise on the body and medical conditions.
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