Exercise and type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes, with 11 million Canadians and 29 million Americans diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Being overweight increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes occurs when we become insulin-resistant. We make insulin, but our cells become resistant to it, unlike type 1, where we don’t make it. 

Why does being overweight make us more susceptible to type 2 diabetes?

It is not only about how much you weigh but also about your body composition. It occurs when people have more fat in their muscle cells, regardless of weight. Being overfat is a better term because you can have too much fat in your muscle cells even if your weight falls into a “normal” range. 

It is preventable and reversible.

Saturated fats seem to damage our muscle cells most and increase the prevalence of type 2 diabetes. Eating saturated fat increases the fat build-up in muscle cells and lead to insulin resistance. Saturated fats may also interfere with our ability to produce insulin in our pancreas. Eliminating saturated fat is a good step in preventing and treating type 2 diabetes.

Another great method for prevention and treatment is interval training. Resistance interval training.

Researchers have shown that aerobic intervals improve blood vessel health. A simple 20-minute interval workout like the one below is beneficial. The intervals could be alternating between walking faster and slower. You don’t need to run to get the benefit. 

To get even more significant benefits, try resistance training intervals. Research from the University of British Columbia has shown that one session of interval resistance training can improve blood vessel function.

If you did an easy warm-up for 10 minutes, performed all the exercises once for 30 seconds, and repeated them for 6 minutes of interval training, followed by a 10-minute cooldown. This is a total of 26 minutes of exercise to improve the health of your arteries and prevent type 2 diabetes. Seems like a reasonable return on the time invested. This could be done at home. If you don’t have a barbell, you can use two cans, two water jugs, or two puppies (no, don’t; they are too wriggly), you get the idea.

You don’t need much equipment or time to get the health benefits from exercise. It doesn’t take much to make a difference. A slight decrease in body fat can make a big difference. Read the success of Eric Adams former police officer and lifestyle change success story.

Small changes can make all the difference.

Change your mind, change your health,

Shayla