Type 2 diabetes today affects people from all age groups – and as this lifestyle disease progresses, it affects your health in a number of ways – leading to a range of problems like heart diseases, nerve damage, and kidney issues, if left untreated. And so, for those battling this degenerative illness, doctors always suggest making lots of lifestyle changes to improve the symptoms. One among them is exercising as the best way to manage the condition and reduce the risk of complications.
Apart from conventional fitness, a few ways you can keep your blood sugar levels in control apart from aiming for weight loss is cycling. This easy-breezy way to workout not just enhances your physical but mental health as well. According to experts, just 20 minutes of daily cycling is good enough for you to reap its benefits.
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Doctors across the world recommend engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly – which helps break down to about 20 minutes each day. Also, if you cycle on the road, it helps further enhance your fitness as elevation changes dictate how hard you have to pedal. While a standing bike can also achieve the same fitness goals for you, you need to include at least 7-10 minutes of rigorous pedaling as well.
Studies say regular cyclists are less likely to not just develop type 2 diabetes, but consistent engagement helps keep blood sugar levels under control as this exercise helps expend a lot of energy through increased insulin sensitivity. As a result, their bodies are less able to carry glucose from the bloodstream to the cells for energy. Cycling helps your body use insulin more efficiently – lowering blood sugar levels.
Cycling also burns triglycerides faster than any other form of workout, thereby aiding in a reduction in blood sugar levels and activating glucose transporters.
Many studies have shown that cycling at a moderate pace for an hour can lower the sugar of overweight diabetics to half over the next 24 hours. Cycling faster for even half an hour can reduce blood sugar levels for an entire day for 19 per cent of people.
Cycling helps keep your weight in control
Managing your weight can be a difficult task, especially for those with type 2 diabetes. And so, with regular cycling, you can reduce your excess weight along with blood glucose levels – as it helps improve and increase metabolism, which burns fat, builds muscle, and eventually aids in weight management.
Cycling helps with faster muscle recovery – much needed for those with diabetes. It is possible to travel greater distances without fear of major physical harm. It benefits diabetics by engaging 70 per cent of the muscular mass in the lower limbs.