Chronic Conditions

Diabetes:
Diabetes is basically the body’s inability to utilize carbohydrate (in the form of glucose) for energy.This results in high concentrations of sugar in the blood. This is because the hormone insulin which controls the levels of glucose in the blood is not being produced in sufficient quantity, or at all.There are basically two types of Diabetes:

+ Type 1 Insulin Dependent Diabetic Mellitus (IDDM). Although this can develop at any age it’s often seen in younger people. As a result of an auto-immune disorder their bodies are unable to produce insulin.
+ Type 2 Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM). This usually affects adults over 40. Although they produce some insulin it is not in sufficient quantities, or their bodies have built a resistance to its effect. Interestingly, obesity has been shown to increase the bodies resistance to insulin (Young, 98)

Exercise can actually improve the bodys ability to use glucose i.e. reduce its resistance to insulin.However, to fully benefit from this effect you must exercise regularly, ideally at least every other day. Through exercise you will lose body fat. In fact weight loss may be all that’s required to treat Type 2 diabetes. Regular exercise is likely to reduce the risk of heart disease which is a possible by-product of diabetes and obesity. Sir Steve Redgrave won his 5th Olympic gold medal whilst suffering from diabetes. It didn't stop him from becoming the greatest Olympian of all time! No excuse then- head for health!

Asthma:
Asthma is a restriction or inflammation of the airway passages. Over 5 million people in the UK suffer from this problem, that’s about 1 in 13 adults in the UK. However, if managed correctly, this condition should not stop you from exercising. Paula Radcliffe has had asthma since she was 14 yet still holds the world record time for the marathon! No excuse then-head for health! (By the way Ray has asthma too but hasn’t won a marathon yet!) Exercise will benefit an asthmatic by:

+ Improving your cardio-respiratory response-you’ll use oxygen more efficiently
+ Build stamina and strength in your muscles-the muscles that help with breathing will get stronger.
+ You’ll be able to tolerate asthma attacks during exercise (Exercise Induced Asthma) and may find that they become milder.
+ Continued training may mean that you can reduce your reliance on asthma medications e.g.relievers

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure):
Hypertension is basically increased pressure exerted on the artery walls when the blood is being pumped around the body. This is either due to an increased volume of blood being pumped out by the heart causing unnecessary pressure on the artery walls or a constriction of the artery walls themselves. High blood pressure affects over 16 million people in the UK (BPAssoc 2004).

There are a number of causes of this condition, many of which can be attributable to an unhealthy lifestyle e.g. Obesity, smoking, lack of exercise, excessive alcohol consumption,stress. For those of you with only mild hypertension it may be possible to reverse this condition with the correct application of healthy eating habits and appropriate exercise.


Arthritis:
Arthritis is characterised by the inflammation of a joint , or joints, within the body. There are varying forms of this often debilitating condition, two of which are Osteoarthritis and Rheumatiod Arthritis. Rheumatoid Arthritis is usually the result of an auto immune disorder which affects the lining of the joints. Whilst Osteoarthritis is usually caused by excessive wear and tear on the joints.

Correct exercise can help to ease this condition by:

+ Improving mobility and flexibility around the joints.
+ Improving posture which will put less stress on the body
+ Increasing muscle strength


Osteoporosis:
Osteoporosis causes the loss of bone tissue and bone mass which can lead to problems such as stress fractures. 1 in 3 women and 1 in 12 men over the age of 50 have Osteoporosis (NOS 2004). It has been shown that active lifestyles are usually associated with lower rates of osteoporosis induced fractures (Bassey,94). In fact weight bearing exercise can control or improve the amount of bone mass that you have.

Obesity:
As you have seen Obesity, i.e. excessive body fat, can contribute to many of the diseases already listed as well as many others. Yet is is often one of the easiest conditions to overcome. Adopting a healthy eating regime (note: diets weren’t mentioned!) “see nutrition” and enjoying regular exercise can have amazing, lasting benefits to your body composition and overall health “ see Personal Training”.