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Latest Exercise Articles
Diabetes and Exercise Article Archives
May 2013
I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 10 years ago. My response to the news, very typical, was to begin a routine of vigorous exercise and dieting. With a beginner's enthusiasm, I lost almost 30 pounds (down from 220) and drove my A1c three months after my diagnosis down to 5.6%.
0 comments - Posted May 6, 2013
April 2013
What is cardio? To some it may mean swinging back and forth on an Arc Trainer with zero resistance while reading a book, and for others, gut-wrenching hill sprints followed by kettle bell swings.
0 comments - Posted Apr 30, 2013
He is 89 years old and the picture of health. Yet looking at the robust, healthy, laughing gentleman sitting across the desk from me on this Saturday morning, one would never guess his age. Hank has been married 50 years, is active in his church, and hosts a prayer breakfast most Saturday mornings.
0 comments - Posted Apr 16, 2013
Using insulin to treat type 2 diabetes could lead to weight gain, according to a new study from Tulane University.
0 comments - Posted Apr 10, 2013
In February I posted my original back up plan for last-minute workouts from home or the office. If you've been consistent, you should be ready for some new exercises. If not, you can always refer back to the original article for guidance.
0 comments - Posted Apr 9, 2013
March 2013
Seniors don't have to face off against buff muscleheads at the gym in order to stay healthy, according to a new University of Illinois study that shows a DVD workout can be just as effective for older adults.
0 comments - Posted Mar 31, 2013
Monica Joyce had an idea. It wasn't original, but a good idea inspired by another.
0 comments - Posted Mar 20, 2013
For a happier life, it's time to get moving. According to a new study out of Great Britain, exercise provides a big boost when it comes to living with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Mar 10, 2013
February 2013
(Editor’s Note: Check with your physician before undertaking any exercise routine.)
0 comments - Posted Feb 21, 2013
To reach your long-term goals for managing diabetes, I think it’s helpful to stop and write down what short-term steps you can take that will help you reach your objectives.
0 comments - Posted Feb 20, 2013
Researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston report that they have discovered a naturally occurring hormone that can direct the body to burn more calories and increase its insulin sensitivity. Their results, based on lab experiments with mice, could potentially lead to therapies for diabetes, obesity, and even muscular dystrophy.
0 comments - Posted Feb 10, 2013
Here's a bit of news that, if conclusively proven, could gladden the hearts of everybody who struggles to get into a regular exercise habit: British researchers say that short 30-second bursts of intense activity, adding up to only 3 minutes per week, duplicate the effects of much longer gym workout or track running routines.
0 comments - Posted Feb 8, 2013
If you have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, you have to start looking seriously at how you live your life. Talk to any persons who are insulin-dependent and they will tell you how much they wish they could be in your situation: a point where you can make changes to avoid getting to their stage of the illness.
0 comments - Posted Feb 6, 2013
Mike Fisher is a 23-year-old from Ontario, Canada, who's been snowboarding since he was 13 years old. At the age of 18, he was involved in a motorcycle crash that necessitated the amputation of one leg below the knee. He says, "At first, I felt that my life was coming to a crashing halt. But I just pushed myself to recover as fast as possible and get my life back on track, go to school, get back into snowboarding and motorcycles-just anything so that my life wasn't affected at all. I had a lot of support, and I would say that I was pretty optimistic about it and took it almost as a challenge. By the time that I was 19, I was happy. I was walking again, I was back in college in London, Ontario, and everything was good. The accident was a minor setback to me, and I rose above it. I was just continuing with my life."
0 comments - Posted Feb 2, 2013
January 2013
Keep a close eye on this story. It has two elements necessary for creating a lot of buzz: a celebrity and his unconventional "cure" for a disease.
0 comments - Posted Jan 27, 2013
CHICAGO, IL -- January 24, 2012 -- The news of celebrity chef Paula Deen having diabetes has triggered a national conversation about how diet affects people with diabetes or those who are at risk of getting it.
0 comments - Posted Jan 24, 2013
In our busy lives, saving time-and precious energy-is an important value. Saving steps is a method we often use to preserve our energy, exert less effort, and combine tasks to promote efficiency. But an equally, and perhaps even more, important value than efficiency is promoting good health. As a diabetic, I know that one way I can do this is by using my body to get at least a minimum of exercise each day.
0 comments - Posted Jan 23, 2013
December 2012
Jay Hewitt is 41 years old and has lived with type 1 diabetes since 1991. He is an elite Ironman triathlete (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, 26.2 mile run) and three-time member of the U.S. National Team for Long Course Triathlon. He is a lawyer, the father of a 16-month-old daughter, and a motivational speaker. He speaks to people with diabetes and others all over the world on fitness, nutrition, and achieving goals in life and business. Jay is also captain of Team Joslin at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, MA. Visit Jay's website at www.jayhewitt.com.
0 comments - Posted Dec 12, 2012
I would exercise if I had more time... if I had a health club membership... if it didn't hurt so much... if I knew what exercises to do... if I could do it with my family... if I could control my blood sugar...
0 comments - Posted Dec 10, 2012
There are ways to live with diabetes that allow for optimal health and relative freedom from complications. But to obtain them requires knowledge and know-how.
0 comments - Posted Dec 6, 2012
November 2012
Chris Ruden, a college student and personal trainer, is a very inspiring young man. He was born with a disability and was diagnosed in his first year in college with type 1 diabetes. As is often the case, he was discouraged by the diagnosis, but while convalescing in the hospital, he decided to become a personal trainer and help others in similar situations. In this interview, he tells us why he considers diabetes a blessing in some ways.
0 comments - Posted Nov 4, 2012
October 2012
Q: How do I lower my blood sugar when it goes over 200 mg/dl? I have Type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Oct 6, 2012
September 2012
The Mayo Clinic Health Letter for August 2012 has published three lifestyle changes that could stave off the progression of prediabetes to full-blown type 2 diabetes. The list isn't new, but its periodic reiteration indicates that healthcare researchers and providers have settled on a simple prescription for staying diabetes-free.
0 comments - Posted Sep 4, 2012
August 2012
Paula Deen, a celebrity Southern chef known for her unrestrained love of butter and sugar, is no stranger to the media. She received a flurry of bad press recently when she revealed that she had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes three years earlier. Shortly thereafter, she became a spokesperson for Novo Nordisk's Victoza. Following these developments, some critics said that she was a poor role model.
0 comments - Posted Aug 28, 2012
Students in the healthcare field have probably attended a "bugs and drugs" lecture about bacteria and the various antibiotics used in response. Put that on a whole new level, where the "bugs and drugs" are hordes of mosquitoes and peculiar plants, and you would be envisioning my pharmacy rotation in the Peruvian Amazon rainforest. The purpose of the trip was to study medicinal plants and natural medicine, but our group definitely braved the elements as well. A few of the pleasures we got to experience included extreme heat, daily paddling of canoes down the Amazon River, tightly rationed drinking water, bathing with piranhas, stepping in quicksand, eating guinea pig, and almost sinking our canoe in a torrential downpour. Now mix in my diabetes, and you would seemingly have the recipe for the perfect storm.
0 comments - Posted Aug 22, 2012
Right from the start, Andy Mandell thought of walking the perimeter of the US to raise awareness for diabetes as a military objective, a special ops mission to draw attention to the dangers of the disease. As someone who has lived with type 2 diabetes for more than 20 years, Mandell saw his role as that of an educator, and he took it seriously, wanting to help others avoid the mistakes he had made after his diagnosis. An active guy who loved running, he followed his doctor's orders--to a degree. He checked food labels to make sure that he wasn't consuming too much sugar, and he continued his vigorous lifestyle. He felt good, so he saw no reason to worry.
0 comments - Posted Aug 17, 2012
Physically fit men with type 2 diabetes and a heart condition known as left ventricular hypertrophy run a considerably lower risk of premature death than their diabetic peers who are not fit. That's the conclusion of a longitudinal study of 866 patients conducted by Veterans Affairs Medical Center and George Washington University, Washington, DC.
0 comments - Posted Aug 16, 2012
I don't sleep till noon, wait for other people to clean up my messes, or put off doing the laundry until I'm down to my last clean shirt. Still, when it comes to my diabetes, sometimes I can't help but feel like a total slacker.
0 comments - Posted Aug 10, 2012
Physically fit men with type 2 diabetes and a heart condition known as left ventricular hypertrophy run a considerably lower risk of premature death than their diabetic peers who are not fit. That's the conclusion of a longitudinal study of 866 patients conducted by Veterans Affairs Medical Center and George Washington University, Washington, DC.
0 comments - Posted Aug 7, 2012
Martie Neugent's diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is one of those moments that he looks back on thankfully. He learned that he had the condition in 2000, at age 32, during what he assumed would be a routine trip to the doctor. Instead, it turned out to be a pivotal opportunity to make one of two choices. He could go on exactly as he had, adding a cocktail of medications to control his blood sugar levels, or he could make some noteworthy changes and map out a new life. For him, the choice was an easy one. "All my mother's uncles died at a young age," Neugent said about the ravages of diabetes in his extended family. "And my great-grandmother lost her leg. My first thought was that I was probably going to die if I didn't get it fixed."
0 comments - Posted Aug 3, 2012
July 2012
What is the difference between "good carbs" and "bad carbs"? Is that ache in your side normal or a sign of cancer? Is blurry eyesight normal for people with diabetes, or should you start a carrot diet to improve your vision?
0 comments - Posted Jul 3, 2012
June 2012
If you have type 1 diabetes, you probably know that you're in it for the long haul. No diet, nutrition, or exercise plan is getting you out of this one. Our only hope for a life without insulin injections is a cure. It's a wonderful idea, but I'm not holding my breath.
0 comments - Posted Jun 11, 2012
When dealing with a chronic illness, especially one like diabetes that requires 24/7 attention, it's easy to take shortcuts and fall into bad habits. Ask yourself the following questions to find out if you might be drifting into a few diabetes bad habits:
0 comments - Posted Jun 4, 2012
May 2012
Warmer temperatures bring the opportunity to put on our walking shoes and step outside for our workouts. But if you, like me, have been walking for many years, you may find yourself bored with the same old routine. To avoid burnout, try these five ways to rev up your walk.
0 comments - Posted May 21, 2012
Burnout is common among people with diabetes, especially those who have had the disease for years, even decades. Diabetes management can be exhausting, confusing, and frustrating, particularly when you think you are doing everything right but your blood sugars still fail to cooperate.
0 comments - Posted May 17, 2012
April 2012
As we approach the summer season, our thoughts turn to barbecues, picnics, amusement parks, and road trips to the beach. It is a season of fun, but it can be hard for people with diabetes to enjoy the festivities and still maintain healthy eating habits.
