If you have diabetes — or for that matter, nearly any other chronic illness — exercise is one of the most powerful tools that can help you control your weight and blood sugar. And it can help you feel great, too.

The list of exercise benefits is long. Exercise helps control weight, lowers blood pressure, reduces harmful LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, raises healthy HDL cholesterol, strengthens muscles and bones, and reduces anxiety. Exercise can help regulate blood sugar and increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin. Both are important for people with diabetes.

Many studies have documented that exercise is a strong ally in treating diabetes. Here are a few examples:

• All forms of exercise — aerobic, resistance, and a combination of both — have been shown to be equally good at lowering HbA1c values.

• Resistance training and aerobic exercise both helped to lower insulin resistance in previously sedentary older adults at risk for diabetes. Combining the two was better than either one alone.

• People with diabetes who walked at least two hours a week were less likely to die of heart disease than their sedentary counterparts, and those who exercised three to four hours a week cut their risk even more.

• Women with diabetes who spent at least four hours a week doing moderate or vigorous exercise had a 40% lower risk of developing heart disease than those who didn’t exercise.

If you have diabetes, generally it is best to exercise one to three hours after eating, when your blood sugar level is likely to be higher. If you use insulin, be sure to test your blood sugar before exercising. If it is below 100 mg/dL, eat a piece of fruit or have a small snack. This will bump your blood sugar up and help you avoid hypoglycemia. Test again 30 minutes after your snack to be sure your blood sugar level is stable. It’s also a good idea to check your blood sugar after any particularly grueling workout or activity. If you’re taking insulin, your risk of developing hypoglycemia may be highest six to 12 hours after exercising. Experts also caution against exercising if your blood sugar is too high (over 250).

A medical alert bracelet should be part of your workout wardrobe. It should indicate that you have diabetes and whether you take insulin. Also, keep hard candy or glucose tablets with you while exercising in case your blood sugar takes a nosedive.

To learn more about how to live a healthy life with diabetes and ways to keep your blood sugar in check and avoid complications, contact Ronald @gyminmotion 07929 256856.

Boston, MA – Men who do weight training regularly—for example, for 30 minutes per day, five days per week—may be able to reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes by up to 34%, according to a new study by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and University of Southern Denmark researchers. And if they combine weight training and aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking or running, they may be able to reduce their risk even further—up to 59%.

This is the first study to examine the role of weight training in the prevention of type 2 diabetes. The results suggest that, because weight training appears to confer significant benefits independent of aerobic exercise, it can be a valuable alternative for people who have difficulty with the latter.  

The study will be published online in Archives of Internal Medicine on August 6, 2012. 

“Until now, previous studies have reported that aerobic exercise is of major importance for type 2 diabetes prevention,” said lead author Anders Grøntved, visiting researcher in the Department of Nutrition at HSPH and a doctoral student in exercise epidemiology at the University of Southern Denmark. “But many people have difficulty engaging in or adhering to aerobic exercise. These new results suggest that weight training, to a large extent, can serve as an alternative to aerobic exercise for type 2 diabetes prevention.” 

Type 2 diabetes is a major public health concern and it’s on the rise. An estimated 346 million people worldwide have type 2 diabetes, and diabetes-related deaths are expected to double between 2005 and 2030, according to the World Health Organization. More than 80% of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. 

The researchers, including senior author Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at HSPH, followed 32,002 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study from 1990 to 2008. Information on how much time the men spent each week on weight training and aerobic exercise came from questionnaires they filled out every two years. The researchers adjusted for other types of physical activity, television viewing, alcohol and coffee intake, smoking, ethnicity, family history of diabetes, and a number of dietary factors. During the study period, there were 2,278 new cases of diabetes among the men followed. 

The findings showed that even a modest amount of weight training may help reduce type 2 diabetes risk. The researchers categorized the men according to how much weight training they did per week—between 1 and 59 minutes, between 60 and 149 minutes, and at least 150 minutes—and found that the training reduced their type 2 diabetes risk by 12%, 25%, and 34%, respectively, compared with no weight training. Aerobic exercise is associated with significant benefits as well, the researchers found—it reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 7%, 31%, and 52%, respectively, for the three categories above. 

