A study of more than 90,000 people at Harvard found that exercising during these two periods may be more effective in preventing diabetes
Aunt Zhang is retired at home, and in her spare time, she often soaks in the park, dances square dances with her neighbors, and lives a leisurely life.
During a recent physical examination, she was found to have high blood sugar, which made her health-conscious and anxious.
Dr. Li from the community hospital looked at her report and gently comforted: "Sister Zhang, don't worry too much, let's actively adjust our lifestyle from now on, especially reasonable exercise, which is very helpful for blood sugar control." ”
Aunt Zhang was skeptical: "Can exercise really help me stay away from diabetes?"
01Why is exercise a good way to prevent diabetes?
Burns sugar and activates pancreatic islet cells
Exercise is like a small sugar refinery in the body, when we move, the muscles will consume a lot of glucose as an energy source, which directly reduces the sugar content in the blood.
Not only that, exercise can also stimulate the islet β cells to secrete more insulin, improve the body's sensitivity to insulin, just like upgrading the software version of the body's sugar regulation system, making it easier for blood sugar to enter the cells and be utilized, thereby effectively preventing the occurrence of diabetes.
Improve metabolism and protect cardiovascular system
The benefits of exercise go far beyond that, it is also quietly improving the metabolic function of the whole body, lowering cholesterol levels, reducing the burden on blood vessels, and maintaining cardiovascular health.
It is important to know that diabetic patients are often accompanied by a variety of cardiovascular complications, and regular exercise is like putting on protective armor for the heart, which greatly reduces the risk of complications.
02 Harvard study: Exercise during these two periods can better prevent diabetes
Morning and afternoon exercise: a good time to lower your blood sugar
A large-scale study by Harvard Medical School revealed a surprising finding:
Exercise in the morning and afternoon is more effective in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes than exercising in the evening.
The study, which followed nearly 93,000 participants, recorded their exercise behaviour and found that the risk of type 2 diabetes was reduced by 10% and 9% for each additional MET hour of physical activity in the morning and afternoon, respectively!
Circadian Clock Effect: The body's natural rhythm
Scientists speculate that the difference in the effect of exercise in the morning and evening may be related to the body's biological clock.
Morning and afternoon are the metabolically active periods of the human body, and exercise at this time is conducive to glucose and lipid metabolism and enhances insulin sensitivity, which further confirms the positive effect of exercise in the morning and afternoon on the prevention and treatment of diabetes.
Differences between men and women: Afternoon exercise is more suitable for women
More interestingly, the study found that women's exercise in the afternoon was particularly effective in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
This means that gender differences are also a factor to consider when developing an individual exercise plan.
03What do middle-aged and elderly people need to pay attention to when exercising?
Comprehensive assessment, which varies from person to person
Entering the middle-aged and elderly stage, if you want to prevent diabetes through exercise, you must first conduct a comprehensive understanding of your health status.
Understand your blood sugar, blood pressure, blood lipids and other indicators, and assess whether you have basic problems such as obesity and cardiovascular disease.
At the same time, according to the individual's physique and athletic ability, test endurance, strength, flexibility and other aspects to ensure that the exercise program is both safe and effective.
Scientific planning and perseverance
It's important to tailor a personalized exercise plan, including the type, duration, intensity, and frequency of exercise.
It is recommended to choose a favorite and suitable activity, such as walking, jogging, tai chi, swimming, etc.
Follow the experts' recommendations and gradually increase to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per day, along with resistance training more than twice a week, to build muscle and promote fat burning.
Safety is paramount, and flexibility is paramount
Safety precautions during exercise are equally important, choose the appropriate sports environment, wear appropriate equipment, and pay attention to the body's reaction at all times to avoid excessive fatigue and sports injuries.
With the change of physical condition, adjust the exercise load in a timely manner, reduce the amount of exercise when the weight loss is too fast, and increase it appropriately when the progress is slow, and always maintain dynamic balance.
After receiving the guidance of Dr. Li, Aunt Zhang began to exercise regularly in the morning and afternoon, insisting on practicing Tai Chi in the morning every morning and collective aerobics in the community in the afternoon.
Over the course of a few months, not only did my blood sugar level drop significantly, but my body also felt lighter and stronger.
Seeing Aunt Zhang's successful transformation, the surrounding neighbors followed her sports model, and everyone witnessed the health miracle brought by exercise.
"Walking a thousand steps a day, ten points less sick". Aunt Zhang's experience once again proves the key role of exercise in diabetes prevention and control, especially when done at the right time, the effect is twice the result with half the effort.
Let us follow the rhythm of nature, grasp the pulse of life, and build a solid line of defense for ourselves through scientific and reasonable exercise.