0 comments - Posted Apr 23, 2012
Just a 1 percent weight loss in older people with type 2 diabetes can improve their physical mobility by up to 7 percent, according to a new study just published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
0 comments - Posted Apr 16, 2012
If you look around your health club and discover what appear to be cannonballs with handles placed in a corner, there is no need to walk away in fear: They're just kettlebells, a venerable resistance exercise tool that has been used for years by Russian athletes and has recently been taken up by actors as well.
0 comments - Posted Apr 10, 2012
March 2012
Do you struggle with controlling your sugar levels during exercise? When my doctor changed my exercise regimen after my heart attack, my biggest struggle was keeping my sugar levels stable. We all like to see low numbers, but no one likes the shaking associated with low blood sugar or that feeling we have for the rest of the day after our levels have fluctuated. So how low is too low before working out?
0 comments - Posted Mar 22, 2012
Two recent studies confirm the powerful role that exercise plays in controlling blood glucose levels. The first study, conducted by University of Missouri researchers and published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, found that blood glucose levels tend to spike during periods of inactivity. The second study, conducted by the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Australia and published in Diabetes Care, shows that office employees who take short light-exercise breaks every 20 minutes enjoy a 30 percent reduction in blood glucose levels.
0 comments - Posted Mar 3, 2012
February 2012
As a woman with diabetes, you may have noticed that you face unique challenges, from where to place your insulin pump, to pregnancy, to hormone fluctuations. Many diabetes books offer general diabetes advice, but few focus on women beyond just a short chapter. That is, until now.
0 comments - Posted Feb 20, 2012
Diabetes doesn't confine itself to a single week or month. It's a year-round condition, and each season offers its own challenges and opportunities for those of us with the disease. We should be prepared to change and evolve as the seasons shift--not only to stay healthy, but also to enjoy all the fun that our dynamic world offers.
0 comments - Posted Feb 7, 2012
January 2012
With the recent news of Paula Deen's battle with type 2 diabetes, diabetes has been getting some negative coverage in the media. I've even heard comments like " No wonder Paula Deen has diabetes when she eats so much sugar and butter." This is frustrating because it perpetuates the false stereotype that all people with diabetes are the same.
0 comments - Posted Jan 27, 2012
November 2011
Exercise helps us stay healthy. That's the underlying message of Go4Life, a campaign from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) at the National Institutes of Health, developed to encourage older people to exercise more. The campaign focuses on four exercise categories: aerobic, strength, balance, and flexibility. "We strongly encourage people to incorporate exercises from each of these four categories into developing their own personal routine," said Dr. Chanda Dutta, chief of the NIA's Clinical Gerontology Branch.
0 comments - Posted Nov 24, 2011
By now you're halfway through pregnancy. You've managed to get through the stresses of insulin shock in the first trimester and insulin resistance beginning in the second trimester, and you're well on your way toward your third trimester. Congratulations! A moment of applause, please.
0 comments - Posted Nov 2, 2011
October 2011
When first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes two years ago, I was scared into a very rigid regime of diet and exercise. The first thing I did was register for the Tour de Cure - a bike ride sponsored by the American Diabetes Association. Establishing a goal served as an incentive to train and exercise daily.
0 comments - Posted Oct 20, 2011
How many times have you been on the treadmill at the gym listening to an in-depth conversation between the stair climbers behind you? How is it possible, you wonder as you huff and puff, for those two to talk and exercise at the same time? Are they not pushing themselves hard enough, or is their ability to talk while climbing evidence of their advanced fitness? And if you find yourself unable to talk while you walk, does that mean you should slow down?
0 comments - Posted Oct 8, 2011
The answer to the looming threat of obesity and cardiovascular disease could be as simple as putting one foot in front of the other. Indeed, according to a new campaign from managed-care giant Kaiser Permanente, walking has benefits in the short and long term.
0 comments - Posted Oct 7, 2011
September 2011
Imagine if you could keep diabetes at bay for another three or four years with lifestyle changes. Would you change what you ate? Would you commit to an exercise program, maintain a food journal, and join a support group? Imagine if you could take these simple steps and save money. How quickly would you say "Sign me up"?
0 comments - Posted Sep 26, 2011
Being a rookie driver on the fast-paced IndyCar racing circuit is pressure enough for any 26-year-old. But for Charlie Kimball, one of four wheel men on businessman Chip Ganassi's IndyCar race team, there's the added need to manage type 1 diabetes while roaring around the track at speeds that often exceed 200 miles per hour.
0 comments - Posted Sep 25, 2011
Scientists have found a protein that plays an important role in allowing our bodies to absorb glucose from our blood. What's more, lower levels of that protein may contribute to type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Sep 23, 2011
Scientists have found a protein that plays an important role in allowing our bodies to absorb glucose from our blood. What's more, lower levels of that protein may contribute to type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Sep 19, 2011
Massachusetts-based Quantia Communications has released DailyCoachTM, a fitness coaching app that runs on both iOS and Android and is available free at https://dailycoach.quantiacare.com/. The app also runs on smart phones and tablets and is available on the Web.
0 comments - Posted Sep 12, 2011
August 2011
Many women with diabetes feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities of family, work, and personal health. Balancing the minutiae of everyday life with the nonstop demands of blood glucose monitoring, exercise, and thoughtful meal planning takes time and effort. So it comes as no surprise that many women with diabetes put off talking to their doctors about breast cancer screening.
0 comments - Posted Aug 20, 2011
July 2011
Spending too many hours watching TV can also substantially increase your odds of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease or dying early. That's the conclusion of a Harvard School of Public Health study that looked at the effects of heavy TV watching.
0 comments - Posted Jul 23, 2011
A recent article in the New York Times says that such old prescription diabetes drugs as metformin and generics such as glimepiride are often as effective as or even more effective than newer, more expensive drugs.
0 comments - Posted Jul 20, 2011
"Good news," my diabetes nurse educator says to me. "Your new insurance covers continuous glucose monitoring supplies!" I give her a half-smile as my brain screams at me, "CGM? Really? Something else to deal with on top of this damn disease, an insulin pump, exercise, and nutrition?" But I comply, and a CGM is added to the rest of my paraphernalia.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2011
June 2011
"My pump, my pump, my lovely little pump!" My sister invented her own version of the Black Eyed Peas' song, "My Humps" to poke friendly fun at my insulin pump.
0 comments - Posted Jun 24, 2011
April 2011
Three weeks out of every month, my diabetes is well controlled. But the fourth week, the one before my period, is a nightmare. My sugars are astronomically high--I can't even look at a carbohydrate without my sugar spiking. I'm exhausted and cranky, and I can't get comfortable.
0 comments - Posted Apr 15, 2011
Greetings from Philadelphia International Airport! Airports are fascinating places...great for seeing what people look like and how they act under unusual circumstances. At this moment, I see a lot of truly overweight people. Most folks are treating the moving walkway like a ride at Disney World–just standing there, inching slowly along and staring blankly at the passing drywall. I don’t know…maybe the two sights are related. Have we really become this lazy? Have we “convenienced” our way out of being in shape? Have electronic toilet flushers, soap dispensers, and water faucets taken away our last opportunity to burn any calories at all?
0 comments - Posted Apr 14, 2011
March 2011
Francisco Zepeda is a 54-year-old native of El Salvador who owns an insurance agency in San Francisco. Type 2 diabetes runs in his family. He says, "My grandmother lived with diabetes for about 30 years, and my father has it as well. I heard about diabetes all that time, but I never thought that it was going to happen to me. And I still hope that I'm not really diabetic. They say that once your blood sugar goes up, then you are diabetic, but I don't want to believe that I'm diabetic, you know what I mean?"
0 comments - Posted Mar 31, 2011
Silicon wristbands were first popularized by the yellow LiveStrong band and then became widespread as a way to raise awareness for charities. Light, colorful, easy to wear, and inexpensive, they have now become an option for personal identification and medical alert information as well.
0 comments - Posted Mar 17, 2011
Ten years ago, an astute physician diagnosed me with Type 2 diabetes. I exhibited none of the classic symptoms of rapid weight loss, extreme thirst, and frequent urination. I attributed fatigue to my job. For about a year before diagnosis, I experienced what I thought were yeast infections and treated them with over-the-counter medications. I later learned that this condition is a symptom of diabetes. I am non-insulin dependent.
0 comments - Posted Mar 3, 2011
November 2010
A friend of mine recently remarked that she wants her family to eat healthier, but she just doesn't know that much about nutrition. Though I can sympathize with her in some ways (nutritional education is a daunting and never-ending process), I do feel that the overall American attitude toward food is that ignorance is bliss. It reminds me of the preteen character in the movie Son-In-Law, who puts his sister's bra cups over his ears and tells his parents in a taunting voice, "I can't hear you!" Unfortunately, what you don't know CAN hurt you, and not just you, but also your family.
0 comments - Posted Nov 22, 2010
Over the years, I have had many exercisers with diabetes ask me why they're gaining weight instead of losing it. There are two possible answers to that question. One answer is that muscle is heavier than fat, so if you are gaining muscle while losing fat-especially in the early stages of a new exercise program-your scale weight probably doesn't reflect your positive changes in body composition (i.e., less fat, more muscle).
0 comments - Posted Nov 10, 2010
October 2010
An intensive lifestyle intervention program designed with weight loss in mind improves diabetes control and cardiovascular disease risk factors in overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes. These are the findings of the four-year Look AHEAD study, funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) is a multi-center, randomized clinical trial evaluating the effect of reduced caloric intake and increased physical activity on the incidence of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular-related death.
0 comments - Posted Oct 25, 2010
As the weather turns and leaves begin to fall this year, new research shows that local aging seniors are well served to get up and grab a rake themselves - for more reasons than one. A group of four recent studies published in 2010 Harvard University health and medicine journals shows a surprising and strong connection between seniors, exercise, and mental and physical health, especially among aging women.
0 comments - Posted Oct 19, 2010
September 2010
(HealthDay News) -- Think recess, and you'll probably smile. What wasn't to like about a break in the school day set aside for running and playing, for friends and fun? Now fast-forward to your adult life. What if your workplace started offering recess on the job?
0 comments - Posted Sep 30, 2010
I was reading the latest issue of one of my parenting magazines when I came across an article on children and food. The author suggested offering dessert only two to three times a week instead of every day. I laughed aloud.
0 comments - Posted Sep 18, 2010
Fall is a welcome season, full of bounty and beauty. The heat of summer gives way to calmer days and crisper evenings. We trade our shorts and swimsuits for jackets and jeans and enjoy campfires, hayrides, and holiday celebrations.
0 comments - Posted Sep 11, 2010
July 2010
While teetotaling is the surest way to avoid abusing alcohol, it turns out that moderate alcohol intake may be one way to stave off the development of type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jul 16, 2010
June 2010
White rice and brown rice are reminiscent of those old dramas about identical twins, wherein one turns out to be angelic and the other turns out to be bad news.