The researchers also found that the combination of weight training and aerobic exercise confers the greatest benefits: Men who did more than 150 minutes of aerobics as well as at least 150 minutes of weight training per week had a 59% reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. 

Grøntved said that further research is needed to confirm the results of the study as well as to analyze whether or not the findings can be generalized to women. 

“This study provides clear evidence that weight training has beneficial effects on diabetes risk over and above aerobic exercise, which are likely to be mediated through increased muscle mass and improved insulin sensitivity,” said Hu. “To achieve the best results for diabetes prevention, resistance training can be incorporated with aerobic exercise.” 

Other HSPH authors included Eric Rimm, associate professor in the Departments of Epidemiology and Nutrition, and Walter Willett, Frederick John Stare Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition and chair of the Department of Nutrition. 

Support for the study was provided by the National Institutes of Health (DK58845 and CA55075). 

“A Prospective Study of Weight Training and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Men,” Anders Grøntved, Eric B. Rimm, Walter C. Willett, Lars B. Andersen, Frank B. Hu, Archives of Internal Medicine, online August 6, 2012.

First off, this type of headache, prompted by exercise, is called an "exertional headache" or "exercise headache."  Running is known to cause exertional headaches, and lifting weights is another common cause.  Generally, exercise headaches cause pain (lasting from 5 minutes - 2 days) on both sides of the head.  They may even cause nausea.

What might be contributing factors?
-Hot weather
-High altitude
-Caffeine
-Alcohol
-Dehydration

How serious is this?
-You should know that, while they can be very irritating, these headaches are not medically serious. -However, these headaches still should be properly diagnosed, as they could possibly be a sign of something serious (potentially bleeding in the brain).  In fact, over 10% of people with exercise headaches may have a serious underlying condition, so you should talk to your doctor...especially if you've never had a headache like this before.
-It is probably nothing serious if the headache leaves within a few hours and there are no other neurological symptoms
-A doctor might recommend a MRI exam if your headaches do last longer than a few hours, if they begin very suddenly, if you are older than 40, and if you have accompanying symptoms (including nausea).  This MRI will help the doctor to verify that there is no serious underlying issue.

How can I treat this?
-Normally, these headaches leave on their own.
-If treatment is necessary, the medication "indomethacin" may be helpful.
-Aspirin and ibuprofen may also be effective.
-Actually exercising regularly can help to prevent exercise headaches (funny as that sounds!), although it may be best to avoid the specific circumstances in which your headaches tend to arise.

Competitive running or high-impact aerobics pose a high risk of a number of injuries to the bones and muscle. Injuries to knees, ankles, hips, back, shoulders, and elbows are all possible.

Preventing High-Impact Injuries. The following may be helpful for preventing injury:

• Wear shock-absorbing footwear with weight-dampening inserts.

• Combine weight lifting with jumping exercises. This may prevent injury by strengthening hamstrings and improving coordination.

• Vary training and alternate easy and harder workouts.

• Be careful to warm up, cool down, and stretch. Flexibility is the key to preventing many muscle strains.

• Take days off now and then. The risk of injury increases when athletes train more than five times a week.

Treating Minor Injuries. Most mild or moderate injuries respond well to a simple, four-step treatment: rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE). This combination works well for both spot injuries and chronic problems. Ice packs, which reduce inflammation and pain, can help new injuries, and can be useful for the first few hours after a chronically injured area is exercised. How much or how long to compress the injury is unclear.

Evidence suggests that early movement is helpful, although taping or bracing in people with a recurrent ankle sprain is known to be protective. It may not be helpful in those without a previous ankle injury.

Minor injuries like sprains may be treated at home if broken bones are not suspected. The acronym RICE can help you remember how to treat minor injuries: "R" stands for rest, "I" is for ice, "C" is for compression, and "E" is for elevation. Pain and swelling should decrease within 48 hours. Gentle movement may help, but pressure should not be put on a sprained joint until pain is completely gone. This can take up to a few weeks.

Heat, ultrasound, whirlpool, and massage may speed healing if applied a day or two after the initial injury, or for warm-up before another workout session.

