Diabetes and Swimming for Exercise
by Vedana (Nani) Vaidhyanathan
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. It is the form where your body ignores the insulin you have created. Insulin is necessary for your cells to utilize the energy from the food you consume. Insulin takes that fuel into the cells. When the fuel builds up in the bloodstream (in the form of sugar) instead of going into cells two things can happen: first your cells may starve and secondly the high levels of sugar in the blood may hurt other parts of your body including your heart, kidneys and eyes. (American Diabetes Association http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/type-2/facts-about-type-2.html)
In order to maintain a healthy level of fuel in your blood, regular exercise is a necessity. This is because “Exercise helps drive glucose out of the bloodstream and into cells, where it’s used for fuel, making diabetics less dependent on insulin to process their meals, said Dr. John Anderson, president of medicine and science at the American Diabetes Association. Strength training, even more than cardiovascular exercise, lowers blood sugar levels for a longer duration, he said.” (Chicago Tribune http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/sc-health-1030-fitness-diabetes-20131030,0,5034734.story) Diabetics should aim for 300 minutes of exercise per week, but should start out with 20-30 minutes three times a day and slowly work their way up. The types of exercise they should do differs by what the person likes to do but also they need to pay attention to certain aspects like people with eye complications should avoid strength exercises since they could cause more bleeding and people with neuropathy, who have numbness in their feet should avoid the treadmill and try swimming or bicycling instead.
Swimming is a great exercise for people with type 2 diabetes who are trying to control their blood sugar. It is an easy exercise to learn and does not cause a lot of pressure on joints that may not be used to a lot of stress. If you choose to begin swimming for exercise please keep a few things in mind: make sure to talk to your doctor before starting this, or any exercise program and never swim alone. Also never swim without medical identification in case you need help. Keep in mind that swimming can cause hypoglycemia so alert anyone who is with you to the symptoms of it and make sure to bring a small snack with you in case your blood sugar drops. If you keep these safety tips in mind, you will be well on your way to a healthier life through swimming.
