Going "Bananas" Over Exercise

A 100-gram banana and all natural
butter is my fuel for exercise

I would be lost without bananas. I eat them on oatmeal for breakfast; I eat them when I'm hypoglycemic; and I eat them with peanut butter as a snack. Needless to say, they are a staple of my diabetes management plan. But, what I really love about bananas is that they are a power food for exercise, particularly for persons with diabetes.

What is so terrific about bananas? For starters, they are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, and manganese. Most important, they are packed full of energy, and relatively low on the glycemic index. This means that they will raise your blood glucose levels at a moderate pace over a
long period of time. This makes them an EXCELLENT fuel source for exercise.

I typically do an hour of running/walking or cycling daily (if possible). I have found a single 100g banana (unpeeled) with a spoonful of all-natural peanut butter to be the best combination of carbs, fats, and protein to fuel a one hour cardiovascular workout. My routine is to 1) check my blood glucose levels, 2) eat the banana and peanut butter, and 3) begin working out after 20-25 minutes. The goal is to keep my levels between 140 and 185 while exercising. Therefore, if my glucose levels are high during my pre-exercise check (>135), I only eat half a banana in order to avoid spiking my levels too much. I have had very few problems with hypoglycemia while exercising by following this routine.

It is important to note that I only exercise 3 hours after my last bolus. This ensures that I don't have any active insulin placing downward pressure on my glucose levels. If you try this routine, please check your glucose levels again before working out, while working out, and afterwards. This will give you a better sense of what happens to your body before, during, and after exercise. Good luck!

Recap of the JDRF Walk in Gulfport

Team Live-abetes before the walk.

Mary and I participated in the JDRF Walk for a Cure in Gulfport, MS last Saturday. This was the first walk for both of us and we had a great time! Our team, Live-abetes, was able to raise about $700 for the JDRF, and we are very appreciative of our generous benefactors. Overall, the event raised a little over $15,000.

In addition to raising money, the Walk provided an opportunity to meet with other persons and families affected by type 1 diabetes. A total of 17 teams participated in the walk. One team was a corporate team, and 14 of the remaining 16 teams had a newly diagnosed person with diabetes. I always read about how children are being diagnosed at younger ages, but my experience at the Walk brought this fact to light. Many of the newly diagnosed persons I met were under the age of 10-years-old. Some were diagnosed as young as 18 months! It was heartbreaking to see young children who will never remember a "normal" life without the disease. I came away from the event very grateful to have been diagnosed at the age of 14/15 (two days before my 15th birthday), which provided me the opportunity to have a normal childhood eating birthday cake and playing sports without a care in the world; but, more resolved than ever to assist the JDRF in finding a cure.

A special thank you to the gals from the JDRF Mississippi chapter in Jackson who worked hard to organize the event.

JDRF Walk Today!

Mary and I are doing the JDRF walk this morning in Gulfport. If you would like to donate to our team, cleverly called "Live-abetes," please click this link and follow the instructions. I will have a blog post about the event next week!

Thank you for the support. God bless!