0 comments - Posted Jun 28, 2010
AARP today launched its second annual "Fat-to-Fit Summer Weight Loss Challenge," an online program challenging people to make positive, permanent lifestyle changes to improve their health. AARP's Fat-to-Fit challenge will be hosted on AARP's website (www.aarp.org/fat2fit). Fitness expert and author Carole Carson, a Nevada City, California, resident who lost more than 60 pounds at age 60, will lead Fat-to-Fit online community members through the summer-long program.
0 comments - Posted Jun 24, 2010
WASHINGTON - In collaboration with Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) launched the Good Health ClubSM Physician Toolkit - unique educational materials designed to foster better communication between pediatricians and their patients on childhood obesity and diabetes prevention. The toolkit will be available to pediatricians in communities across the country.
0 comments - Posted Jun 11, 2010
Over the past few decades, some medical researchers have pointed the finger at meat consumption as a major factor in the development of heart disease and diabetes. However, a meta-analysis conducted by the Harvard School of Medical Health has concluded that it may be the salt and chemical preservatives used in processed meats that lead to health problems, not the meats themselves.
0 comments - Posted Jun 5, 2010
Dr. Rutai Hui of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College in Beijing and colleagues found chocolate only helped people who already had risk factors for heart disease and only when consumed in modest amounts.
0 comments - Posted Jun 4, 2010
It's early on a Thursday morning in a hotel ballroom in downtown Oakland, and attendees at a breakfast of the annual meeting of the California Dietetic Association are still working on getting fully awake. That problem is solved two minutes after Jay Hewitt, the breakfast's inspirational speaker, takes the stage. Hewitt, a 41-year-old lawyer who was diagnosed with type 1 in 1991, knows his audience is an experienced group of professional dietitians that has dealt with every type of patient and heard every kind of excuse for failure.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2010
May 2010
The 57 million Americans currently living with "pre-diabetes" could benefit from a group weight loss program, like Weight Watchers, according to a new study published in this month's American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. Researchers found that after a 6-month Weight Watchers group program, overweight or obese adults who attended at least two thirds of the weekly sessions, not only lost weight, but also significantly reduced fasting glucose and insulin levels - important indicators of diabetes risk.
0 comments - Posted May 22, 2010
Phil Southerland was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was seven months old. Now 28, he has always taken an aggressive approach to managing the disease. He recalls, "My mom scared the daylights out of me when I was six years old by letting me know about the severe complications of diabetes if you don't take care of it. That has motivated me to never let those complications fall on my shoulders."
0 comments - Posted May 17, 2010
I woke up on the floor of my living room, soaked in sweat. I could not stand, or even sit up. I could not raise my arms or control my hands enough to grasp anything. Forget reaching for the telephone, even if my brain could have formulated the thought to try. I could not speak, but I lived alone, so there was no one to hear anyway. I did not know what day it was, but the hot July 4th late afternoon sun was shining brightly through the windows. After an unknown period of time, my brain must have had a flash of coherence that I was having severe hypoglycemia.
0 comments - Posted May 8, 2010
A Danish analysis of data from 21 research studies on the effects of saturated fat intake has concluded that swapping refined carbohydrates, such as pasta and white bread, for fat causes spikes in blood sugar that are harmful to the heart. However, cutting down on saturated fats while increasing consumption of whole-grain breads and vegetables-low glycemic index* foods-had a discernible positive impact on heart health.
0 comments - Posted May 2, 2010
April 2010
-SIGH- A pessimist might say that the following news is another sign that Mother Nature sometimes has one mean sense of humor: Reducing your caloric intake in order to lose weight may, ironically, lead to weight gain.
0 comments - Posted Apr 29, 2010
Increasing physical activity for greater health among the American public will take center stage on May 3 with the launch of the National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP or Plan). The signature events of the launch will be a press conference at the National Press Club and briefings with members of Congress in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Prevention Research Center at the University of South Carolina are providing the organizational infrastructure for writing the plan. The implementation of the plan will be coordinated by the National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity (NCPPA). The goal of NPAP is "to encourage everyone to be more physically active, reduce barriers to inactivity, and make sure our communities and institutions provide opportunities to move."
0 comments - Posted Apr 29, 2010
May is National Correct Posture Month, so take a look at how hours of computer hunching, slouching while cell phone texting and video-game slumping is affecting your posture. It's not just kids with backpacks or cane-carrying seniors---studies show poor posture is a major cause of back and neck pain for all ages, and over time often contributes to digestive and cardiopulmonary problems. The good news: there are easy things people can do to strengthen posture.
0 comments - Posted Apr 24, 2010
Admit it, Type 1s. In weaker moments, you look down your noses at the Type 2 diabetics. You know that their disease can result from poor lifestyle choices. You know that their treatment regimen, compared with yours, is simple.
0 comments - Posted Apr 19, 2010
Most people who have pre-diabetes know that exercise is a key element in successfully avoiding full-on diabetes. But lack of time-either for real or as an excuse-often gets in the way.
0 comments - Posted Apr 6, 2010
March 2010
Experience is a great teacher, but sometimes it's not the best way to learn, especially when it comes to your medical needs. Smart people learn from their mistakes, but wise people learn from other people's mistakes. In my ten years with diabetes, I have found that to eliminate problems, you need to anticipate your needs. A few moments of preparation can ensure a great afternoon of fun with your friends, a better grade on a test, or participation in a sporting competition without any complications.
0 comments - Posted Mar 25, 2010
February 2010
This is the third - and final - installment of our three-part series "Handing Down the Genes." Part III: "Nutrition and Exercise Tips"
0 comments - Posted Feb 19, 2010
A university study says that aerobic exercise, a known means of increasing insulin sensitivity, is most effective if the meals following it are low in carbohydrates. The study also revealed that consuming a low-calorie meal after exercising does not increase insulin sensitivity any better than eating a low-carb meal after a workout. In addition, it found that the beneficial effects of exercise are immediate and do not build up over time or last very long. Improvements in metabolism, including insulin sensitivity and lowered blood pressure, occur directly as a result of the latest exercise session, but taper off within hours or days. There is no "storing up" the benefits of exercise.
0 comments - Posted Feb 17, 2010
This is the second installment of our three-part series "Handing Down the Genes." Part II: "Preventing Type 2 in Children"
0 comments - Posted Feb 13, 2010
This is the beginning of our three part series "Handing Down the Genes." Part I: "When to Worry-and When Not to-About Your Child's Increased Risk for Diabetes."
0 comments - Posted Feb 4, 2010
January 2010
Using a pedometer as part of a structured education programme could reduce the chances of Type 2 diabetes by more than 50 per cent in those at risk of developing the condition, reveals a new Diabetes UK-funded study1 out today.
0 comments - Posted Jan 5, 2010
ROSEMONT, IL - Exercise is a critical piece of a healthy lifestyle, however those who suffer from diabetes may see an even greater impact, according to a study published in the January/February 2010 issue of Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Authors confirm that exercise can aid in diabetes treatment by improving glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.
0 comments - Posted Jan 4, 2010
November 2009
Q: How do I lower my blood sugar when it goes over 200 mg/dl? I have type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Nov 20, 2009
September 2009
Even if they don't lose weight, a moderate aerobic exercise program can improve insulin sensitivity in obese adolescents who are sedentary.
0 comments - Posted Sep 23, 2009
Kansas City, Mo. - Moises Aldape helped Team Type 1 stamp its authority on the Tour of Missouri Sunday by winning the Michelob Ultra King of the Mountains title.
0 comments - Posted Sep 22, 2009
Suppose you've always wanted to start exercising, but you've procrastinated for awhile, a very, very long while. In fact, you are a comfortably sedentary 85 years old now, and it seems like it's too late to do any good. Well, according to new research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, it's never too late.
0 comments - Posted Sep 21, 2009
August 2009
Initially diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, Rob subsequently discovered that he had type 1. Knowing that he needed to exercise more, he returned to professional surfing. Today, he is a sponsored professional athlete who uses a CGM.
0 comments - Posted Aug 7, 2009
In 1994, Kelli Kuehne was on a roll. That year, she won the United States Girls Junior Amateur Golf Championship and a year later, she won the U.S. Women's Amateur Golf Championship, repeating that win in 1996 while also taking the British Ladies Amateur Golf Championship. The roll continues. Today, Kelli Kuehne is still playing matches in the LPGA and, through it all, has never allowed type 1 diabetes to beat her on the golf course or in her life.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2009
July 2009
Never underestimate the power of people with diabetes and their families. When we as a consumer group purchase more fruits and vegetables, walk or bicycle instead of taking the car, and educate ourselves about a healthy lifestyle, we are addressing global issues as well as personal ones and can have a strong, positive effect on the future.
0 comments - Posted Jul 23, 2009
I would exercise if I had more time... if I had a health club membership... if it didn't hurt so much... if I knew what exercises to do... if I could do it with my family... if I could control my blood sugar...
0 comments - Posted Jul 8, 2009
Patriotism, parades, parties, and pyrotechnics - July Fourth is a high intensity day of celebrations and national pride. In many towns, families move from one exciting event to the next, and the day can be very unpredictable. Still, parents of children with diabetes want carefree time with their families, and children don't want to think about diabetes details. A bit of advanced planning and packing can make this festive day much easier.
0 comments - Posted Jul 2, 2009
June 2009
The American Heart Association (AHA) has added weight training to the list of exercises it recommends for people with type 2 diabetes to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease. Heart and blood vessel diseases account for nearly 70 percent of deaths among type 2s.
0 comments - Posted Jun 25, 2009
The 2009 North American Diabetes Exercise & Sports Association's North American Conference will be held June 25th to 28th at the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts.
0 comments - Posted Jun 3, 2009
May 2009
For generations, people have run hot and cold on the usefulness of vibrating exercise machines. There are plenty of comedy sketches in 1930s movies that portray overweight people being violently shaken around the midriff by a vibrating machine in the hope of strengthening their muscles and metabolizing fat. Those who have disdained such machines have reasoned that they substitute a mechanism's work for the work that exercisers should be doing themselves. After all, how can a machine do for you what you won't do for yourself?
0 comments - Posted May 28, 2009
If you have type 2 diabetes, you know that regular sustained exercise is one of the best and easiest ways to manage the disease. At the same time, proper nutrition-eating low glycemic foods, avoiding carbohydrates, and taking supplements, such as vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids-is the other key to non-medicinal control of blood sugar levels.
0 comments - Posted May 26, 2009
Doctors who treat diabetes must often feel like moms who spend 18 years reminding their kids to pick their socks up off the floor. "It just takes two seconds, and your reward is a clean room and a less grumpy mother."
