Just 10 Minutes of Exercise May Benefit Type 1 Diabetes

From healthcentral.com

A short bout of vigorous activity can lead to better blood sugar for the next 24 hours in people with type 1 diabetes, new research shows 

When it comes to type 1 diabetes (T1D), exercise can be seen as something of a double-edged sword. While regular exercise has been linked to improved insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular health, and blood glucose control over time, in the short term, physical activity can cause hard-to-predict dips or spikes in blood sugar. In fact, managing blood sugar during exercise can be so challenging that many people with T1D may avoid working out altogether, according to the World Journal of Diabetes.

But now, new research in the journal Diabetes Care shows that just 10 minutes of vigorous exercise can lead to better blood sugar control over the next 24 hours, increasing the amount of time people spend in a healthy blood glucose range. This finding emphasizes the importance of physical activity for people with type 1 diabetes and underscores the immediate benefits it can offer for someone with the condition.

A Little Exercise Goes a Long Way

The Diabetes Care study included people between ages 11 and 20 (with a median age of 13) who had been newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Researchers gave the participants a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) system and an activity tracker and kept tabs on their activity and blood glucose during the first year after their diagnosis.

When the study authors analysed participants’ physical activity and daily CGM outcomes, they found that days that included at least 10 minutes of vigorous exercise—whether they did a random activity like hopping on a bike or followed an optional workout plan—led to more favourable blood sugar outcomes for the following 24 hours, compared to sedentary days. On exercise days, participants spent 2.3% more time in range and 3.1% less time above range in the subsequent 24 hours—and while their time below range increased by 0.8%, it remained within clinical target recommendations (of less than 4% of the time).

Vigorous activity is typically defined as something akin to jogging, jumping rope, swimming laps, or participating in competitive sports. Exercise in general improves insulin sensitivity for hours after someone is active, which helps explain why even a short bout of activity can lead to better glucose control throughout the following day, says the study’s lead investigator Dessi Zaharieva, Ph.D., a certified exercise physiologist and certified diabetes care and education specialist working in paediatric endocrinology at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA.

The researchers also looked into the activity patterns of the study participants. “Over the first year post-diagnosis, [the average] participant also increased their daily physical activity,” Zaharieva adds. “The median daily steps increased by about 1,134 steps per day and median moderate-to-vigorous physical activity increased by about 11 minutes per day” from the beginning to the end of the study period.

While this result shows that technology alone (the activity trackers and CGMs) may be enough to influence people to move more, about half of the 122 participants also opted into a structured exercise education program consisting of four modules (one that the study authors designed, called the 4T Exercise Program). Those who completed all four spent 3.1% more time in range (about 45 minutes per day total) across their first year post-diagnosis, demonstrating that exercise education has additional benefits, Zaharieva says.

For Better Health, Exercise Is King

The researchers say that the sooner that people who are diagnosed with T1D embrace the benefits of exercise, the better.

“Many youth with T1D do not meet the daily recommended exercise guidelines, in part due to the fear of hypoglycaemia and feeling unsure how to manage glucose levels around exercise,” says Zaharieva. In fact, one small, recent study in the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice found that just over 16% of young people with T1D get the 60 minutes of physical activity a day recommended for them.

Additionally, much of the existing guidance around working out with type 1 diabetes focuses on adults and people with established T1D and can’t be generalized to young people with new onset diabetes, she adds. This study sought to begin to fill that gap.

“Our goals were to: Number one, describe real-world exercise patterns in the first year after T1D diagnosis and; number two, test whether exercise and education are associated with glycaemic improvements,” Zaharieva explains. This study shows that even shorter durations of vigorous exercise can have a tangible impact on glucose levels the following day, and that exercise education can also benefit glycaemic outcomes by increasing activity levels.

Moving Toward Better Lifelong Blood Sugar Control

People with type 1 diabetes do have to take care when exercising, notes Elina Trofimovsky, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine in endocrinology at Baylor University in Houston, TX. “It is tricky to manage exercise when you are type 1, because depending on the activity, you have to make a lot of adjustments. But obviously it’s worth the [trouble],” she says.

People with T1D should take certain precautions, including making sure their blood sugar is within a healthy range before beginning to exercise, monitoring their blood sugar during and after the activity, and having glucose foods and glucagon on hand in case their blood sugar suddenly drops, Dr. Trofimovsky says. It’s important to work with your health care team when beginning an exercise routine after a type 1 diagnosis as you get used to managing the condition.

