Arizona Health and Wellness: Swimming Exercises for Diabetes

Use your Phoenix swimming pool for more than just backyard living activities this Fall!

October is National Diabetes Month, and what better way is there to recognize this disease that’s growing in numbers than to participate in the war against it?  One of the best ways to start your battle against diabetes is to take up swimming.

Why Choose Swimming?

There are two primary reasons why swimming is an ideal choice for anyone suffering from diabetes, or hoping to keep it at bay:

• Water allows the body to become buoyant, which means that one’s body weight is supported so that individuals are able to get a full body exercise without putting a significant strain on their bones and joints.
• Water provides natural resistance, giving you a greater calorie burn than if you were to perform the same movement on land.

Burn More Calories

Speaking of calories, you can easily expect to burn as much as 3 to 4 times more calories when performing an exercise in the water than if you were to perform it in the gym since you’re toning your entire body rather than working on just one specific part.  Just swimming alone can burn anywhere up to 350 to 450 calories per hour, which isn’t’ surprising as you’re performing dynamic movement in a resistant environment.

Easier Aerobic Exercise

For many individuals, particularly those who are overweight, this type of aerobic exercise is easier to perform than, say, running on a treadmill or sitting on a bike.  Again, you’re putting less pressure on your already stressed bones and joints, so swimming is easier on the body.  As those who are overweight are better able to perform this aerobic exercise and for a longer period of time, these individuals also reap a number of other benefits, like

• The delivery of oxygen to the body’s muscles improves.
• An individual’s blood pressure reduces.

Helps Moderate Your Blood Sugar

Finally, swimming does have the ability to help you regain control over your blood sugar levels.  Swimming 3 to 4 days a week alone can significantly help individuals moderate their blood sugar.

Shasta Pools is a Phoenix pool builder who provides a variety of services including swimming pool remodeling, commercial pool building, and pool service and repair. Since its establishment in 1967, Shasta has helped over 80,000 families realize their dream of pool ownership. By providing exceptional value, quality craftsmanship and superior customer service, the Shasta team continues to fulfill the corporate mission of astonishing and delighting their customers and exceeding expectations. You can learn more about Shasta Pools & Spas by visiting them online, or by connecting with them on Facebook or Twitter.