0 comments - Posted May 22, 2009
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has issued a call for proposals through its national program, Project HealthDesign: Rethinking the Power and Potential of Personal Health Records. Grant recipients will work to assess and test the potential of "observations of daily living" (ODLs) to help patients and physicians better manage chronic illnesses.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2009
April 2009
What do you eat in a 140 mile Ironman triathlon? I get that question a lot. It's been said that the Ironman race is 10% fitness, and 90% nutrition. That's a bit of an exaggeration, but for those of us with diabetes, that's our daily life. Nutrition affects everything we do. Exercise, sleep, driving a car, all of those activities require a person with diabetes to think about the carbohydrates they have consumed and when they will eat or drink them again
0 comments - Posted Apr 30, 2009
Long before Joy Pape, RN, BSN, CDE, WOCN, CFCN, served a stint as the clinical editor and contributing columnist for Diabetes Health Professional, she was a seasoned diabetes expert who knew her way around almost every aspect of the disease.
0 comments - Posted Apr 22, 2009
Understanding which proteins help control blood glucose during and after exercise could lead to new drug therapies or more effective exercise to prevent type 2 diabetes and other health problems associated with high blood sugar.
0 comments - Posted Apr 16, 2009
March 2009
One of the most impressive feats of endurance in the animal world is performed by the sled dogs that run up to 100 miles per day in such races as Alaska's Iditarod, a grueling 1,161-mile trek from Simpson to Homer.
0 comments - Posted Mar 31, 2009
If you fancy cat naps and think that they might be a handy way to circumvent the ill effects of too little sleep at night (see Sleeping Less Than 6 Hours a Night? Your Risk of Developing a Type 2 Precursor Is Nearly 5x Higher), think again: A British study of the napping habits of more than 16,000 people in China has concluded that taking a nap even once a week can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 26 percent over people who never take naps.
0 comments - Posted Mar 25, 2009
There's a perception out there that people with type 2 could control their disease if they just tried hard enough. But self-control and will power are not the whole story. A new study published in this month's Journal of Nursing and Healthcare of Chronic Illness includes "eating out, lack of social support and high-risk lifestyles" as just a few of the roadblocks that stop patients with type 2 diabetes from controlling their condition.
0 comments - Posted Mar 23, 2009
New cases of adult type 2 diabetes have increased by more than 90 percent in the past 10 years, according to recent data from the Centers for Disease and Prevention.(1) Equally troubling is the dramatic rise in type 2 diabetes among children. Recent reports reveal a 200 percent increase in hospitalizations for children with type 2 diabetes, a condition that was rarely diagnosed in children decades ago.(2) In the words of the CDC, "Diabetes is common, disabling, and deadly."(3)
0 comments - Posted Mar 18, 2009
A few quick, intense bursts of energy, such as 7.5 minutes per week of sprints on a stationary bicycle, may be just as good as 30 minutes per day of moderate exercise in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. In fact, say researchers at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, such short bursts may be even more effective.
0 comments - Posted Mar 5, 2009
February 2009
Over the past few years, Team Type 1, a team of elite and professional cyclists living with type 1 diabetes, has competed in races like the Tour of Georgia and the AT&T Austin Downtown Criterium, and it has twice won the ultra-endurance, 3,052 mile Race Across America (RAAM).
0 comments - Posted Feb 18, 2009
January 2009
Remember that New Year's resolution that you made a few weeks ago? Oh yeah, that one. How's that going? If you're like most people, you may have started to slack off just a little bit. Or even worse, maybe it's already a distant memory. No worries, I won't tell. Let's get you going again.
0 comments - Posted Jan 27, 2009
Current thinking has it that obese people are obese because they engage in less physical activity and burn fewer calories than their thinner counterparts. But suppose you could show that obese women burn just as many calories as their thinner, supposedly fitter counterparts?
0 comments - Posted Jan 21, 2009
December 2008
Diabetes Health magazine recently had the pleasure of interviewing Doug Burns for a lengthy feature. He is a well-spoken and forthcoming man with a good sense of humor and an easy-going manner. Altogether, he comes across as a very nice person. On Sunday, however, Doug Burns was severely beaten by police during an episode of low blood sugar that occurred at a movie theater in Redwood City, California.
0 comments - Posted Dec 17, 2008
Many people think of heart disease as something that mostly afflicts men. But heart disease actually kills more women in the United States than anything else, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. And diabetes plays a stronger role in risk for heart disease in women than it does in men.
0 comments - Posted Dec 15, 2008
The holiday season presents many challenges for individuals with diabetes. don’t mean to rain on your fruitcake, but research indicates that weight gain during the holiday season is typically on the order of 5 to 10 pounds.
0 comments - Posted Dec 10, 2008
More than 60 percent of adults with type 1 diabetes are not physically active, according to a study in the November 2008 issue of Diabetes Care. Their reason is fear that exercise will bring on hypoglycemia, leading to such severe consequences as loss of consciousness or even death.
0 comments - Posted Dec 8, 2008
Next week we'll publish a great article written by Dr. Richard Bernstein. MD. Dr. Bernstein is a long-term proponent of paying more attention to carbs rather than fats (though he certainly doesn't advocate that you can have all the fats you want!) While Dr. Bernstein has been telling us about the benefits of low carb for over 30 years, there is still much skepticism about his (and many other's-Gary Taubes, anyone?) low carb results. The establishment has been slow to be convinced, despite the many research trials that back up their findings.
0 comments - Posted Dec 2, 2008
People who have been newly diagnosed with diabetes will spend substantially more in the first year on medical costs than their non-diabetic counterparts-an average of $4,174 for a 50-year-old-according to RTI International, a non-profit research institute in North Carolina.
0 comments - Posted Dec 2, 2008
Last week we published an excerpt from Chapter 4 of Sheri Colberg's revised, updated, and expanded version of her 2001 book, Diabetic Athlete's Handbook: Your Guide to Peak Performance. Dr. Colberg has a PhD in exercise physiology, is a Diabetes Health board member, and is herself an athlete with diabetes. Her book draws upon the experiences of hundreds of athletes with diabetes to provide the best advice for exercisers with diabetes, either type 1 or type 2.
0 comments - Posted Dec 2, 2008
November 2008
Diabetes Health board member Sheri Colberg, PhD, has published a completely revised, updated, and expanded version of her 2001 book, Diabetic Athlete's Handbook: Your Guide to Peak Performance. Dr. Colberg, a diabetic athlete herself, has a PhD in exercise physiology. Her book draws upon the experiences of hundreds of athletes with diabetes to provide the best advice for exercisers with diabetes, either type 1 or type 2.
0 comments - Posted Nov 24, 2008
No doubt about it: Most of us have never felt less in control of our destinies. The stock market is bottoming out and no one knows what to do about it. Jobs are down, food prices are up, and who knows what's going on with gas. To make things even more expensive, the holidays are upon us. Mix all these factors together, and you have a recipe for runaway stress and anxiety. But there is one thing you can control: your body weight. That's right. Now is the time to get fit, lose any extra pounds that might be hanging around, and develop the habits that will keep your weight at a healthful level over the long term.
0 comments - Posted Nov 24, 2008
Becoming pregnant for the first time can be overwhelming for any woman, especially if that woman has diabetes. When my husband and I decided we were ready to have children, the first thing I did was make an appointment with my endocrinologist. Diagnosed when I was fourteen, I've had type 1 diabetes for twenty-four years. My doctor explained that I would need to be in tight control for three months before I could even think about babies, so I got right to work. Learning everything I could about diabetes and pregnancy, I was pleased to discover that with education, support, and practice, a woman with diabetes has every opportunity for a healthy pregnancy.
0 comments - Posted Nov 17, 2008
With more than 2,500 facilities serving 10,000 communities that run the gamut from big-city downtowns to small rural sites, the YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) could turn out to be a powerful tool in the fight to prevent diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Nov 17, 2008
Have you ever thought of water exercise as a convenient and effective workout alternative? If not, now might be the time for you to leave the land and get into the water. This workout will challenge your body in a new way, increasing your endurance and muscular strength.
0 comments - Posted Nov 3, 2008
October 2008
Regular exercise is a large component of maintaining health for people with type 2 diabetes and, let's face it, everyone else. According to the new "Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans" written by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), adults need at least two-and-a-half hours every week of moderate aerobic physical activity. Children should have at least one hour of physical activity every day.
0 comments - Posted Oct 20, 2008
I'll never forget the afternoon of January 22, 2003, and the phone call that came from Derek's pediatrician. I was just leaving my classroom that day when I noticed the light on my phone lit up, alerting me to a new voicemail. My heart stopped when I listened to the message. The doctor asked me to call him back as soon as possible.
0 comments - Posted Oct 6, 2008
I awake at 1:00 am with a feeling of sickness in my stomach. I wonder if it's from anxiety created by a weird dream, hormonal imbalances, and/or high blood sugar. Or did I go to bed angry? The deep-sunken feeling of thick stagnant sludge in my stomach begins to settle into my consciousness. My Mini Mag flashlight illuminates the blood sugar meter, which reads 357. I remember in my high blood sugar fogginess that my blood sugar was 140 before I went to sleep, and I did nothing out of the ordinary. Now, only a few hours later, I am rudely awakened and have to force myself to gather my senses to correct the situation. Fluctuations in blood sugar are mind boggling and frustrating, not to mention the feelings of irritability, anger, fatigue, victimization, and depression that come along in daily life with diabetes. It can create a sense of failure if one does not get a handle on creating a healthy mind, body, and spirit.
0 comments - Posted Oct 6, 2008
September 2008
Joel Shpigel's dad was considered a "large" man. He was 37 the day he had a "heart scare." "He didn't have a heart attack, but his doctor said he was headed for one," Shpigel recalls. His father decided to begin exercising. Joel, who was also overweight, decided to join him.
0 comments - Posted Sep 29, 2008
These days, Doug Burns is a modern Sampson. The reigning Mr. Universe, he’s two hundred pounds of sheer muscle and the picture of good health. Of the skinny little boy with type 1 who used to work out in the woods alone, all that remains are a wry sense of humor and an attractively self-deprecating manner. They’re unexpected in a man who’s triumphed in the uber-masculine world of bodybuilding, but there’s a lot that’s unexpected about Doug Burns.
0 comments - Posted Sep 22, 2008
Four out of five adults experience back pain during their lifetime. The problem becomes chronic for five to ten percent of sufferers. Back pain can result from being overweight, sleeping on an uncomfortable bed, or incurring an injury. The best way to alleviate back pain, according to Timothy J. Gray, DO, in his book Back Works, lies in a solid exercise program.
0 comments - Posted Sep 18, 2008
August 2008
As an Ironman triathlete with type 1, I get asked a lot of questions.
How do you control your blood sugar during a race?
What foods do you eat?