Zaharieva says that she hopes this study helps encourage people to continue exercising regularly after a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, noting that even small lifestyle changes can make a meaningful difference.

“We also want to promote the importance of exercise education,” she says, noting that she hopes to implement the 4T Exercise Program at various health care centres across the U.S. “Technology is helpful, but structured exercise education delivered early post-diagnosis yields added benefits to glycaemic outcomes.”

https://www.healthcentral.com/news/type-1-diabetes/just-10-minutes-of-exercise-may-benefit-t1d?ap=nl2052&rhid=67ec2b8321f52bf01b0cca01&mui=&lid=141093361&mkt_tok=NTQxLUdLWi0yNDMAAAGeZNaLBTPaiFqznIRlknRAFuUVi41AJbfgoC5TJefSvcMmg_oXvx4PDrnpoJvPXk4MjrTVw0UFo9IHCjZmiqksO0EqdZPylRpLwIETpASyNOBAspU

Ultra-Processed Foods and Type 2 Diabetes: 3 Things to Know About Diet and Risk

From healthline.com

• Research shows that around 70% of the food supply chain in the United States consists of ultra-processed foods.
• A recent study shows that around one in 10 new cases of type 2 diabetes and around 3% of new cardiovascular disease cases could be linked back to sugary drinks.
• A 2024 study found an association between eating processed red meats and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
• Another study from 2024 found that replacing ultra-processed foods in your diet can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Research published in Nature CommunicationsTrusted Source in 2023 estimates that around 70% of the food supply chain in the U.S. consists of ultra-processed foods.

While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are working togetherTrusted Source to officially define ultra-processed foods, many other experts and agencies commonly use the definition set out by NOVA.

NOVA defines ultra-processed foods as those that contain “formulations of ingredients, mostly of exclusive industrial use, typically created by a series of industrial techniques and processes.”

Another way of thinking about ultra-processed foods is foods that contain ingredients that are generally not found in a kitchen cupboard, such as types of additives, emulsifiers, or stabilizers.

Researchers have been studying the health risks of consuming ultra-processed foods. A study published in Nutrition & Metabolism in November 2025 looked at a potential association between ultra-processed foods and prediabetes in young adults.

The researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC studied a group of 85 young adults ages 17 to 22 over a 4-year period. They found that an increased intake of ultra-processed foods was linked to a higher risk of prediabetes.

Yiping Li, one of the study authors, and currently a doctoral researcher in quantitative biomedical sciences at Dartmouth College, stated in a press release that: “These findings indicate that ultra-processed food consumption increases the risk for pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes among young adults—and that limiting consumption of those foods can help prevent disease.”

Sodas may increase diabetes risk

A study published in Nature MedicineTrusted Source in January 2025 charted the metabolic and cardiovascular complications that may be associated with sugar-sweetened beverages, like soda.

The researchers found that around one in 10 new cases of type 2 diabetes and over 3% of cardiovascular disease cases are associated with sugary drinks.

The researchers also estimated that sugary drinks were linked to 80,278 deaths from type 2 diabetes and 257,962 deaths from cardiovascular disease.

Maddie Gallivan, a registered dietitian who was not involved in the study, said that “there is really no benefit to drinking sugary drinks.”

She advised that swapping sugary drinks for healthier options can make a difference to sugar intake while also offering additional benefits like probiotics and polyphenols.

Some health swaps include:

• fruit-infused water
• herbal tea
• low-sugar kombucha.

Processed and red meat can affect type 2 diabetes risk

Research published in the Lancet Diabetes & EndocrinologyTrusted Source in September 2024 found that eating red meat and processed meat can lead to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

This research found that people who ate around 50 grams (g) of processed meat (the equivalent of 2 slices of ham) each day were at a 15% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes within the next 10 years.

Eating 100 g of unprocessed red meat (the equivalent of a small steak) every day can increase the risk by 10%.

There are various reasons these meats may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Silvana Obici, MD, Chief of the Division of Endocrinology at Stony Brook Medicine, not involved in this study, cautioned that statistical association does not necessarily imply causation.

“Also, the cooking methods such as frying in fat/oil or charring meats at high temperature can generate by-products well known to affect glucose metabolism (e.g., advanced glycationTrusted Source end products),” she added.

Jennifer Pallian, a registered dietitian and owner of Foodess, not involved in the study, noted that there are various substitutes for red and processed meats that may help reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes.

These substitutes include plant-based proteins and fish, especially salmon, mackerel, and sardines.

