Minimizing Negative Effects on Glycemia of Pre- and Post-Meal Exercise for People With Diabetes: A Personal Case Report and Review of the Literature
Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: Despite extensive efforts to prevent diabetes through healthful eating patterns, exercise, and medications, the prevalence of diabetes is on the rise (1).Healthy lifestyles can help with the management (2), prevention (2-4), and remission (5) of type 2 diabetes.However, data indicate that few people practice healthy lifestyles (6-10).Healthy lifestyle habits typically include eating a wellbalanced diet, getting regular physical activity, controlling body weight and blood pressure, not smoking, and consuming little or no alcohol (1,2,6).Aerobic exercise (AE) and resistance exercise (RE) have consistently shown glycemia benefits for people with diabetes (2,11).AE consists of continuous, rhythmic movement of large muscle groups, such as what occurs during walking, jogging, and cycling (2,11).RE involves movements using free weights, weight machines, body weight exercises, or elastic resistance bands (2,11).Anaerobic exercise is short-length, high-intensity activity such as high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE), sprinting, and jumping that breaks down glucose for energy without using oxygen.American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines recommend 150 minutes/week of moderate to vigorous activity for adults and 60 minutes/week for children and adolescents (2).It also recommends RE at least three times per week for all people with diabetes (2).These forms of physical activity, along Case PresentationI was a 50-year-old practicing physician when I saw my primary care physician (PCP) with a complaint of excessive hunger and dizziness before lunch at work.I grew up in South India, in a community where white rice was the main carbohydrate at almost every meal and coconut oil was the main oil used for cooking.Late supper (around 9:00 p.m.) was the norm.My medical history was positive for gestational diabetes during my first pregnancy that was managed through healthful eating and exercise.My family history was negative for diabetes, although the prevalence of the disease is quite high in South India.
Source: Clinical Diabetes
DOI: 10.2337/cd22-0076
Author: Elsamma Chacko
Institution: Connecticut Valley Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4308701474