What products do you use?
How do you balance work, family, training, and diabetes?
Sometimes, people simply ask me if I am nuts.
0 comments - Posted Aug 28, 2008
A recent story put out by the British Broadcasting Corporation proclaimed that eating broccoli could reverse the damage to heart blood vessels caused by diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Aug 14, 2008
July 2008
WakeMed Health & Hospitals Children’s Diabetes ENERGIZE! program has won the coveted NOVA Award from the American Hospital Association (AHA).
0 comments - Posted Jul 17, 2008
Metformin, combined with dietary changes and exercise, seems to help obese pre-diabetic adolescents, especially girls, lose weight, says a report in the June 2008 Journal of Pediatrics.
0 comments - Posted Jul 10, 2008
The 2008 Amputee Coalition of America’s annual national conference in Atlanta June 19 through 22 set new attendance records, driven by interest in the proposed federal prosthetic parity law and other issues of importance to amputees.
0 comments - Posted Jul 10, 2008
May 2008
Is it possible that a dip in the hot tub can cause a dip in the blood sugars? According to a pilot study that appeared in the September 16 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), "hot tub therapy" helped a group of type 2s reduce their blood sugars, lose weight and improve sleep patterns.
0 comments - Posted May 23, 2008
You can't have diabetes without knowing about the merits of exercise.
0 comments - Posted May 8, 2008
The Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association Conference will feature speakers from the sports and health care professions, the latest research on diabetes, a discussion on the role of exercise in insulin pump therapy, and advances in diabetes treatment and management.
0 comments - Posted May 8, 2008
April 2008
Have you ever met anyone who thinks they get enough exercise? Everywhere you look there are books, web sites, exercise videos and articles telling people how to get started and how to stay motivated. Our family certainly avoided any kind of exercise plan. Although we played in the yard, took walks, rode our bikes, and played soccer, I never woke up thinking, "What can we do for exercise today?" Even though I knew we weren't active enough, I didn't want another thing to do.
0 comments - Posted Apr 28, 2008
A Question-and-Answer Session With Jordan Hoese, A 14-Year-Old Type 1 Marathon Runner.
0 comments - Posted Apr 21, 2008
DiabetesAmerica, a network of diabetes care and management centers across Texas, is offering free online health and lifestyle classes to the public.
0 comments - Posted Apr 21, 2008
It’s late October, 2007, and Prof. Wendy Coleman has just learned about a competition called the Bayer Dream Fund. Coleman, a type 2 who was diagnosed in 2005, has been told that the fund grants a large cash award to the competition winner – money the winner can use to fund a personal project designed to spread the word about managing and living successfully with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Apr 10, 2008
March 2008
Professional surfer Scott Dunton, 21, has two missions in life: To keep climbing in the rankings as one of the world’s top competitive surfers, and to spread the word to children and teenagers everywhere that having diabetes doesn’t mean life’s joys come to a halt.
0 comments - Posted Mar 27, 2008
It's not easy to do, but regular exercise is a wonderfully effective way to control your blood sugar and fend off the other metabolic effects of diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Mar 13, 2008
February 2008
A British study of 800 people 65 and older concludes that people with diabetes are more likely than non-diabetics to experience difficulties walking, dressing and climbing stairs.
0 comments - Posted Feb 26, 2008
January 2008
The National Athletic Trainers Association has issued a seven-element plan for helping athletes with type 1 diabetes maintain proper blood sugar levels while competing, training or traveling.
0 comments - Posted Jan 10, 2008
December 2007
Forget the inspirational tapes and cancel the personal trainer! People with diabetes looking for motivation when it comes to exercise may have to look no further than the lowly pedometer.
0 comments - Posted Dec 26, 2007
November 2007
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter; that is, a molecule that carries messages between neurons in your brain. It's a feel-good neurotransmitter that makes you think "I want that! I'm going to get it! And wow, that was great!"
0 comments - Posted Nov 24, 2007
Fact One: Insulin receptor substrate-2 (Irs2) is a protein that sits on cell surfaces; its job is to allow those cells to respond to insulin.
Fact Two: Starved mice, which have low blood levels of insulin and heightened insulin sensitivity, live longer than well-fed mice.
0 comments - Posted Nov 16, 2007
A study of 2543 obese Mayo Clinic patients has revealed that only 505 of them were formally diagnosed as obese. If they were diagnosed, it was more likely to be done by a resident than by a staff physician.
0 comments - Posted Nov 13, 2007
Right now, nearly one in six children is overweight. Given the findings of a group of studies recently published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, however, it's a wonder that they all aren't fat. Their environment is certainly working against them.
0 comments - Posted Nov 7, 2007
According to recent research, we have a finite amount of temptation-resisting resources. If we use up all our self-control resisting one temptation, we don't have any left to use against another temptation.
0 comments - Posted Nov 4, 2007
October 2007
Human adenovirus-36 (AD-36) is an unwelcome visitor already because it causes colds, infections like pink-eye, and small intestine inflammation.
0 comments - Posted Oct 27, 2007
There's been a plethora of research lately documenting the health benefits of any sort of exercise, no matter how modest. The most recent documents a twelve-week study of 106 sedentary middle-aged folks who were assigned to one of three regimens: walking thirty minutes three days a week; walking thirty minutes five days a week; or doing nothing at all.
0 comments - Posted Oct 12, 2007
A study comparing the benefits of aerobic versus resistance training has found that either is good, but both are better, when it comes to lowering A1c's in people with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Oct 5, 2007
September 2007
Sheri Colberg, PhD, is writing the 2nd edition of her book, The Diabetic Athlete. Updated throughout, it will cover the use of the newest insulins, new medications like Symlin and Byetta, and all the latest devices.
0 comments - Posted Sep 14, 2007
August 2007
If breaking into a run is about as appealing to you as breaking into a rash, here's a bit of good news for you. Six months of moderate exercise, to the tune of walking about twelve miles a week, lowers your VLDL (bad) triglycerides much more than a daunting twelve to twenty weekly miles of jogging on a treadmill.
0 comments - Posted Aug 29, 2007
A Canadian Olympic rower and marathon runner, Chris Jarvis, age 26, exhibits the endurance of most elite athletes. However, few would know that for nearly 13 years he has lived and struggled with type 1 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Aug 25, 2007
The possibility of heart disease is a nagging worry when you have a child with type 1 diabetes. Sixty-nine percent of type 1 children have at least one cardiac risk factor.
0 comments - Posted Aug 22, 2007
Central adiposity, visceral fat, intra-abdominal fat, or a big belly, they all mean the same thing: increased risk of insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Aug 7, 2007
July 2007
This book chronicles one woman's lifestyle change and how her journey ignited a popular movement called the "Meltdown" that brought an entire county together in a community-wide weight loss experience.
0 comments - Posted Jul 24, 2007
An overview of 103 research reports comprising 10,455 subjects has found that it's better to stick to exercise than to spread yourself too thin by trying to change your activity level, diet, and medication all at the same time.
0 comments - Posted Jul 9, 2007
Each year, one hundred thousand peregrinos, or pilgrims, set out for Santiago De Compostela in northwestern Spain to visit the bones of St. James buried beneath the cathedral. Called El Camino de Santiago, it's one of the world's largest Christian pilgrimages.
0 comments - Posted Jul 6, 2007
Bozeman, Montana - Many people consider a diagnosis of diabetes a sentence to a life full of limitation. "That's not so," says Jeff Mazer, the Bozeman organizer of MADiDEA 2007, an event highlighting how to live a full life with diabetes while addressing the challenge of managing the disease.
0 comments - Posted Jul 3, 2007
Colorado Springs, CO, July 2, 2007 - LifeScan, Inc. announced the 2007 recipients of the LifeScan Prize for Athletic Achievement on June 30 at the annual meeting of the Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association (DESA).
0 comments - Posted Jul 2, 2007
June 2007
Kevin Powell is an athlete, first and foremost. Twice a year, he competes in an Ironman event, a grueling test of endurance that entails a 2.4-mile swim and a 112-mile bike ride, topped off by a full marathon of 26.2 miles.
0 comments - Posted Jun 28, 2007
Every hour that type 1 children spend watching cartoons, sitcoms, and even, alas, public television, correlates to an increase in A1c, according to a study published in Diabetes Care.
0 comments - Posted Jun 26, 2007
Several years ago, my husband Brian and my son Danny were eating at the Food Court of a local mall. "Dad, when someone gets three wishes from the genie in the lamp, why don't they just wish for more wishes?" Danny asked.
0 comments - Posted Jun 14, 2007
Twenty-five years ago, at the age of seven months, Phil Southerland was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Doctors at the time gave his mother very dismal predictions about his prospects, but he blew all those right out of the water.
0 comments - Posted Jun 13, 2007
May 2007
In any one-on-one contest, My Beloved beats me every which way. Smarter and more attractive, with better genes and the clout of a Harvard degree, she’s got me by the proverbials. But I maintain an edge in one tiny area. And my edge is gaining as we’ve begun checking our rear view mirrors for that era called Middle Age.
0 comments - Posted May 11, 2007
In the world of competitive swimming, type 1 athlete Gary Hall is a living legend. He was the oldest Olympic swimmer in eighty years when he won gold in the last Summer Olympics. He’s the fourth most decorated Olympian of all time.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2007
April 2007
Paper from University of Michigan family physicians details ways primary care doctors can help sedentary patients get moving.
0 comments - Posted Apr 26, 2007
The story of Doug Burns’ arrest during a low blood sugar episode has generated a lot of comments from the diabetes community. How did it happen, why did it happen, and how could it have been handled differently?
0 comments - Posted Apr 19, 2007
Want to get some exercise, hunt for treasure, and raise diabetes awareness at the same time? Play the “Unite for Diabetes Travel Bug Challenge.” It’s a geocaching game with a high purpose, and all you need to play is a Global Positioning System unit (GPS) and a sense of adventure.
0 comments - Posted Apr 19, 2007
There's an ancient Greek myth about a man named Sisyphus who was cursed to roll the same rock up a hill, then see it roll down, then roll it up again, for eternity. There's something a bit like diabetes self-care in that myth.
0 comments - Posted Apr 14, 2007
You may have seen a group of senior citizens practicing the slow, rhythmic reaching and deliberate stretching movements known as tai chi. Tai chi is considered a soft style martial art, applied with deep relaxation or "softness" in the musculature. Young or old, sick or healthy, even wheel-chair bound: everyone can take up tai chi. And oddly enough, tai chi’s gentle motions burn more calories than surfing and nearly as many as downhill skiing.
0 comments - Posted Apr 13, 2007
To be a cancer surviving athlete is to be admired. That has not been the case for me as a diabetic athlete. There has never been a special finish line acknowledging the courage, perseverance, and sheer determination it takes to live with diabetes and be out on that course riding, running, or walking. I want this to change.
