Exercise!!

[juliedevos]

Hi guys. I posted this on the sugarland blog and thought I would share it here.

I read what you said about your son, and yes it is wrong to assume that all T2's are overweight or obese. What is the bigger concern here is exercise. Your cells have insulin receptors on the outside of them. Insulin binds to them and a chain reaction occurs bringing glucose transporters to the cell surface in order to take the glucose into the cell. These insulin receptors can be up and down regulated. When you they are in a state of down regulation you dont have enough receptors on the cell to signal the glucose transporters..meaning your bg will be higher becaue the glucose in your blood cant all be used properly. HOWEVER there are glucose transporters in the cell that respond ONLY to exercise, not to insulin and this is why T2's can use exercise to control their bg. However sometimes you have so few insulin receptors that even exercise is not enough to control your bg levels.

Now I dont know how active your son is, but doing more exercise never hurt anyone.

Anyways hope this helps someone.
I am taking some physiology courses at school and I have found they have really helped me understand what my body is doing. I obviously dont know everything but sometimes I learn a few things that are relevant.
Julie

[Gemstone]

Glad you posted here as I didn't go to Sugarland for quite a while, having been told that the administrator was quitting.

As you say, exercice can't hurt. But it's not enough to control the bg. Going for a walk after indulging in cakes and fast food is not a solution. Both are needed, nutrition and exercice until the disease get worse, then medication is added.

[juliedevos]

Obviously if you sit down with a box of donuts a walk is not going to do it for!

But you also have to look at the intesity of exercise. If you have been walking for a month for the same about of time..lets say 20 mins and are walking at the same speed your body adpats to be as lazy as possible and you are no longer getting the same benefit you did when you started. You then need to either increase your time or your speed in order to stress your body once again.

But you are right a change in eating habbits is a must because no one can run marathons everyday all day long.

Its interesting too how some people are so differently affected by certain foods. For me rasin bran makes me go low everytime I eat it. Other fiberous cerals arent as slow to digest as that one is....I mean I know the fibers slows the glucose absorption but for some reason that particular ceral always does it to me.

[Anita]

Say, there is a new sport that is really fasionable lately - spinning.
Did anyone tried it? Do you think it's ok for a diabetic to do it? I heard it is very hard to do.
Heard there are spinning clssses for older people too.

[Gemstone]

What is spinning?

As for cereals: for me they act as a sleeping pill... if I eat a bowl of cereals, be it Corn Flakes, Raisin Bran or Muesli, even oatmeal, my bg jump over 15 amost instantly and I fall asleep. They are completely out of my diet now.

The only starch I allow myself now is wheat bread without sugar and fat like Weight Watchers bread, tiny slices leading to only 18 grams of carbs for 2 slices and from time to time some lentils or other beans in soup or chili which raise my bg but are needed at least occasionnally for their vitamins and minerals.

[Anita]

Spinning is indoors bike riding - those you paddle and actually move nowhere ;-) (don't know the real name for that - sorry).
In spinning classes, they paddle quite intensively, and I was not sure if it's ok to people on my age, not to mention a diabetic one.

[Gemstone]

Spinning is indoors bike riding - those you paddle and actually move nowhere ;-) (don't know the real name for that - sorry).
In spinning classes, they paddle quite intensively, and I was not sure if it's ok to people on my age, not to mention a diabetic one.

Indoor bike riding is what my nurse recommended... no comments about the $$ of a good bike though. I do ride a bit during the summer but well, I prefer to spend my time in the pool and walk during the evening.

[juliedevos]

Spinning is done as a class..usually in a health club or community center. It is an intense workout but there are different levels of spinning, beginner, intermediate, and advanced (like most classes you have at a gym). You might want to have a good base of cardiovascualr fitness before doing one of these classes but there really isnt any limitation. I would just make sure to have something with you incase you go low and bring LOTS of water. When in the class you can go as hard or as easy as you want...its up to you. Yes you are right though the pace is usually pretty fast and when you are surrounded by people cycling fast everyone has the natural tendency to pedal at the same pace. My sister does it and loves it.

Anita I think if you want to try it go for it!
Julie

[Anita]

[quote:31748bbbff="juliedevos"]Anita I think if you want to try it go for it!
Julie[/quote:31748bbbff]

So you don't think I'll have a problem or anything?
I'll consult with my family doctor, as I am not as young as one might think... ;-) and see that he's ok with me doing this spinning thing and give it a try.
Heard it's quite fun to ride on a group.