Stroke is the interruption of blood to the brain. This may be due to blockage of a blood vessel in the brain or rupture of a blood vessel, causing bleeding in the brain or into the space surrounding the brain. The most common type of stroke is ischaemic, caused by a blood clot blocking an artery or blood vessel. The brain cells in the immediate area die and those in the surrounding areas are affected by the reduced blood flow. Once brain cells die, their functions die with them.

An estimated 150,000 people have a stroke in the UK each year.Stroke accounts for around 53,000 deaths each year in the UK. Stroke is the third most common cause of death in England and Wales, after heart disease and cancer. Stroke accounts for 9 per cent of all deaths in men and 13 per cent of deaths in women in the UK. Stroke has a greater disability impact than any other chronic disease. Over 300,000 people are living with moderate to severe disabilities as a result of stroke. The direct cost of stroke to the NHS is estimated to be £2.8 billion. The cost to the wider economy is £1.8 billion. The informal care cost is £2.4 billion. Stroke patients occupy around 20 per cent of all acute hospital beds and 25 per cent of long term beds. Stroke units save lives: for stroke patients general wards have a 14% to 25% higher mortality rate than stroke units. Each year over 130,000 people in England and Wales have a stroke. About 10,000 of these are under retirement age.

Stroke is influenced by different risk factors. Some of these – age, gender and family history – are beyond your control. However, you can substantially reduce your overall risk by making healthy changes to your diet and lifestyle.

TIA or transient ischaemic attack
A transient ischaemic attack (TIA) is often called a ‘mini stroke’. It is a powerful warning that a severe stroke may follow. The symptoms are identical to those of a full stroke, but disappear in a few minutes and last no longer than 24 hours. A TIA can appear hours, days, weeks or months before a full stroke but is more common within days or a few weeks. Just like full strokes, TIAs need emergency treatment and should not be ignored.

Warning signs
Stroke is a medical emergency. The longer a stroke remains untreated, the greater the degree of stroke-related brain damage. The warning signs of both stroke and TIA include:

• Sudden blurred or decreased vision in one or both eyes

• Numbness, weakness or paralysis of the face, arm or leg

• Difficulty speaking or understanding

• Dizziness, loss of balance

• Difficulty swallowing

• Severe headache.

High blood pressure
Blood pressure is a measurement of the force your blood puts on blood vessel walls as it travels through your body. High blood pressure is medically known as ‘hypertension’ and is one of the most important risk factors in stroke.

Normal blood pressure is around 120/80. High-normal blood pressure is between 120/80 and 140/90. If your blood pressure is consistently over 140/90, you have high blood pressure. The levels for normal blood pressure are a guide only. In general the lower your blood pressure, the lower your risk of stroke. Your doctor can talk to you about your blood pressure and risk of stroke and may recommend treatment if required.

You can control hypertension by reducing your weight, exercising regularly, eating a low salt, low fat and high fibre diet, and taking antihypertensive medication (if necessary).

Cigarette smoking
Smoking can increase your risk of stroke by increasing blood pressure and reducing oxygen in the blood. Seek advice on how to quit smoking by calling the NHS Free Smoking Helpline: 0800 022 4 332 Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday 11am to 5pm for guidance and support.

Diabetes
Diabetes can damage your entire circulatory system and is a risk factor for stroke. Type 1 usually occurs from a young age and is treated with insulin injections. Type 2 usually occurs from 30 years of age onwards and is treated with either tablets or, in some cases, insulin. Talk to your doctor about controlling diabetes if you are diabetic.

Other important risk factors
Other factors that can increase your risk of stroke include:

High cholesterol
High cholesterol is a contributing factor to blood vessel disease, which often leads to stroke. To reduce cholesterol in your blood, eat foods low in saturated fat. Choose lean meats and low fat dairy products. Your doctor may prescribe medication to lower your cholesterol but diet changes and exercise are still important.

Obesity
Being overweight or obese can increase the risk of stroke. Too much body fat can contribute to high blood pressure and high cholesterol and may lead to heart disease and type 2 diabetes. If you are unable to maintain your weight within recommended levels, ask a doctor or nutritionist for help.

