Runner's Corner

Run and Cure Obesity / Type 2 Diabetes

August 2009 Runner’s Corner 
 

By Kitty A. Consolo, Ph.d. 

          We’ve heard a lot lately about health care reform and that fact that 47 million Americans do not have health insurance.  I agree that’s a problem but the even bigger problem is what health insurance is for, to help us when we are sick or injured.  Hence I call it “sickness insurance” and guess what, running can help cure many of the sicknesses Americans are suffering from.

          We are now in an age where obesity is rampant, 34% of Americans are overweight or obese according to the Center for Disease control and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation reports that translates to 2/3 of adults and 23 million children fall into the category of obesity.  Obesity leads to serious health issues such as diabetes type 2 which then leads to many other problems such as blindness, kidney disease, high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes and so on.  And it puts a toll on our health care system as obese individuals run about $1400 more a year in health care costs due to their obesity. But guess what, you’ve heard of runs for the cure to cure cancer, well if you run, you can literally cure obesity and type 2 diabetes!  You can even help prevent type 2 diabetes in people who do not yet have it but have abnormal glucose levels.

What is obesity?

          Obesity is when one’s body fat exceeds a healthy level.  One can estimate this risk by determining ones body mass index or BMI.  Log onto cdc.gov and under search topic type in BMI calculator.  You will want to be preferably under 25 to be healthy and avoid getting obesity related diseases.

The  running obesity cure

            Many people are obese because they do not exercise and their metabolism is too slow.  Running not only burns calories while you are doing it, but it raises your metabolism when you are not running.  It also builds lean tissue and the more lean tissue one has, the more calories one burns.  Running though in some people, who only do slow miles, and not speed or hills, can end up being an excuse to over eat and one study showed women gaining weight because they were eating more calories than they burned running.  Add some speed once a week or a race or some hills and a long run and use moderation on the food intake, running is not an excuse to put any food you want into your body.

          In studies on long-term success of fat loss, which means 5 years or more, exercise, including running was better than diet, weight loss prescription drugs, stomach by-pass and stomach stapling.  It’s a lifestyle that works long term.

Types of Diabetes

            There are two types of diabetes, type I which was previously called insulin-dependent diabetes and type 2, which was previously called non-insulin dependent diabetes.  Type I occurs when the body’s immune system destroys the cells in our pancreas, the beta cells, that make insulin.  Insulin acts as a glucose escort system taking sugar out of the blood and delivering it where needed.  Without insulin, blood glucose levels sky rocket and the blood becomes thick like molasses.  Uncontrolled high blood sugar can lead to coma and death and these patients must have insulin administered daily.  Usually this type shows up in young people but can occur in later life.

          Type 2 diabetes begins as insulin resistance where the body is still producing insulin but the cells do not respond to it.  It accounts for 90-95% of the cases of diabetes and if not corrected, eventually the pancreas loses its ability to produce insulin.  Risk factors for type 2 are obesity and physical inactivity and is now showing up more in children.  It is now estimated that in adults 8% or an estimated 23.6 million Americans have diabetes.

The running type 2 diabetes cure

            No one is quite sure exactly how exercise works for type 2 diabetes but it appears to force glucose out of the blood and allow organs and tissues to use it as though insulin was there and working properly.  If people start exercising before their pancreas stops making insulin they can often reverse type 2 diabetes.  Diet modifications are important as well (go to mypyramid.com for info on diet).  Even better news, current research suggests those who exercise especially as adults can prevent getting type 2 diabetes to begin with.

Find a buddy

          One of the best things you could do for this epidemic is invite a friend who currently doesn’t run and be there buddy.  Tell them about premierraces training programs, get them a logbook and have them build up to a few miles a day and enter a fun race.  Getting someone running not only can prevent or cure obesity, type 2 diabetes and lots of other health problems, but it can save on hundreds of dollars of sickness insurance.  If you are well, it’s insurance that’s good to have but you don’t need as much.  Keep in mind it’s never too late to start, older and disabled people can still benefit from running and walking if they can not run.  Spread the word, exercise, especially running, is medicine!

See you on the roads