About six million diabetics live in Germany. Approximately three percent of them suffer from incurable type 1 diabetes, and 97 per cent have diabetes type 2. Active movement could help a lot of the affected.
Type 2 diabetes used to be called old age diabetes, because it normally only occurred at an olderage. Today this form of diabetes is also increasingly found with overweight children and young people. Experts count on the fact that the number of type 2 diabetics will rise dramatically in the coming years.
Insulin is a hormone which is formed in the beta cells of the pancreas. The hormone production is dependent on the absorption of nutrients - the more a person eats, the more insulin the body produces. All cells need insulin so that they are able to absorb sugar from the bloodstream.
With type 2 diabetes, the cells in the body no longer sufficiently recognize the insulin, and only slightly react to the neurotransmitter which helps the cells with sugar absorption. The pancreas always produces large amounts of insulin to balance the reduced susceptibility to insulin (insulin resistance). 80 per cent of diabetics could get a grip on the disease through exercise and diet. Diabetics however seem to attach significantly less importance to sport than healthy people do. The majority of diabetics explain that their lack of athleticism is due to it being no fun or them having no time.
Diabetes and training on the bellicon:
The gentle movement from trampoline swinging activates optimal metabolism. So, like all other cells in the body which react to the pressure and pull when swinging on the trampoline, the pancreatic cells also start to move. The pancreas can therefore function more efficiently, which in turn increases the number of insulin susceptible receptors. This way the insulin balance is evened out.
A further advantage: even those who dislike exercise have fun when swinging on the highly flexible bellicon. Subjectively, the perceived effort might seem slight but it is very challenging. Moreover, swinging makes you feel lighter: it seems effortless and you feel elated, even with excess weight. Training on the bellicon is therefore highly recommended with type 2 diabetes.
