Active Living with Diabetes
As an older Canadian adult with diabetes, embracing a physically active lifestyle can be difficult, but the benefits are clear: engaging in regular physical activity has been shown to increase your body’s sensitivity to insulin, thereby helping to control blood sugar levels, and in turn reducing the risk of developing heart disease or other chronic diseases. Access additional information on the benefits of physical activity with diabetes and how to get started.
As a Diabetic, Physical Activity Can:
- Lower blood sugar
- Lower blood pressure
- Relieve tension and stress
- Strengthen heart muscles
- Increase lung capacity
- Improve circulation
- Improve sleep
- Help maintain a healthy weight
- Improve sexual interest
In an effort to help you to establish a personal roadmap to a happier, healthier version of yourself, we have created a Your Personal Passport To Healthy Living . This free resource includes useful information and tips on a variety of health-related topics, helpful hints and suggestions for achieving your desired results, charts to track your progress and much more.
If you’re interested in getting started, but aren’t quite sure where to begin with the Your Personal Passport to Healthy Living, watch the video below.
Preventing & Controlling Type 2 Diabetes in Older Adults
You can prevent, delay or control type 2 diabetes by choosing a healthy lifestyle. Risk factors that you have the power to control include:
- Being overweight (especially if you carry most of your weight around the middle)
- Not being active
- Not eating well
- High cholesterol or high triglycerides
- Higher than normal blood sugar levels before breakfast (6.1 to 6.9 mmol/L)
If you are 45 or older, you should be tested for diabetes every three years. If you have two or more of these risks, you should be tested earlier or more often.
If you are in need of additional information surrounding preventing and controlling Type 2 Diabetes, we recommend that you explore our guide for older adults which includes an abundance of information on how best to mitigate the risks involved in living with Type 2 diabetes, healthy eating habits that help manage the disease, and more.
For additional information, visit our practitioner’s resource page.
