Banding together to learn about exercising with diabetes
October 1, 2009
About a dozen MIT community members banded together (so to speak) to learn about exercising with diabetes as part of MIT Medical’s Diabetes Care Management Program. At the September 22 event, Jess Rooney Gallagher, an athletic trainer in MIT’s Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation, described the benefits of exercise and demonstrated some basic exercises people can do using rubberized resistance bands.
Exercise is beneficial for everyone, but for people with diabetes, it has the added advantage of reducing insulin resistance, Rooney Gallagher said. There are a few extra caveats, however. In addition to consulting their doctors before starting an exercise program and always warming up and cooling down, people with diabetes should check their blood glucose before and after exercising, carry a snack and water, wear a medical ID bracelet if they have one, and exercise with a buddy or bring a cell phone in case they become light-headed and need assistance, she said.
As for the exercise itself, “you don’t have to run a marathon. There are basic things you can add to your day to make a difference,” she said. “Any movement is good.”
Walking is an excellent exercise, and people can make it more enjoyable by listening to music or books on tape, or walking with a friend or their dog, Rooney Gallagher said. Pedometers (which can be purchased at the MIT Pharmacy) are useful for tracking and increasing how much walking you do, she added.
To build strength and balance, Rooney Gallagher demonstrated exercises that people can do without expensive equipment at home or at their desks using resistance bands or even jugs of milk and cans of food.
Support group
The program also sponsors “Conversations About Diabetes,” a support group for people to share ways of managing the disease, which meets on Wednesdays from 9–10 a.m. at MIT Medical. There is no fee for the group, which is led by dietician and diabetes educator Joan Hill and psychiatric nurse practitioner Lisa Bosley. Anyone interested in joining should call Inpatient Unit nurse manager Cathy Dwyer, R.N (617-253-5486) or Linda Pasciuto, R.N. (617-253-5385).
The Diabetes Care Management Program will continue its educational offerings with “Holiday Happenings,” a discussion of handling holiday eating, on December 14 from 11:45 a.m.–1 p.m. in Room E25-117. Bring your lunch; beverages and healthy snacks will be offered. Please RSVP by calling 617-258-5724.
Jess Rooney Gallagher demonstrates an upper-body exercise using a resistance band. Photo / Alice Waugh
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