0 comments - Posted Apr 9, 2007
I was really pleased to see the article about Andy Bell, (“Buffed Into Health”). I am a sociology professor at William Woods University and have forwarded this article to the nurse on campus, as well as to the Human Performance Department.
0 comments - Posted Apr 9, 2007
Have you lost interest in the world around you? Are you more difficult to engage in conversation or in doing chores? Have you lost interest in doing things or in starting new activities? Are you apathetic or indifferent? If your answer to these questions is yes, then you may be suffering from apathy syndrome.
0 comments - Posted Apr 5, 2007
March 2007
Q: I’m reading “The Diabetic Athlete,” by Sheri Colberg-Ochs. She writes that it’s good for diabetics to take some glycerol (glycerine) when exercising. Is this pure glycerol or is this in powder form? Here in Denmark I can get only the glycerol liquid, and I thought it was a constipation product.
0 comments - Posted Mar 21, 2007
Think back to the first time you tasted alcohol or puffed your first cigarette. As odd as it sounds (and unfortunately), after your first distaste you may have learned to like them. Obviously, we can condition ourselves to enjoy, even relish, something we once hated. This can and does work for the positive as well.
0 comments - Posted Mar 20, 2007
Valley Forge, Pa. - Good Neighbor Pharmacy®, a 25 year old network of independently owned pharmacies with over 2,700 locations nationwide, is proud to be the “Official Medical Supply” sponsor of the 2007 Ironman 70.3 California and seven other Ironman events.
0 comments - Posted Mar 20, 2007
Diabetes camp isn’t just for kids anymore. For type 1 athletes who want expert coaching on how to fit diabetes management into intense physical training, Stroke, Spin, and Stride’s week-long summer camp for grown-ups fits the bill. Says camp founder Matthew Corcoran, M.D, “We’ve hand-chosen our team of coaches and medical staff, and we’ve designed our programs to foster highly individualized attention.”
0 comments - Posted Mar 18, 2007
Jay Hewitt is a 39-year-old who has had type 1 diabetes since 1991. He is also an elite Ironman triathlete, tops in a demanding sport that requires a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run. A three-time member of the U.S. National Team for Long Course Triathlon, he is captain of Team Joslin at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, MA.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2007
February 2007
A study published in the February issue of Diabetes Care revealed that only 39 percent of people with type 2 diabetes get regular exercise, compared to 58 percent of people without diabetes. Among people who were at risk for the disease, as the number of risk factors increased, the amount of exercise decreased.
0 comments - Posted Feb 14, 2007
January 2007
Researchers at Indiana University have found that breaking your daily walk into several short episodes is better for your blood pressure than one sustained bout of exercise.
0 comments - Posted Jan 17, 2007
It was supposed to be a simple test: I’d pee in a cup, listen to my doctor’s suggestions to feel better, and go home with a prescription. Except on that day, it wasn’t that simple. I sat in the exam room and waited for my doctor to return. When he finally did and started to talk, saying that he suspected diabetes, I remember seeing my mom’s face fall.
0 comments - Posted Jan 17, 2007
December 2006
“Discontinuing basal insulin during exercise is an effective strategy for reducing hypoglycemia in children with type 1 diabetes,” say researchers from Tampa, Florida, “but the risk of hyperglycemia is increased.”
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2006
November 2006
The holidays are here again and, as we all know, the month of December is one of the biggest threats to both the dietary and exercise regimens to which we have so faithfully adhered since, well, the end of the last holiday season.
0 comments - Posted Nov 28, 2006
Like so many others, Kris Berg, EdD, an exercise physiologist at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, has observed the rapid-fire increase in obesity that has recently been labeled an “epidemic.”
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2006
October 2006
Australian researchers say type 1s who regularly exercise are protecting themselves against cardiovascular disease “through the preservation of vascular compliance.”
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2006
‘You wouldn’t believe how much I ate. Every night, besides dinner, I ate one of those big poppers full of popcorn with lots of butter and salt on it.”
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2006
Going low during exercise can be frightening. Preventing low blood glucose involves two strategies: decreasing insulin dosage or increasing carbohydrate intake. Sounds simple, but in reality it takes time for each individual to find the right combination that works for him or her.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2006
September 2006
Walking to Work Decreases Type 2 Risk Japanese researchers say that the duration of a walk to work is associated with a decreased risk of incidence of type 2 diabetes in Japanese men.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2006
TriActive America of San Luis Obispo, California, offers more than 55 outdoor exercise products. In May 2006, they announced a widely expanded product line that includes:
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2006
As little as 15 years ago, drinking fluids during sports practice or exercise was considered a sign of weakness. In fact, water was often withheld from athletes as punishment or as an attempt to make them “tough.”
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2006
August 2006
Hypertension (high blood pressure) affects about 50 million individuals in the United States and about 1 billion worldwide. It is the most common diagnosis, associated with 35 million office visits and a risk factor for heart disease, stroke and renal failure.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2006
July 2006
If the usual no-pain no-gain kinds of exercise don’t appeal to you, practicing the martial art known as tai chi (or qigong) may be the perfect alternative.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2006
June 2006
You’ve heard it a thousand times: If you want to lose weight, eat less and exercise more. Sounds so simple, doesn’t it? But in reality, it’s not.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2006
May 2006
When it comes to advising patients with or at risk for diabetes to exercise, health professionals are getting a passing grade.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2006
By now, the crowds at health clubs and fitness facilities that appeared with New Year resolutions have long since dispersed—an annual phenomenon.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2006
April 2006
Ernest had high triglycerides and his blood glucose was rising. He thought he was doing all right, so you can imagine what he thought when I recommended that he increase the amount of fat and protein in his diet and decrease his carbohydrate intake.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2006
Personal trainers are not just for the rich and famous anymore. Trainers can give you a big boost to getting fit, but how do you find the right trainer for you? The checklist below should help.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2006
March 2006
Anne Peters, MD, is director of the clinical diabetes programs at the University of Southern California (USC). Her latest book, “Conquering Diabetes” (Hudson Street Press, April 2005), has been hailed as one of the most “real” and readable diabetes guidebooks to date.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2006
February 2006
Researchers have discovered that the type 2 drug Avandia improved exercise function in people with type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2006
January 2006
“Higher fasting plasma glucose levels within the [normal blood glucose] range constitute an independent risk factor for type 2 diabetes among young men, and such levels may help, along with body mass index and triglyceride levels, to identify apparently healthy men at increased risk for diabetes.”
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2006
Spinning is a popular indoor cycling group exercise class that is taught in nearly every health club across America. Even if you have never participated in a class, you have undoubtedly heard about it or seen one as you peek in on a darkened gym full of people riding shiny chrome bikes, facing their instructor and intently listening to every cue that can be heard above the music.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2006
September 2005
Clinical adviser’s note: Keep in mind that a properly fitted pair of athletic shoes designed for your planned type of exercise (walking, running, cross-training or step aerobics, for example) may well be your most important and cost-effective exercise equipment purchase.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2005
Have you ever wondered if weight training is right for you? Maybe you think it’s only for the “muscle heads” at the gym or the women on ESPN who flex for the cameras.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2005
August 2005
Each time you exercise, you are placing a stress on your body for which an appropriate response is necessary. This article discusses the body’s response to exercise for the diabetic who is on insulin therapy or insulin secretagogues such as glyburide, glipizide, Glucotrol XL, Amaryl, Prandin or Starlix. It also addresses steps to prevent diabetes-related complications, hypoglycemia in particular, during exercise. Maintaining safe blood glucose levels during and after exercise is accomplished through a correct balance of medications, diet and exercise.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2005
He trains about 22 hours during the average week—not counting the additional seven hours of workouts on weekends. Through his twice-daily workouts, he totals nearly 120 miles of bicycling, about 10 miles of swimming and between 50 to 100 miles of running each week. For Ironman triathlete Jay Hewitt, training and diabetes have something in common: Working at them every day is critical to achieve his goals.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2005
July 2005
Diabetes Adventure Tours (the travel arm of the Diabetes and Wellness Foundation) is organizing a weeklong cycling trip designed especially for people with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2005
This column presents four strategies for exercising in the summer heat. One critical consideration is that regardless of fitness level—novice walker to elite marathoner—everyone must slow down and allow the body to adapt to the heat and humidity before returning to their normal training.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2005
June 2005
1. Have a complete medical examination and obtain your physician’s approval before starting an exercise program. This is even more important if you have never exercised or if you want to increase the intensity of your workouts.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2005
May 2005
Nothing can destroy your motivation to exercise as much as an injury.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2005
April 2005
The following exercises are designed to gradually increase the strength of your abdominal muscles. These exercises are meant to complement the back exercises we presented in the January 2005 On the Go column (“Preventing a Pain in the Back”), with the intention of developing a total training program for the core body. The core muscles include the muscles of the abdomen and lower back, which are responsible in part for good back and spine health.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2005
Have you ever quit soon after starting an exercise program? If you have, you are not alone. Lots of people start a new activity with the best of intentions, but before long, they stop. If you are sitting on the sidelines, here are some tips to help you get back on track:
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2005
March 2005
It’s pretty much a truism that video games are bad for children’s health. They hold their minds hostage, promote sedentary behavior and can even desensitize them to violence.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2005
February 2005
Note: Be sure to consult with your diabetes care team before starting any new exercise program.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2005
January 2005
The author wishes to acknowledge John Manire and Jennifer Moreillon for their assistance in the preparation of this article.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2005
December 2004
I recently spoke at the Diabetes Camping Association’s annual meeting for healthcare professionals and camp directors. This group serves a network of more than 150 organizations providing summer vacation camp for children, and adults, with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2004
This time of year presents extra challenges. It’s not easy to live with and manage diabetes during the holidays, but it can be done. Here are some tips for staying focused, fit and in control during this season:
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2004
November 2004
Before starting any exercise regimen, please consult with your diabetes care professionals.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2004
October 2004
Baseball, football, soccer, basketball, and hockey are all sports that proclaim, “It’s autumn.”
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2004
Are you all worked up because your physician has ordered you to have a stress test?
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2004
September 2004
Safety first: Remember to check with your healthcare team before starting any new exercise program.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2004
If you are type 2, elderly and have peripheral neuropathy, resistance training may be just what you need to improve your health, say Kentucky researchers.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2004
July 2004
When was the first time you asked yourself, “Am I getting old?” Was it that time you felt your heart beating faster as you climbed the stairs? Or the time your legs began to shake just carrying the grocery bags from the car? Or when your joints and muscles felt stiff when you woke up one morning?
