Canadian health: Life with diabetes (Part 2)
SPORTS
I have Type 2 diabetes and am overweight and not well controlled despite a maximum dose of tablets. I have been advised to join an exercise class. Will this be worth the effort? 
It has been shown beyond doubt that, if you can change your lifestyle and improve your fitness by taking regular exercise, this will have a major beneficial effect on the control of your diabetes and your risk of heart disease.
I take insulin and jog quite a bit. I would like to try running a marathon. Have you any advice on the subject?
It is perfectly possible to run a marathon while taking insulin for diabetes. We suggest that you progress gradually from jogging short distances to a full marathon distance. Everyone is different and you will need to discover by trial and error how your body responds to endurance exercise. It may not sound very easy but you will have to check your blood glucose levels frequently to find out how to match your energy intake and expenditure. You will need plenty of ‘slow’ carbohydrate (e.g. porridge) to maintain your energy levels. Since endurance exercise increases insulin sensitivity, you will probably find that you need to take much less insulin while running long distances. You should carry glucose in the form of tablets or high-energy glucose drinks.
Diabetes UK produces factsheets on long-distance running and some other sports. Once you have reached the required standard, you should think of joining Diabetes UK’s team for the London Marathon.
Canadianhealthcaremalll.com – main page this Canadian pharmacy.
EATING OUT
My wife and I entertain a great deal and we often go out for meals in a restaurant. I have recently been started on insulin for diabetes. How am I going to cope with eating out?
Nowadays people with diabetes usually eat similar food to anyone who is following a healthy lifestyle. Although you should normally try to avoid foods that are obviously high in sugar and fat, this may be difficult when you are visiting friends.
Restaurants or takeaways should pose less of a problem as you can select suitable dishes from the menu. Many people using a basal bolus regimen choose to take extra short-acting insulin to cover the extra food they are eating. Estimating the amount of carbohydrate in the food and deciding how much insulin you need is a skill which develops with experience. In an earlier section we have talked about the DAFNE method, which teaches you how to calculate your insulin dose accurately. If you are uncertain about the size of portion you will be given in a restaurant you should wait until you see what is on your plate before deciding on the dose of insulin.
Sometimes people worry about how they are going to give their injections when they are away from home. With an insulin pen there should be no difficulty and most people are able to give the insulin discreetly at the table when the food arrives. Do not take your evening dose of insulin before leaving home in case the meal is delayed.
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