About Diabetes
Why Exercise is Important
If you are already an avid exerciser, then you are aware of most of the benefits of exercise for your physical health and your diabetes control. If you are thinking about getting serious about sports or fitness activities, then you have a lot of positive changes to look forward to. Besides perhaps allowing you to have treats afterward, exercise can help you build muscle and lose body fat, suppress your appetite, eat more without gaining fat weight, enhance your mood, reduce stress and anxiety levels, increase your energy level, improve your immune system, keep your joints and muscles more flexible, and improve the quality of your life. For many with diabetes, being physically active has made all the difference between controlling diabetes or letting it control them.
Content reprinted with permission: Diabetic Athlete's Handbook, Your Guide to Peak Performance, by Dr. Sheri Colberg. Human Kinetics, November 2008.
For more information about the book, click here.