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2004
The MedGem, manufactured by HealtheTech, is a new hand-held metabolic rate device that measures after-meal energy expenditure.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2004
June 2004
Imagine going to a spa-like resort to spend 19 days focusing on your health and diet and learning how to cook tasty foods for weight loss. Throw in some massages, nearly countless hours of physician attention and a guaranteed improved lifestyle when you return home.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2004
If you’ve never lifted weights before, you may be intimidated by the idea. Here are some manageable and inexpensive ways to start doing resistance exercise without joining a gym.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2004
Keep these tips in mind while performing strength-training exercises:
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2004
As we age, we tend to get heavier, weaker, slower and more prone to injury, disability and chronic disease.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2004
The prevalence of obesity in the United States is reaching epidemic proportions. In middle-aged individuals, the problem is often labeled “creeping obesity.”
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2004
May 2004
According to the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, of the 17 million Americans with diabetes, 90 to 95 percent have type 2.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2004
May 2003
The hardest part was not the climbing," says Midge Cross, 59, of her attempt to scale Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world. "It was the tedium."
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2003
April 2003
A healthy lifestyle, which includes exercise, is important in the fight against diabetes. Yoga can complement such a lifestyle and help to keep diabetes under control.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2003
As a diabetes researcher, exercise physiologist and individual with type 1 diabetes, I am always curious about how the latest diabetes technology fits into an exercise program. Exercise is, after all, one of the three cornerstones of diabetes management, along with diet and medication.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2003
According to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, training with free weights ranks first among 20 fitness-related activities, with more than 45 million adults participating—an increase of 101 percent since 1987.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2003
There aren't enough hours in the day to exercise," a patient once told William Polonsky, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2003
A healthy lifestyle, which includes exercise, is important in the fight against diabetes. Yoga can complement such a lifestyle and help to keep diabetes under control.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2003
It's no secret that exercise is good for you. On an almost regular basis, people with type 2 diabetes hear the rhetoric that exercise and weight loss will all but cure them of their condition.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2003
There aren't enough hours in the day to exercise," a patient once told William Polonsky, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2003
According to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, training with free weights ranks first among 20 fitness-related activities, with more than 45 million adults participating - an increase of over 100 percent since 1987.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2003
November 2002
The holiday season presents many challenges for people with diabetes. Because we tend to eat more (at office parties and family outings) and exercise less during these months, weight gain could typically be as much as five to 10 pounds.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2002
July 2002
Seven out of every 10 Americans do not exercise regularly, according to a report issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and announced by HHS Secretary Tommy H. Thompson on April 7, 2002—World Health Day. In addition, the report claims, four out of 10 Americans are not active at all.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2002
May 2002
When it comes to exercise, there's literally no place but home for some of us. Many people cite a lack of transportation, finances or time as reasons for not going to a gym or fitness center. And many rural areas simply don't have gyms or fitness centers. Whether real or perceived, these problems do bring one option to the fore—exercising at home.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2002
It is not uncommon to read an article about physical activity that advises you to eat a snack before you exercise. Sometimes the article also advises you to perform the exercise after a meal or to avoid activity while insulin is peaking.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2002
April 2002
The type of shoe you choose for your walking or running activity may be the single best insurance you can buy to reduce your chance of injury. I find that most people look for two things in a shoe: cushion and style. The problem here is that cushion, while it may feel good initially, does not offer the stability that most people need. A lack of stability in a shoe can cause the majority of weight-bearing injuries to the ankles, knees, hips and lower back. Remember, it is nice to look good while you are exercising, but how can you continue to look good if you are injured?
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2002
January 2002
While exercise is good for you, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) cautions that some forms of exercise may not be good for some people.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2002
Enlisting the services of a qualified exercise professional to help you set up an exercise program is an intelligent decision. Exercise professionals offer the knowledge, guidance, accountability and support that should help you achieve your goals in a safe and expedient manner.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2002
Exercising for short bursts burns the same amount of calories as working out for one longer period of time, say researchers from the University of Wisconsin. Publishing their results in the October 2001 issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, researchers found that women who worked out for three 10-minute periods, two 15-minute periods or one 30-minute period lost the same amount of body weight and fat.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2002
November 2001
"Okay, so I know I should do it. I know it will decrease my blood sugar. I know it will burn more calories. It's supposed to improve my circulation, cholesterol, triglyericdes and A1c. Rumor says it will even make me feel better. I know, I know, I know! Go ahead—blame me for not doing it!"
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2001
October 2001
If you want to learn how to play tennis or golf, you take lessons from a pro. Learning how to perform resistance exercise is no different, but many people don't believe they really need someone to teach them how to exercise. This is unfortunate, as working with a qualified exercise professional will extend to you several advantages.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2001
As we age, we tend to get heavier, weaker, slower and more prone to injury, disability and chronic disease. This decline in health has traditionally been viewed as one of the inevitable consequences of aging. However, many of the changes that we experience as we get older may not be attributed to aging itself.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2001
Eat a low-fat diet, take a brisk walk or ride a bike for 30 minutes a day five days a week and your risk of getting type 2 diabetes will be reduced by 58 percent. Also, taking the type 2 drug Glucophage can also cut the risk of developing type 2 by 31 percent, say researchers in the United States.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2001
September 2001
There are many factors to consider before adding exercise to your diabetes management. The benefits of physical activity are often celebrated and touted; however, safely and effectively incorporating these benefits into your workout is not always obvious.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2001
August 2001
Recent research has shown that it is better to be fat and fit than lean and sedentary from a metabolic standpoint.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2001
High-intensity strength training is considered a convenient, safe and effective way for older people with diabetes to improve control of their blood sugar, say researchers at the USDA Human Nutritional Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2001
July 2001
Although it may seem as though the medical community cannot agree on anything at times, physicians are in agreement on at least one thing: practice the motto "first do no harm" when treating patients.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2001
June 2001
Carla Elliot liked to keep busy. A bright and outgoing 14-year-old girl, Carla involved herself in as many activities as she could. Whether it was swimming, cheerleading, softball, 4-H club meetings or simply running around the neighborhood, Carla was there.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
March 2001
While exercise can improve your body's sensitivity to insulin, it can also complicate blood glucose (BG) control. Normally, exercise causes your body to use more blood sugar without insulin. Therefore, when insulin users participate in physical activities, they frequently need to make insulin adjustments to keep BGs normal.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2001
Kris Berg, EdD, stresses that the most important benefits from starting and maintaining an exercise regimen will be those we do not see, including:
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2001
Kris Berg, EdD, an exercise physiologist at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, offers people with diabetes the following advice as they plan to develop and stick to an exercise regimen. His recommendations are based on the five stages of Prochaska and DiClemente's "Transtheortical Model" of behavior change:
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2001
The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Diabetes Association have established general clinical practice recommendations for exercise and diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2001
February 2001
Although runners of all levels are welcome at the New York City marathon, its course is unrelenting-a 174-foot ascent in the first mile, another steep climb in Queens, and 26.2 miles of hard asphalt that stretches from Staten Island to the Bronx and back down.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2001
As a physically active individual in today's world, you are likely to be bombarded with all sorts of claims about nutritional supplements that will enhance your athletic performance. In reality, very few have been scientifically proven to have any effect on athletic performance.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2001
October 2000
People with type 2 diabetes are capable of increasing their physical activity levels, according to a recent survey of doctors in the United Kingdom.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2000
Exercise for people with diabetes is crucial for good glycemic control. Type1s can reduce their insulin doses and type 2s can reduce the risk of numerous complications. But exercise for people with diabetes also requires special attention because it has special risks.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2000
In addition to being an assistant professor of exercise science at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia and DIABETES HEALTH's exercise advisor, Sheri Colberg, PhD, can add "author" to her list of credentials.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2000
September 2000
A new study published in the July 18 Annals of Internal Medicine says exercising without dieting is as effective for modest weight loss as dieting without exercising.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2000
August 2000
Active people living with diabetes love the flexibility and finite control that using an insulin pump provides. Life no longer revolves around timed snacks and meals. Long-acting insulin peaks no longer control you. Even exercise participation can become spontaneous again. Whether you are new to pumping or a veteran, there are things to consider when you manage exercise blood sugars.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2000
June 2000
Study after study has spotlighted the ever-growing trend of physical inactivity among today's youth. The Surgeon General's Report (1996) identified that nearly 50 percent of youths, aged 12 to 21, are not active on a regular basis. Physical education programs are fading from school curricula and parents are scrambling to find time and energy to be physically active with their children.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2000
Researchers discovered that type 2 men who exercise have a lower overall risk of dying than diabetic men who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2000
Gary Hall Jr., the gold and silver medalist swimmer at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, is considered America's finest freestyle sprint swimmer.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2000
May 2000
As all people with diabetes know, one of the greatest challenges you will ever encounter is confronting the problem of maintaining an exercise program. Unfortunately, it is a challenge requiring skills that are not taught by most health clubs or included in most fitness literature.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2000
April 2000
Sande Francis has a veritable gymnasium at her home in Fresno, California. A type 2 since 1992, Francis started exercising after she was diagnosed with a random blood sugar reading of 264 mg/dl.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2000
March 2000
Jay Leeuwenburg is an imposing, 6-foot, three-inch, 295-pound physical specimen which goes a long way in his field of work as an offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL). Even before Leeuwenburg was a teenager, he weighed as much as 170 pounds. At the age of 12, however, he began losing weight at a rapid pace, and eventually whittled away to 130 pounds. Upon seeing a doctor, Leeuwenburg discovered he had type 1 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2000
February 2000
Exercise impacts everyone differently. A minority of people with diabetes who exercise may find it unnecessary to make any insulin or dietary changes to accommodate their exercise regime, like the NPH user who does aerobics early in the morning before her breakfast or morning insulin. Most, however, will probably need to make some adjustments.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2000
Aerobic workouts can be safely enjoyed by people with diabetes. These are fun exercises that can increase your muscle tone and aerobic fitness. A typical workout consists of greater-intensity aerobic work and lesser-intensity stretching and toning activities using hand-held or ankle weights and multiple repetitions (such as abdominal crunches). Classes vary in intensity based on individual ability and level of participation, as well as the nature of the class: high-impact, low-impact, step, hip-hop and others.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2000
December 1999
In the October 20 Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Frank Hu, MD, of the Harvard School of Public Health, writes that people can cut the risk of type 2 diabetes nearly in half by engaging in one hour of moderate-intensity activity each day, which doesn't have to be all at once. This moderate-intensity activity can be accomplished with a walk to the bus stop in the morning, a walk up several flights of stairs in the afternoon, and housework in the evening.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1999
November 1999
Television has been getting a bad rap lately for contributing to the decline of cognitive development in children, the decline in moral standards and pretty much the decline of Western civilization as a whole. Now it's getting a bad rap for contributing to the development of type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1999
October 1999
Nothing has changed. Recent studies show that the majority of Americans are still exercising less and gaining more weight. This could mean trouble for people with diabetes, and anyone who wants to stay healthy.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1999
August 1999
Exercise Improves Diabetes and Cardiovascular Control, but Maintenance is Necessary. It is well known that good diet and exercise habits reduce the risk of heart disease and improve blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes. Knowing that diet and exercise programs are extremely difficult to follow, researcher Fannie Smith enrolled overweight type 2 patients in an intensive, 16-week program called "Fit N' Healthy."
