The connection between diabetes and muscle mass
Everyone wants more muscle mass, but none need it more than diabetics. The connection between muscle mass and blood glucose is irrefutable. The more muscle mass you have the greater the calories the body expends, in other words, glucose has less chance to accumulate in the bloodstream. This is why, despite the traditional recommendation that diabetics walk for about an hour every day, it would be far more effective if diabetics included some resistance training in their fitness regimen.
There is a lot of research to show that decline in muscle mass results in many health problems. As we grow older, the body automatically tends to lose muscle mass, leading to many age-related problems and a decline in physical activity, which, in turn, leads to more loss of muscle tissue.
This muscle atrophy is perhaps why the incidence of diabetes is higher in aging populations. Now, new studies have emerged that show that there are specific proteins (WWP1 and KLF15) that are primarily responsible for muscular atrophy with high blood sugar.
We already know that inefficient insulin functionality—or insufficient insulin—is responsible for insulin resistance, and ultimately diabetes mellitus (type 2 diabetes). Insulin is also responsible for promoting the growth and proliferation of cells. If there is an insufficiency of insulin in the body, there will automatically be reduced growth and proliferation of muscle cells. This means there will be a systemic reduction in skeletal muscle mass.
Best exercises to increase muscle mass
1. Resistance training
As every bodybuilder knows, there is no faster route to increased muscle mass than resistance training. Resistance training relies on the concept of progressive overload to provoke muscular micro-damage to your muscle cells.
With adequate rest and diet, the body will repair this damage to a point beyond the previous breaking point, in effect causing muscular hypertrophy.
2. Bodyweight exercises
But you don’t need to hit the gym to benefit from resistance training. Bodyweight exercises, or calisthenics, are as just as effective and you don’t need the gym or any gym equipment like barbells or dumbbells. You can also incorporate simple but effective props into your exercise routine.
Resistance bands, for instance, are highly effective at increasing muscular load and thus muscle growth. Other props like medicine balls, kettlebells, and skipping ropes are also effective. Skipping is another highly effective bodyweight exercise. It utilizes your body weight to increase muscular demand on the large muscles of the leg as well as the shoulders and arms.
3. Anti-gravity exercises
A relatively recent phenomenon, anti-gravity exercises are a highly effective way to keep your blood sugar in check. One of the easiest ways to incorporate this new form of exercise is stair-climbing.
That’s right, climbing stairs is one of the easiest ways to do an anti-gravity exercise. In fact, Freedom from Diabetes recommends replacing the interminable and boring daily walk with a 15-minute session of stair climbing.
4. Nitric oxide dump.
Another highly effective way to keep your muscle mass from atrophying is by doing the nitric oxide dump. The dump is a set of just four basic body movements, It stimulates the release of nitric oxide—whose molecules relax your muscles and increase dilation of the muscle cells, promoting blood flow and improving your cardiovascular, nervous and immune systems.
The dump comprises 10 repetitions of just four basic movements, starting with the squat, moving on to forward arm raises, followed by standing jumping jacks, and, finishing with over-the-head presses. That’s one set. Four continuous sets and you’re done.
The beauty of the nitric oxide dump is that it takes just 5 to 6 minutes and requires no additional equipment; although you can carry a small 1 kg dumbbell in each hand to add to the intensity. Doing the nitric oxide dump or stair climbing about an hour and forty-five minutes after a meal can drop your BSL by 40 counts or more.
Final words
Ultimately the best way to avoid muscular atrophy is to reverse your diabetes. This is possible through a disciplined approach. FFD’s Holistic Transformation Program, a yearlong online program has helped more than twelve thousand participants completely reverse their diabetes, as well as many other related health complications. You can find out more about our reversal programs on our website: www.freedomfromdiabetes.org
