Get your exercise in, control your blood sugar, and do a good deed!
The fall months are chock-full of great events that are centered on walking or running. What a great way to get out with hundreds or thousands of people to improve your own health while supporting the health of others!
Lace up your running shoes and find a walk for a cause or run for fundraising in your area. You’ll get a great workout for the day, you’ll most likely have great control of your blood sugars that day, a long walk with help you manage your weight and your heart will be happy knowing that you are doing something purposeful and meaningful.
Remember to check your blood sugar before and after the event.
If it is a long event, you might want to bring your meter along to check in the middle of your walk or run. Many large events have sponsors provide sports drinks, yogurt, fruit, or other giveaways at the finish line.
Check out this list of groups that host events or do your own search for an event that supports a cause important to you!
I did not start getting a flu shot every year until I was in college. And boy have I seen a difference in my health over the winter months! And now we’re finding that the flu shot might have even more benefit on your health. A new study shows that yearly flu vaccinations prevent more than just the sniffles.
The research study printed in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in September showed that the flu shot is actually associated with a lower risk for heart attack. The study included over 75,000 people over 6 years and found that those who got a flu shot, had a 19% reduced risk for heart attack that year. And they found that getting the shot earlier into flu season also protected people more from heart attacks.
The number of heart attacks increases during the winter and experts think this is because there are more infections (flu for example) during the winter months too. We’re not sure what the exact connection is, but if you get a yearly flu shot and get it early, your chances of having a heart attack decrease.
It might have something to do with the inflammation and plaque that build up in blood vessels during infections (your body’s protection mechanism for illness). The extra inflammation could cause heart attacks.
So if you prevent the infections and inflammation, you might prevent the heart attack.
We know for sure that diabetes increases your risk for heart disease (including heart attack) and people with diabetes die more often from heart problems than diabetes itself. (I know! It’s scary to say and acknowledge but it is true.) So why not take the extra precaution against the flu to lower your chances of heart attack during the winter?
The CDC has issued a recommendation this year for everyone older than 6 months of age to get the flu vaccination. Earlier is better but flu season goes from September to March. So it won’t be too late to get even a few months of protection.
Check out more ways to prevent the flu from the
No one wants to call in sick with a fever, tummy ache, running nose, cough, aches... and have to prepare a sick day plan for managing your diabetes.
Do some fall organizing as you switch gears with the seasons.
Declutter and sort through your diabetes life so you can find that lost logbook, fill out that warranty card, update those medication lists strewn about and have peace of mind.
When there are many things out of your control in your life, it is nice to know that you can control how you manage each day, measuring your progress and staying on top of your appointments and tests.
A good session of fall organizing can help you do all these things more efficiently!
Organizational Tips:
After each doctor’s appointment or test, pile all the forms and handouts into a designated folder or bin.
Blow up your food logs, blood sugar logs, and insulin/medication logs and post them on your refrigerator or bathroom mirror. Or staple all your log booklets together so they stay together.
Designate a file box or folder for all your prescriptions, refill orders, and medication lists.
Utilize only the electronic and internet tools that you use. Having too many carb counters and schedulers can actually keep you less organized.
Try to create only one calendar or schedule for everything, all areas of your life.
Create an area, a drawer, a shelf, a whole room maybe to your diabetes tools: meters, strips, lancets, control solution, ketone testing strips, glucose tabs, pumps, user manuals, warranties, emergency glucagon…you get the idea.
Create a habit and goal list. Jot down all your goals like “A1c of 7%” and new habits like “only eat out 3 times this week.” Keep a running tally and note goals and habits that are accomplished!
Double check all the appointments and tests that you need and get those appointements on your calendar.
If you haven’t noticed, the last two posts were about the different health benefits from aerobic and anaerobic exercise. And here comes one last one for the week! I want to help you create a weekly workout plan that will maximize your health benefits, and that plan needs to include both kinds of exercise.
So, take a look at these lists and mix and match what you like to do and what you can plan into your schedule. If you already work out frequently in the week, aim to have 3-5 days of aerobic exercise and 2-3 days of anaerobic exercise.
If this is going to be your first effort at getting exercise into your life or if you haven’t exercised for awhile, it is definitely ok to start out slowly. You should fit in 3 days of aerobic exercise in a week but then keep adding in days of aerobic exercise until you work out 5 days a week. Then you can add in your two days of anaerobic activities.
Labor Day is just a few days away! This is the weekend for those outdoor parties to wish summer a bittersweet goodbye.
Here is a recipe for a simple summer appetizer that won’t keep you away from your guests. Marinate these bite size shrimps a little bit before your party and then pop them on the grill as your guests arrive.
They’ll be done in a snap so you have time to socialize before serving the main meal.
And you won’t need to worry about counting carbs until you eat the main meal.
Plus, there is vinegar and cayenne pepper in this recipe, both ingredients that help control blood sugars and weight. This will keep you and your guests from starving but it won’t ruin your appetite.
Here is a walking program for beginners or expert walkers to get you moving and improving your health!
Walking exercise improves glucose control and cardiovascular fitness for heart health, and it helps with weight control.
To start, just get up and go! Walk 5-10 minutes at an easy pace. As that gets easier, add 5-10 minutes each week until you are able to walk 30 minutes without stopping.
Then start this program, walking each week’s target minutes at least 3-5 days a week. And remember, HAVE FUN!
Target Heart Rate
Maximum Heart Rate (beats per minute) = 220 – your current age
Walking rate = 60-70 % of Maximum Heart Rate
Example for 50 year old: 220 – 50 years = 170 bpm (that’s your max heart rate)
60 % of 170 bpm is 102 bpm and 70% of 170 bpm is 119
So you would want your heart to beat 102-119 beats per minute during the “target heart rate/brisk walking” minutes.
How to Check Your Heart Rate:
Find your pulse with two fingers either on your inside wrist or neck.
For 1 minute, count the number of pulses you feel.
The total number of pulses in exactly 1 minute is your current heart rate.
Find more information about starting a walking program with this great .
The hardest part of exercising is actually getting started! Lacing up your running shoes. Driving to the gym. Figuring out which weights to lift. Wheeling out your bike. Joining that pilates class.
Those first few steps seem to get pushed back in the day or side stepped for something “more urgent.” But your health is one of the most urgent things in your life!
Exercising, along with smart nutrition, is one of the best ways to control your blood sugar. Working out causes your muscles to become more sensitive to insulin, so your blood glucose can get into your cells better.
Your blood sugar level drops while you exercise but it also has been shown to stay lower after exercising. Think what a difference regularly exercising can make!
Recent studies have told us two new things about starting exercise:
The first: Individuals that are able to internally motivate themselves to start exercising and to put effort into their workouts have the best exercise and weight loss/weight maintenance results up to three years later.
The second: Most people need a specific plan or structured program to start exercising and to keep exercising. Knowing this, you can equip yourself to start the best exercise program for you that will give you the best health results!
Get your exercise in, control your blood sugar, and do a good deed!