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1999
July 1999
Walking could be the easiest, least expensive exercise, and it is proven to help shed pounds and improve glucose levels. An Australian study looks at post-menopausal type 2 women, and how walking changed their health.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1999
June 1999
“I was scared to death.” Freezing, out of food and lost near the top of one of the world’s highest mountains, type 1 Colby Smith has to decide. Should he save himself and head down the mountain to safety and leave his friend behind to die, or stay with his friend, which could kill them both.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1999
DIABETES HEALTH: Chelsea Smith, a 6-year-old reader from Sidney, Maine, was just diagnosed a few weeks ago. First, she wants to know if she can get a poster of you. And, she wants to ask you, do you still take shots?
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1999
May 1999
For people with type 2 diabetes, exercise is an imperative companion piece to managing blood sugars. For people with type 1 diabetes, however, it is a more difficult proposition.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1999
April 1999
A study published in the December 1998 issue of the Canadian Journal of Diabetes Care says that regular exercise is an important component of the treatment regimen for all people with diabetes. Gayle Lorenzi, RN, CDE, who conducted the study at the University of California, San Diego, says that exercise, when combined with dietary management and drug therapy, generally contributes to improved blood glucose control, as well as decreased cardiac risk, blood pressure control, lipid profiles and psychological well-being. Oftentimes, however, initiating an exercise program is a tough sell for most diabetes physicians and educators. The decision to start an exercise program requires motivation to get started, and then a commitment to maintaining the program.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1999
March 1999
Exercise has always been prescribed as a companion therapy to insulin, drug, or diet therapy in individuals with type 1 and 2 diabetes, yet, in the past two decades, the importance of exercise has been reexamined time and time again.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1999
March 1998
If you're thinking about joining the battle of the bulge you may want to check out the latest fitness and exercise equipment options available to you. In today's fitness crazed world, the choices are nearly limitless, and many of today's hottest exercise trends have actually been around for decades.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1998
January 1998
Wanna lose 15 pounds in just under 12 hours? Just try Scott Coleman's liquid diet.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1998
September 1997
Laura Greenfield has lived with type 1 diabetes for over 18 years. When told by health professionals that exercise would help her control BGs she tried it. Unfortunately, Laura discovered that exercise is a tricky balancing act and not simply a matter of physical exertion. At first, she found it made it even more difficult to maintain stable BG levels.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1997
June 1997
Get a medical exam before you start an exercise program. Exercising in the morning while the insulin level is low works well for most people with type I diabetes. Exercising 30 minutes to two hours after a meal or snack works well for most people. Prevent low blood sugars with slow carbs, such as athletic bars or protein-enriched pasta. Treat low blood sugars with fast carbs, such as glucose tablets or dextrose candies. Eat a protein/carb snack or a bar with slow-acting carbohydrates (Nite Bite, etc.) before bed after intense/long exercise or any exercise out of your ordinary range to keep your blood sugar from dropping overnight. Regular exercise trains the body and stabilizes the blood sugar. Always carry fast carbs with you as you exercise. To learn more about exercise and diabetes check with your health care professional and read STOP the Rollercoaster, a comprehensive book on managing your blood sugars (available by calling 800-988-4772).
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1997
You exercise. You do this because it's good for your health, can help stabilize your blood sugars and makes you look and feel better. It provides you with exhilarating, character-building challenges whether you run in the Boston Marathon or increase your walking distance from two to three miles per day.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1997
March 1997
Exercise for people with diabetes is crucial for good glycemic control. Type Is can reduce their insulin doses and type 2s can reduce the risk of numerous complications. But exercise for people with diabetes also requires special attention because it has special risks. The following list of recommendations should help you avoid any unnecessary risk when it comes to all forms of exercise - from dancing to jogging.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1997
Exercise can increase contractions in pregnant women with diabetes leading to pre-term labor. But this does not mean that exercise has to stop altogether. Leona Dang-Kilduff, a pregnancy adviser at the Diabetes and Pregnancy Center at the Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, recommends that women who continue their exercise program into pregnancy maintain an acute awareness of their contractions.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1997
November 1996
DIABETES HEALTH is proud to announce our newest column. In every column a case study about someone with diabetes will be presented by one of our advisory board members. By sharing start-to-finish experiences of people with diabetes we hope to examine problems both rare and common, and show how those problems can be tackled and solved.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1996
August 1996
The first recipients of the Lifescan Prize for athletic achievement were announced at the 1996 International Diabetic Athletes Association (IDAA) Conference held in Tempe, Arizona, March 31 - April 3. This year the $20,000 prize was split three ways by Pratt Rather, Klaudia Birkner and Erick Gonzalez Fritsche, each earning over $6,000 toward equipment and training.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1996
May 1996
In general, when people with diabetes exercise, they require less insulin for good control. This is due both to a more rapid absorption of insulin from exercised sites and to an increase in the effectiveness of the insulin. You must, therefore, reduce your insulin when you exercise, but there are few guidelines to help you. Some people only need to reduce their insulin a little, some need to reduce it by as much as half.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1996
April 1996
The Diabetes Sports and Exercise Book by Claudia Graham, CDE, PhD, MPH, June Biermann and Barbara Toohey
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1996
March 1996
The February issue of Diabetes Health included an article titled "Diabetes Expert Offers Tips on Understanding and Preventing Heart Disease: Drugs are the Answer" by Alan Marcus, MD. The article emphasized the use of medication to control high blood pressure and cholesterol and to prevent heart disease in people with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1996
January 1996
Every new year an estimated 90 million Americans make health and fitness-related resolutions.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1996
December 1995
Many people with diabetes seeking to improve their overall health wish to include daily exercise in their lifestyle. Unfortunately, the blood glucose (BG) response to exercise can often pose problems. BG can drop during or even hours after physical activity, or, to further complicate matters, it can rise. Why the inconsistency and varied response? Blame it on stress hormones and counter-regulatory hormones (CRH) activated during exercise. These hormones stimulate the liver to release glucose into the blood and this can send BG levels soaring.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1995
One day Don Brennen was windsurfing near the San Francisco Airport. The sport is a strenuous one, and when he began to lose his balance and feel disoriented, Brennen blamed it on the exertion combined with fumes from the airport. Luckily, he made it back to the beach and began to feel better.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1995
November 1995
One hundred and one people recently enrolled in the Fit 'n' Healthy out-patient education program at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. The participants included people with type I and type 2 diabetes and people without diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1995
September 1995
He looks a little like NBA player Charles Barkley, but Charles Ray III is another kind of star.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1995
July 1995
This article is part of an exercise chapter from the authors' new book, Stop The Rollercoaster, written with Lois Jovanovic-Peterson, MD. The book explains the use of multiple injections, carb counting, blood sugar patterns, and reducing risks for complications. Stop the Rollercoaster will be available from Torrey Pines Press (800) 988-4772 in September. For a diabetes update and information on the internet, set your browser to diabetesnet.com.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1995
February 1995
I have read and heard that warm-up and cool down are important in preventing pulled muscles and preventing muscle soreness. Exactly how long and strenuous should they be?
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 1995
They say there are two types of people in this world; Those who go around obstacles and those who just go right over them.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 1995
December 1994
Q: My muscles were very sore and stiff for several days after lifting weights. How can I prevent this and how can it be treated?
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1994
September 1994
Researchers at Lapeyronie Hospital in Montpellier, France have studied the 7 cases of complications, out of 40 patients treated there with programmable implantable insulin pumps. Based on their study, they recommend that exercise should be limited to moderate exertion, and vigorous activity should be avoided to prevent an increases in the risk of pump-pocket complication.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1994
August 1994
Q: I am going on 58 years old and have had diabetes since 1980. Initially I weighed 127 at 5' 8". I was unusual in that I was not overweight. The first 8 years my control was micronase and jogging with poor results, including 11 pounds of weight and muscle loss, and for the last six have been on insulin. I am now on regular before meals and ultra lente at bedtime. For the last four years I've been on a 3 day weekly weight lifting and cardio program at Gold's gym. By 1993 I had gained 29 pounds with much of that being muscle. A diet change to more vegetarian brought me to my present 136. Until last October I was completely debilitated after exercise to the point I would have to take a nap and felt like I was hit by a truck. In October, with a new trainer, I decreased my weights and started doing the same routine each day, with a new cardio routine, actually more strenuous in part. My routine is 12 minutes on the Gauntlet, and 13 on the treadmill, and 1 1/2 hours weight lifting.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1994
Q: Is weight training beneficial for people with diabetes?
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1994
June 1994
Question: Why does my blood glucose (BG) sometimes rise after exercise?
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1994
January 1994
Question: How can I avoid insulin reactions associated with exercise?
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1994
The effectiveness of exercise for managing diabetes has long been recognized. Research, however, has predominantly focused on endurance training while weight lifting has been largely overlooked. The benefits of weight lifting include: improved blood lipid levels; decreased resting blood pressure; improved insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance, and glycemic control; and improved muscle, bone, and connective tissue strength (Diabetes Educator, July-August, 1993).
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1994
November 1993
Question: I've never been a regular exerciser, and quite honestly, don't relish the idea of spending a lot of time and money on exercise. What's the least amount of exercise that will afford me some real health benefits?
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1993
July 1993
Long considered a cornerstone of diabetes management, exercise has been underemphasized as a therapeutic treatment. This is not without reason, as the effects of exercise on blood glucose levels in people with Insulin Dependent Diabetes (IDDM) is physiologically complex, and requires individual tailoring rather than a rigid, uniform prescription. As always, the most effective way to integrate exercise is by being adequately informed.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1993
April 1993
In a study of children with type I diabetes, researchers have found for the first time that higher levels of physical fitness are associated with lower levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels (LDL). This is a significant finding because lower levels of cholesterol and LDL reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The study, performed at the Diabetes Center of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, measured the levels of physical fitness, cholesterol, and LDL of 77 high school-aged boys and girls.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1993
January 1993
Last October, the International Diabetic Athletes Association (IDAA-USA) met in Phoenix, Arizona, for its annual meeting. At the conference, 60 active men and women shared information on methods of integrating a vigorous lifestyle with diabetes. Most of the speakers were athletes and health professionals who spoke of diabetes and exercise from personal experience.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1993
December 1992
Did you know that the average American gains approximately 7 pounds between the Thanksgiving and New Year's holiday?
0 comments - Posted Dec 3, 1992
