Diabetes and Exercise Information For Diabetic Patients Diet for diabetes and exercise are two of the methods included in the treatment plan for diabetic patients. Exercise is an important adjunct to the treatment plan for patients with type1 and type 2 Diabetes. Regular exercise can help keep diabetes under control. Exercise can provide with a lot of benefits to the management and prevention of any complications that can occur to diabetic patients. Diabetes and exercise regimen followed causes an increased sensitivity of muscle tissue to insulin, so that a lower dose of insulin or oral anti diabetic agent may be adequate. It can decrease appetite while increasing caloric expenditure, thus assisting obese patients on calorie restricted diets. It can also be associated with a slight to moderate decrease in blood pressure, thus benefiting patients who have hypertension. Moreover, it can give some patients an important sense of physical well being and help lessen feelings of emotional stress. When the patient has diabetes and an exercise journal in hand and continuously followed, it is known to decrease triglyceride and total cholesterol levels while increasing the levels of high density lipoprotein bound cholesterol. It is believed that high density lipoprotein has a protective effect against atherogenesis whereas other cholesterol is atherogenic, so exercise may help delay the development and progression of atherosclerosis. An exercise program should be carefully planned with your presence in consultation with the physician or diabetes educator. If you are more than 30 years of age or one who has diabetes for more than 20 years, you should have a complete physical examination before beginning. The exercise program chosen will depend on the age of the patient, cardiovascular status, presence of diabetic complications, degree of blood glucose control and degree of motivation. It is usually recommended that exercise be undertaken three or four times a week in order to achieve maximum benefits. The exercise should be pleasurable to you, as some are unlikely to persevere with a program that is not enjoyed. Because you are ultimately responsible for the exercise program, it is important that knowledge and education about how to do it is properly stressed out. Walking can provide ample exercise, and it is the best means of getting the needed exercise for many diabetics. Walking has the advantage of being accessible to persons of all ages, flexibility in intensity and duration, needs no special skills and requires no special equipment except the shoes that fits well on the feet. When weather prevents outdoor walking, this exercise can be done in an indoor location like your own house. The extent to which exercise affects the blood glucose level varies among diabetic patients. Therefore, it is your responsibility to the monitor the effect of exercise before, during and even after the activity to become thoroughly familiar with the response. It is wise if you will be able to discuss this with your health care professional since management of this medical condition includes you cooperation and that of your physician. From the reports made, you will be able to recognize that the benefits of exercise for your condition.