                    How do ultra-processed foods affect diabetes? Here’s the latest evidence. Image credit: Maskot/Getty Images

Most dangerous ultra-processed foods and how to replace them

A study published in The Lancet Regional Health: EuropeTrusted Source in November 2024 examined the relationship between the degree of food processing and type 2 diabetes risk. This included which ultra-processed foods were the highest risk.

The researchers of this study found that for every 10% increase in the amount of ultra-processed foods in your diet, your risk of type 2 diabetes increases by 17%.

However, this risk can be lowered by consuming fewer ultra-processed foods and replacing them with healthier options.

The highest risk groups of ultra-processed foods were:

• artificially-sweetened beverages
• savoury snacks
• ready meals
• animal-based products, such as processed meats.

Nichola Ludlam-Raine, a specialist dietitian and the author of How Not to Eat Ultra-Processed, who was not involved in the study, noted that “replacing UPFs with whole, minimally processed foods can help with weight management, stabilize blood sugar levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and provide more nutrients and fibre, which are protective against type 2 diabetes.”

Ludlam-Raine also stated that small swaps are the way to go. She gave the following tips for swapping ultra-processed foods for healthier options:

• replace sugary snacks with whole fruits or nuts
• instead of sweetened yogurt, opt for plain yogurt and add your own fruit and honey for sweetness
• cooking from scratch is a great way to limit ultra-processed foods in your diet.

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/plant-based-or-low-carb-for-diabetes-prevention#People-open-to-diet-change-but-may-not-know-what-s-best

Prediabetes is reversible with lifestyle changes. Here’s your action plan

From novanthealth.org

By Patrick Flanary

A nurse practitioner breaks down ways to turn the condition around 

One of the scariest things about prediabetes? The serious health condition has no obvious symptoms, which means that most affected people don’t even know they have it.

And without intervention, prediabetes can develop into Type 2 diabetes, which occurs when the pancreas fails to make enough insulin to control elevated blood sugar. Type 2 diabetes affects more than 38 million individuals in the U.S. and heightens their risk of developing cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke and kidney disease.

While genetics play a role in developing prediabetes, it is most often linked to excess weight and lack of physical activity. Men with high blood pressure and a family history of diabetes are at the greatest risk of going undiagnosed. (Find out your own risk level by taking this short test.)

Linda Wooley

The good news is that with the right steps, prediabetes can be reversed before it turns into a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Linda Wooley, a nurse practitioner and certified diabetes care and education specialist at Novant Health Internal Medicine Wilmington, has daily conversations with her adult patients about the most important component of reversing prediabetes: relearning how to eat well.

“The biggest things people don’t know? Milk turns into sugar, and peas and corn are carbohydrates,” she said.

Here, Wooley discusses actionable tips and resources to help manage and reverse a prediabetes diagnosis.

What makes prediabetes a health threat, and when is it too late to reverse it?

You can definitely turn it around. I usually describe prediabetes to patients as a fork in the road. It’s a little red-flag warning to either make a U-turn or head down the path to Type 2 diabetes.

We use a haemoglobin A1C test (a blood draw either from a vein in your arm or a simple finger prick) to measure blood sugar. A prediabetes diagnosis falls within the range between 5.7% and 6.4%. If your blood sugar tests at 6.5% or higher, you’ve crossed the threshold into diabetes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring the number down.

What steps can I take right now to reverse a prediabetes diagnosis?

1. Kick the soda and juice.

I start every conversation with patients by asking, “What are you drinking?” If you cut out all sugary drinks, like soda and juice, you may not necessarily have to revamp what you eat, though this depends on the individual patient and their habits.

2. Manage your stress.

Many people don’t know that stress makes your blood sugar go up. The way to combat that is through some kind of regular physical activity. We spend so many hours working that our bodies require an outlet. Smoking is also linked to higher evidence of prediabetes, so it’s important to cut back by looking at cessation resources for help in quitting.

3. Address excess weight.

Losing 10% of extra body weight (20 pounds for a 200-pound person) will make a huge impact on reversing prediabetes and preventing Type 2 diabetes progression. That loss also helps reduce blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol. Drink plenty of water and incorporate healthy snacks throughout the day so you’re not starving by dinnertime. Adults can get into a rut with eating habits. While the Mediterranean diet is a great one to follow, a registered dietitian is a perfect resource for helping come up with the right meal plan for you.

