Protect Blood Vessels, Kidneys with Daily Exercise

When you have diabetes, it’s important to adjust your diet to help you regulate your blood sugar levels.

That usually means limiting or avoiding sugary foods like soda and desserts, and foods made from refined carbohydrates like bread, pasta, cereal, and rice.

Why? These types of foods cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels, and force your pancreas to work harder to produce enough insulin. But when you have diabetes, it can’t keep up.

So what should you eat when you have diabetes? More whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and lean meats like the meals on our Diabetic-Friendly menu.

Get your diet right and stick to it, and that will help a lot to manage diabetes. But it’s not the only thing you can do to keep blood sugar levels in check and protect your health.

New research shows regular exercise is also an effective way to manage diabetes and prevent complications, such as developing renal disease. In a study published in the American Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology, researchers looked at the impact of exercise vs. a sedentary lifestyle on markers for diabetes.

Here’s what they found. Sitting around living a sedentary lifestyle when you have diabetes is a risk factor for developing renal disease and other complications associated with the disease. However, 45 to 60 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, etc) at least five days a week, may improve blood vessel health and overall kidney function.

And the findings support what the American College of Sports Medicine has recommended for years. Most adults need at least 30 to 60 minutes of exercise a day, or 150 minutes a week to support weight loss and weight management, and reduce the risk for chronic diseases. If you have diabetes, eat right and make time for regular exercise.