Diabetic Athlete Tips (Page 1 of 3)

A regular diet and exercise program is important for proper blood sugar control for diabetics. The following nutritional Instructions may help a diabetic better enjoy an active lifestyle.

• Exercise regularly. It's best to do this at the same time each day, as this will help you determine and stabilize your insulin and food requirements. Consistency is very important for optimal blood sugar control.
• Exercise with someone else. This person should know that you are diabetic and be aware of the signs of hypoglycemia (confusion, weak-ness, unconsciousness, convulsions). If your blood sugar plummets, you may become incoherent and you might stagger and fall. You want your companion to be aware of what's happening. Make sure that your exercise partner also knows what to do in an emergency.
• Do not inject insulin into the muscles you will be exercising. Exercise would cause the insulin to be mobilized faster, and you might become hypoglycemic. You would also have less insulin available to you later in the day or evening.
• The average diabetic in training should not change the insulin dosage for training, but should eat more food. If you repeatedly become hypoglycemic during or after exercise (despite eating more food), you should talk to your doctor about reducing your insulin.

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