4. Portion your plate.

• One-fourth should be lean protein: chicken, turkey, fish or soy.
• Two-fourths (half the plate) is reserved for non-starchy vegetables like leafy greens, zucchini, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus or cucumbers.
• The remaining one-fourth should be carbohydrates, like rice, pasta or bread. Too many carbs in a meal elevate blood sugar, so limit to no more than 45 grams per meal (a cup and a half).

5. Strive for an ideal meal.

The combination of foods you eat matters. Let’s think of what a typical Southern meal looks like: fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, biscuits, baked beans, peas and corn. If you put all those together, it's way too much.

A good alternative: grilled chicken breast with a salad. Or try broccoli, carrots, asparagus or green beans with a small portion of mashed potatoes or mac and cheese. A small slice of dessert is OK; it’s all about moderation. After you eat, go for a family walk to help digest your meal and burn off extra sugar.

What can parents do to ensure their kids avoid becoming prediabetic?

One in five kids in the U.S. lives with obesity, which puts them at risk of developing prediabetes. It’s important to monitor sugary drinks and to replace sweets and processed foods with fruits and lean protein. But the most important factor is getting physical activity, although that’s easier said than done for families with two working parents. Kids often come home after school to an empty house, and inevitably they’re playing video games rather than getting exercise. Be sure to make time for physical activity as a family, whether that’s going for a bike ride or shooting hoops together.

https://www.novanthealth.org/healthy-headlines/prediabetes-is-reversible-with-lifestyle-changes-heres-your-action-plan

Insulin Dos and Don’ts

From everydayhealth.com

If you’re on insulin to treat type 1 or type 2 diabetes, it’s critical to know exactly how to use it.

“Insulin can be a very dangerous drug if used improperly,” says Stanley Mathew, MD, an endocrinologist at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital in St. Peters, Missouri. “Correct dosing and correct technique of insulin administration are both crucial to prevent very high or very low blood sugar, both of which can have serious implications for one’s health.”

Do Take Mealtime Insulin Before You Start Eating

Short- or rapid-acting insulin is taken around mealtime to control the blood sugar rise that results from eating carbohydrates. If you use this type of insulin, do so 15 minutes before mealtime, says Rachel Halverson, CDCES, RN, a board-certified diabetes care and education specialist and the founder of Give Me Some Sugar in Acworth, Georgia. “This insulin takes some time to start working, so taking it before your meal gives it a head start.” 

This protocol essentially mimics what the body does naturally, since the pancreas typically releases some insulin when you’re even thinking about food, she says. 

If it’s challenging for you to get into this habit, Halverson recommends pairing it with another daily habit. “Take your insulin when making coffee or brushing your teeth,” she says. And if your provider recommends taking insulin on a different schedule for whatever reason, follow their instructions carefully.

Don’t Always Inject Your Insulin in the Same Place

“Technique of insulin administration is as important as the dose administered,” says Dr. Mathew. It’s best to rotate the area where you administer insulin, because repeatedly injecting in the same place increases your risk of lipohypertrophy, a build-up of fat, protein, and scar tissue that can affect how quickly your body absorbs insulin, he says. 

For rapid and long-acting insulin, rotate body parts such as the abdomen and thighs, as well as specific sites on each body part. For his patients, Mathew recommends injecting into the abdomen for a week, then the thighs the next week, and so on.

Intermediate-acting and premixed insulin can absorb differently from different body parts, so pick one body part for your insulin injections, but change the specific injection site on that body part regularly. They also appear cloudy and need to be rolled in your hands until they look uniform prior to injection. All other insulins should always appear clear.

Ask your health provider for their injection site recommendations as well, as these suggestions are general guidelines. 

                                                                                                                    Getty Images

Do Check Your Blood Sugar Before Injecting

It’s best practice to check your blood sugar before using insulin, says Halverson. If your glucose is low, you may need to hold off on your insulin dose and eat something first, she says. Conversely, if you’re above your blood sugar target, you may need to add a correction dose. 

There are other factors to consider as well. “The dose of insulin administered is usually based on the measured blood sugar, one’s expected activity level, and what’s being eaten,” says Mathew. If you’re planning to exercise soon, for example, it might be smart to use a smaller dose. For instructions on how to best approach dose adjustment for your specific needs, talk to your healthcare provider.

Don’t Reuse Needles

Whether you use a syringe or an insulin pen, you want to use fresh and sharp needles every time. “Just as important as rotating insulin administration sites, change the pen needles or insulin syringes with each insulin administration,” says Mathew.

Used needles become duller, which can make injections more painful and increase your likelihood of developing lipohypertrophy or an infection, he says. Change your needle each time, and never use someone else’s needle, as sharing can put you at risk of contracting viruses such as hepatitis and HIV.