Alcohol
Your risk of stroke may be reduced with moderate alcohol intake (one to two glasses a day). Excessive amounts of alcohol can raise blood pressure and increase your risk of stroke.
Diet and exercise
A diet low in fat and salt will reduce your risk of stroke. Eating a balanced diet of fresh foods (wherever possible) is recommended. Avoid processed or canned foods as they can be high in sodium, or salt. Check a food’s sodium content in the list of ingredients on the label (low salt food has a level of less than 120mg/100g).

A good balance between exercise and food intake is important to maintain a healthy body weight. People who participate in moderate activity are less likely to have a stroke. Try to build up to at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week. Talk to your doctor about an exercise program – people with high blood pressure should avoid some types of exercises.

Irregular pulse (atrial fibrillation)
You are more at risk of stroke if you have an irregular pulse due to the condition atrial fibrillation (AF). Your doctor can diagnose this condition and advise you on how best to manage this if it happens. If you experience symptoms such as palpitations, weakness, faintness or breathlessness, it is important to see a doctor for diagnosis and treatment.

Risk factors beyond your control
Stroke is influenced by some risk factors that are outside a person’s control. These include:

• Age – the majority of people who suffer from stroke are 65 years or older.

• Gender – men are at higher risk than women.

• Family history – a family history of cerebrovascular disease may make you more susceptible to stroke.

Statistics on stroke
Each year over 130,000 people in England and Wales have a stroke:

• One in three people die within a year of having a stroke.

• Stroke kills more women than breast cancer.

• Almost one in five people who experience a stroke are under the age of 55.

• Men are more likely to suffer a stroke and at a younger age.

Things to remember

• Stroke may occur due to blockage of a blood vessel in the brain or rupture of a blood vessel, causing bleeding in the brain or into the space surrounding the brain.

• Many strokes are avoidable and can be caused by unhealthy diet and lifestyle choices.

• Some of the major risk factors for stroke include high blood pressure, cigarette smoking and diabetes.

Stroke prevention

Strokes can be fatal but the risk can be reduced. Many stroke risk factors are lifestyle related, so everyone has the power to reduce their risk of having a stroke. Some stroke risk factors, such as gender, age and family history, can’t be controlled.

Lifestyle factors that increase your risk of stroke include high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, high blood cholesterol levels, heavy drinking, a diet high in salt and fat and lack of exercise. You can reduce your risk of having a stroke by making a few simple lifestyle changes.

Causes of stroke
‘Stroke’ is a term used to describe the interruption of blood flow to an area of the brain. This can occur in the following ways:

• Haemorrhagic stroke – an artery may rupture and cause bleeding into the brain tissue.

• Ischaemic stroke caused by atherosclerosis – an artery may become blocked by progressive thickening of its walls.

• Ischaemic stroke caused by embolism – a clot blocks an artery and prevents blood getting to part of the brain.

The brain cells in the immediate area are killed because they are deprived of oxygen. The dead area that results from stroke is known as an infarct. Without prompt medical treatment, the area of brain cells surrounding the infarct will also die.

Risk factors
Some stroke risk factors can’t be controlled. These include gender, age and family history. However, many stroke risk factors are lifestyle related. Everyone can reduce their risk of having a stroke by making a few simple lifestyle changes.

Lifestyle-related factors that increase your risk of stroke include:

• High blood pressure

• Cigarette smoking

• Diabetes

• High blood cholesterol levels

• Heavy drinking

• High fat, low fibre diet

• Lack of exercise.

It has been reported that the use of some birth control pills may increase a woman’s risk of stroke, but the evidence is limited.

Reduce high blood pressure
High blood pressure (hypertension) is the most significant risk factor for stroke. Blood pressure refers to the pressure inside the arteries. Hypertension means that the blood is exerting more pressure than is normal or healthy. Over time, this weakens and damages blood vessel walls, which can lead to cerebral haemorrhage.
Hypertension may also cause thickening of the artery walls, resulting in narrowing and eventual blockage of the vessel (ischaemic stroke). In atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), the pressure of your pumping blood could ‘hose off’ debris from damaged artery walls. The circulating debris (embolism) can cause a stroke by lodging in and blocking a blood vessel of the brain.

Strategies to reduce high blood pressure include:

• Check your blood pressure regularly and know your numbers.

