LIVING WITH DIABETES - Syndrome X - Part 4

Exercise

While diet is certainly important, exercise is very important to a healthy eating plan. It’s much easier to control weight by using a moderate decrease in calories and a major increase in exercise, especially to benefit your lipids and cholesterol. 

Tips for exercise success

Too often, the words “exercise” or “working out” bring a shudder. But, as experts have been saying for years, exercise doesn't need to be a chore. Current guidelines are to elevate your heart rate and get active for 30 minutes on most days. That can be a continuous half- hour’s worth of activity, or several chunks. For example, you could take one walk for half an hour, or take three short walks of 10 minutes each.

Some tips from the Heart Association on how to succeed with an exercise or activity plan:

• Choose activities that are fun, not exhausting. If you enjoy bike riding, for example, use that as your exercise rather than something you hate (such as running). You can also tie in exercise with pleasurable distractions — try walking as you window shop at a mall, or inline skating while you listen to a personal stereo.

• Add variety. Develop a repertoire of several activities that you can enjoy. That way, exercise will never seem boring or routine. Try walking one day, doing an aerobic video the next, and dancing a third.

• Dress for success. Wear comfortable, properly fitted footwear and comfortable, loose-fitting clothing appropriate for the weather and the activity.

• Warm up and cool down. Exercising at a low intensity for 5 to 10 minutes before (warm-up) and after (cool-down) your chosen activity is important to help stretch and warm up muscles and ligaments in preparation for the activity session. The cool-down period also prevents low blood pressure, which sometimes occurs if you are very active and stop suddenly. Warm-ups and cool-downs can be as simple as walking and stretching.

• Find a convenient time and place to do activities. Try to make it a habit, but be flexible. If you miss an exercise opportunity, work activity into your day another way. If an unexpected meeting means you miss your morning workout session, take a brisk walk at lunch and after dinner instead.

• Use music to keep you entertained. Ask a computer-literate friend to make you a custom workout compact disc with all your favorites.

• Surround yourself with supportive people. Decide what kind of support you need. Do you want them to remind you to exercise? Ask about your progress? Participate with you regularly or occasionally? Allow you time to exercise by yourself? Go with you to a special event, such as a 10K walk/run? Be understanding when you get up early to exercise? Spend time with the children while you exercise? Try not to ask you to change your exercise routine?

• Share your activity time with others. Make a date with a family member, friend or co-worker. Be an active role model for your children. 

•  Don’t overdo it. Do low- to moderate-level activities, especially at first. You can slowly increase the duration and intensity of your activities as you become more fit. Over time, work up to exercising three or four times per week for 30-60 minutes.     

For our full range of herbal remedies that will assist you in living a healthy life, visit our website at dna-biopharm.com