Do Count Your Carbs

Adjusting your mealtime insulin dose to the food you’re eating is essential in managing your blood glucose levels. 

Healthcare providers typically prescribe mealtime insulin doses in an insulin to carbohydrate ratio, which indicates how many units of insulin you need based on the number of carbohydrates you consume, says Halverson. For instance, one unit of rapid-acting insulin is often initially prescribed for 12–15 grams (g) of carbohydrates, but this amount will differ for most people with diabetes. Your ratio can also be a moving target, depending on factors like your activity level, the time of day, or your menstruation cycle. It can take a lot of experimentation and collaboration with your provider or a diabetes educator to understand your specific needs.

Successful insulin dosing also requires an understanding of the carbohydrate content in common foods and portions so you can make smart adjustments independently as needed.

“There are different ways to dose insulin and count carbs,” says Halverson. Some people, for example, dose differently for high-fibre ingredients with low net carb counts. If you’re having trouble with the plan you’re on, Halverson recommends asking your diabetes educator for a different type of insulin dosing, such as moving from fixed to flexible dosing, or vice versa.

Don’t Inject Into Muscle

Insulin should be injected into fat that lies just beneath the skin (called subcutaneous fat), says Mathew. “It’s very important that it’s not administered into the muscle or blood vessels or other tissues, as absorption can vary dramatically if it’s administered into areas other than subcutaneous tissue,” he says. 

Injecting into subcutaneous fat leads to more consistent insulin absorption, whereas injecting into muscle can lead insulin to absorb in unreliable ways. To ensure you’re injecting into fat just beneath the skin, lift the skinfold or angle the needle 45 degrees from the skin. 

Do Educate Your Friends, Family, and Co-workers

All insulin users have a risk of severe hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose). Most of the time, you can treat hypoglycaemia yourself by having a quick snack or drinking something sugary. But if you experience a severe episode, you’ll be unable to treat yourself and will have to rely completely on the people around you for help.

Teaching the people close to you what to do in the case of an emergency could save your life. “Time can be of the essence with hypoglycaemia, and letting friends, family, and co-workers know that you’re on insulin and training them on what to do if you’re hypoglycemic is of utmost importance to prevent complications,” says Mathew. 

Those close to you should know that if you're slurring your speech or becoming disoriented or unconscious, those are signs of a severe hypoglycemic episode. They can help you by administering emergency glucagon (available in dry nasal sprays or injections) and calling 911 immediately if they’re unsure what to do.

Don’t Forget About Exercise and Stress

Other factors beyond carbohydrates can affect your glucose control as well. For example, your blood sugar can rise as a side effect of certain medications like steroids, or from illness, psychological stress, menstrual periods, and dehydration. Some lifestyle factors can contribute to lower blood sugar, too, such as drinking alcohol or increasing your level of physical activity. 

“You may need to adjust your insulin based on where you are in your menstrual cycle, stress levels, or new medications,” says Halverson. And if you’re planning on taking a walk after a meal, you may not need to take as much insulin for that meal, since the activity will naturally lower your blood sugar, she says.

It takes education and experience to get to the point where you’re making these adjustments effectively. If you have access to a registered dietitian-nutritionist, diabetes educator, or nurse who can spend time with you to go over all this information and personalize your insulin needs, Halverson encourages you to make an appointment.

Do Protect Your Insulin From Extreme Temperatures

Severe hot and cold temperatures can damage insulin, rendering it less effective. Store insulin out of direct sunlight (for example if you're at a beach or pool), and don’t keep it in a car where it can get too hot. While you can store insulin in a cooler when you’re in a hot environment, it shouldn’t directly touch ice or a freezer pack, either. If insulin freezes, don’t use it.

The Takeaway

• Take mealtime insulin about 15 minutes before eating to allow it time to start working, and always check your blood sugar before injecting, as your dose may need to be adjusted depending on your glucose levels, planned activity, or food intake.
• To prevent complications like lipohypertrophy, don’t inject insulin in the exact same spot repeatedly; instead, rotate injection sites across different body parts, and always inject into subcutaneous fat tissue.
• Never reuse needles or syringes, as dull needles cause pain and increase infection risk. It’s also essential to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures (both hot and cold) to ensure its efficacy.
• Be aware that factors like exercise, stress, other medications, and menstrual cycles can affect your blood sugar, and educate those around you on how to recognize and treat hypoglycaemia to help keep you safe.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/diabetes/insulin-dos-and-donts/