• Maintain a healthy weight for your height.

• Exercise regularly.

• Choose a low fat, high fibre diet.

• Reduce or eliminate salt from your diet.

• Limit your alcohol intake to two or less standard drinks per day.

• Stop smoking.

• Take antihypertensive medications to help control high blood pressure.

Quit smoking
Smoking can double or even quadruple your risk of stroke. Some of the chemical ingredients in cigarette smoke (such as nicotine and carbon monoxide) accelerate the process of atherosclerosis. Clots are more likely to form because smoking thickens the blood and makes clotting factors, such as platelets, much more ‘sticky’. Cigarette smoke forces arteries to constrict – a narrowed diameter makes it harder for the thickened blood to move through the vessels.

Strategies to quit smoking include:

• Seek advice on how to quit smoking by calling the NHS Free Smoking Helpline: 0800 022 4 332 Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday 11am to 5pm for guidance and support or see your doctor for information and advice.

• Decide on a strategy, such as ‘cold turkey’ or using nicotine replacement therapy.

• Keep a smoking diary so that you are aware of your smoking triggers (such as stress or boredom).

• Decide on a quit date.

• Ask your family and friends for support.

• Don’t be discouraged by a slip-up. If you smoke a cigarette, put it behind you and keep going.

Manage your diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body is unable to utilise blood sugar. A person with diabetes is around twice as likely to have a stroke as someone of the same gender and age who doesn’t have diabetes. This is because the high blood sugar levels contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. It is very important that diabetes be kept under control.

Strategies to reduce the effects of diabetes include:

• See your doctor regularly for check-ups.

• Monitor your blood sugar levels regularly.

• Maintain a healthy weight for your height.

• Exercise regularly.

• Choose a low fat, high fibre diet.

• If you are on medication, make sure you are taking it correctly.

Keep cholesterol levels in check
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that is made by the human body. It has many essential roles to play, but it becomes a problem if levels in the blood are too high. Blood cholesterol contributes to the formation of a substance called atheroma, which sticks to artery walls and leads to atherosclerosis.

Strategies to lower blood cholesterol levels include:

• Have your blood cholesterol levels checked regularly by your doctor.

• Switch to a high fibre diet.

• Reduce your intake of saturated fats (commonly found in animal products).

• See your doctor for information and advice. Medications may be recommended.

Avoid heavy drinking
Some studies have indicated that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol (such as one or two standard drinks per day) can actually reduce the risk of stroke. However, people who drink heavily are three times more likely to have a stroke, regardless of their age. It is important to limit your alcohol intake.

Suggestions include:

• Limit your consumption to no more than two standard drinks per day.

• Have at least two alcohol-free days every week.

• See your doctor for information and referral if you are finding it difficult to limit your alcohol intake.

Eat a healthy diet
Various studies show that diet is an important risk factor in the development of stroke. Suggestions include:

• Limit or moderate salt intake.

• Choose fresh rather than processed foods.

• Increase your intake of vegetables, fruit and whole grains.

• Cut out or reduce sugary and fatty foods like cakes, lollies and junk food.

• See a dietitian who can help you plan a well-balanced low fat, high fibre diet.

Exercise regularly
A sedentary lifestyle increases the likelihood of obesity, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol levels. These are all important risk factors for stroke.

Suggestions include:

• See your doctor for a check-up if you haven’t exercised for a while.

• Choose a range of activities you enjoy.

• Start your new exercise program slowly and only increase the intensity and duration as you become fitter.

• Exercise with a friend or join a team sport to add a fun social element to the activity.

• Remember to warm up and cool down.

• Contact a physiotherapist or gymnasium instructor for advice and information regarding appropriate exercise.

• Try to get moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes on (at least) five days of the week.

Things to remember

• A stroke interrupts blood flow to an area of the brain.

• Most stroke risk factors are lifestyle related, so everyone has the power to reduce their risk of having a stroke.

• Some stroke risk factors, such as gender, age and family history, can’t be controlled.

• Lifestyle factors that increase your risk of stroke include high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, high blood cholesterol levels, heavy drinking, high salt and high fat diet and lack of exercise.