Physical Activity & Type 2 Diabetes

Although What and When you eat have a significant impact on body weight and managing (or avoiding) T2D, regular physical activity is also a key component. Everything from cleaning the house to walking the dog to working out at the gym will help get your blood flowing and counts towards your daily activity.

Is sitting really is as bad as smoking?

While experts agree that sitting for prolonged periods is definitely bad for us, most also agree that it’s impossible to draw direct comparisons between sitting and smoking other than they both have negative impacts on our health.

What is crystal clear from numerous research studies; people who sit more have a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, depression and T2D.

• watching TV for just two-hours p/day increase diabetes risk by 14%

That’s the bad news. The good news is, the ‘cure’ for the negative consequences of sitting is very simple; sit less, move more.

• standing and / or walking around for two-hours p/day reduces the risk of diabetes by 12%

Let’s get moving

Whether you are a couch potato or already have an established exercise routine, more regular movement is essential for improving long term physical health as well as controlling T2D.

One recent study found that just two-minutes of walking around every 30-minutes kept blood glucose levels in the normal range. One of the lead authors of the study, University of Bath Professor Dylan Thompson, said:

“If you spend long periods sitting, then you can’t dispose of the glucose in the food that you’re eating. It accumulates in your blood and increases the risk of diabetes. You can’t remove the lipids in the fat from your blood after eating a meal, and that will put you at high risk of cardiovascular disease, heart disease and stroke.”

Just as being aware of What and When you eat is key to changing eating habits, being aware of how long you are sitting is important to improve movement habits and combat the negative impacts of sitting.

Try setting an alarm to remind yourself to move; it only takes five-minutes per hour to help offset sitting by doing simple activities such as:

• walking meetings at work when possible (and walk around when talking on the phone)
• walk to lunch and nearby meetings
• take the stairs rather than the lift and walk up escalators
• stand up and walk around during ad breaks if watching TV (or between episodes if binging on your favourite streaming service)
• put laundry away, take out the trash or sort your recyclables

According to the Mayo Clinic, a short, ten-minute walk after each meal can reduce the risk of T2D; it’s really that simple!

Putting fun into fitness

To further reduce weight and the risks of T2D, add regular exercise to your daily movements; the common recommendation from diabetes organisations is 150-minutes per week. That’s a mere 30-minutes per day, five-days per week; if you can do more, that’s great but remember to ease into an exercise program if you have not been exercising. Even seasoned athletes need to start slow when coming back from a hiatus.

Some people cringe at the thought of exercise and hate going to the gym but remember that exercise and activity can be many things besides the gym! Find pleasure in the activity you chose and make it fun! You don’t have to train for the Olympics, an hour per day of brisk walking is associated with a 34% reduction in T2D.

Variety is the spice of life, and there are seven days in a week, so you could do something different everyday! From weight training, running, swimming and cycling to playing badminton or tennis, stand-up paddle boarding, yoga, cross-country skiing or even dancing. Just get out of the chair and do something that will increase your heart rate while also being mindful of What and When you eat.

Need further convincing?

Several studies have found that people who were pre-diabetic and adjusted their eating habits to be healthier, while also exercising at least 150-minutes per week, reduced their risk of progressing to T2D by an average of 50%.

Ready, Set, Go

Take a break and clear your head at Ayurah Wellness Centres, our idyllic seaside locations provide a peaceful and beautiful environment to begin, resume or fine tune your physical routine.

Your first step towards a more active lifestyle is to jump out of your normal routine and move forward with confidence!

The Ayurah Wellness team will asses your current fitness level, discuss your goals, as well as any current or previous injuries, and then work with you to tailor a movement program that addresses your needs.

Our fitness trainers will guide you through your new program, checking that you understand the movements as well as the correct postures, and ensuring the new program is an established routine before you leave so that you can easily continue once you are back home.

Working together with you, the Ayurah Wellness professionals will ease you onto a sustainable path towards a lifetime of movement, health and happiness!

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