How to Exercise Scientifically for People with High Blood Sugar: A Guide to Blood Sugar Management Through Gymnastics and Swimming

Exercise Recommendations and Contraindications for Patients with High Blood Sugar:

Recommended Scientific Gymnastics Exercises: Gymnastics is one of the exercise therapies for diabetic patients. Below is a gymnastics exercise suitable for patients with mild to moderate diabetes:

Section 1: Standing with Legs Together
First, squat down while inhaling. Then return to the starting position while exhaling. Repeat 6-8 times (if you hear a clicking sound in your knees or other joints, you can switch to a half-squat position).

Section 2: Standing with Legs Apart
Hold a wooden stick in both hands and roll it clockwise around your abdomen. Repeat 5-6 times.

Section 3: Sitting on a Chair
First, extend both arms to the sides, then raise your right arm and bend your upper body to the left. The next movement is in the opposite direction. Repeat 5-6 times on each side.

Section 4: Sitting on the Ground with Legs Separated to the Sides
Slowly bend your upper body to the right (touch your ankles with both hands) while exhaling. Then return to the starting position while inhaling. Repeat 4-5 times on each side.

Section 5: Lying Supine with Legs Together
Raise your right leg and rotate it in a circular motion to the inside and outside of your body. Alternate legs, repeating 5-6 times, breathing evenly.

Section Six: Lie prone, arms supporting your weight. Lift your hips, move your upper body back, lower your waist and abdomen close to your knees, resembling a "cat shrug." Then return to the starting position, repeating 8-10 times, with a 15-20 second rest between repetitions.

Suitable for Swimming Fitness: Swimming is a very beneficial exercise, suitable not only for the general population but also for most diabetic patients.

When swimming, diabetic patients should aim for a level of exertion that is not strenuous, or where slight fatigue can be quickly recovered with rest. Always carry your diabetes card and sugar cubes/biscuits with you in case of hypoglycemia, allowing for timely treatment.

To achieve the desired exercise effect while ensuring patient safety, necessary medical examinations should be conducted before swimming to prevent cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, and other serious complications. Never blindly participate in swimming exercises, as this may worsen your condition or cause danger. It is best to consult a doctor to determine the intensity, duration, and frequency of swimming.

Exercise should be tailored to blood glucose levels: The intensity of exercise should vary depending on the severity of diabetes. Generally, the following standards can be used to determine the amount of exercise:

(1) Mild (BS < 11.1 mmol/L): For patients of normal weight, exercise reduces insulin secretion, increases glycogenolysis, and enhances muscle glucose utilization, which is beneficial for lowering blood lipids and blood sugar, and improving physical fitness. Therefore, moderate-intensity exercise such as walking, cycling, dancing, ball games, and rowing can be chosen.

(2) Moderate (11.1 mmol/L ≤ BS ≤ 16.6 mmol/L): For overweight patients, exercise can also lower blood sugar and blood lipids. These patients should engage in light exercise half an hour or one hour after meals to help lower postprandial blood glucose. However, it should be noted that if the exercise time is too long, combined with the effects of medication, there is a risk of hypoglycemia. A slightly higher intensity of exercise than moderate can be chosen. (3) Severe (BS > 16.6 mmol/L): Underweight patients are those with severe insulin deficiency. The changes in glucose metabolism during exercise are similar to those in mild diabetes patients. Furthermore, exercise increases hormones (catecholamines, cortisol, growth hormone, glucagon), leading to increased free fatty acids. If oxygen supply is insufficient, ketone body production increases, and lactic acid production increases but is not utilized, potentially causing ketoacidosis and lactic acidosis. Therefore, these patients should only engage in exercise therapy after insulin treatment has been initiated, i.e., after their condition is under control. Otherwise, it may lead to a worsening of their condition.