One of the best ways we can control diabetes is with a regular exercise program. Although it’s often the last thing we feel like doing, physical activity helps the body respond to insulin as well as being a proven method of reducing blood glucose. It can even eliminate the need for medication completely in Type 2 diabetes!

Frequent exercise not only combats stress and fatigue, keeping glucose levels down, but also improves the circulatory problems suffered by many diabetics and can lower blood pressure and the risk of heart disease.

If you’ve recently been diagnosed, or are overweight, it’s advisable to seek professional help before you begin exercising, and your doctor should be able to tell you what level of exertion to aim for, as well as any potential complications which may arise. Also ask what kind of exercise is right for you; if you have problems with your feet consider riding a bike or swimming rather than walking or jogging.

Here are a few tips on getting started:

Ÿ Always wear comfortable clothing. If you’re jogging or walking, buy well made shoes and wear them in before heading off.

Ÿ Warm up with a series of stretches and warm down with the same when you finish.

Ÿ Always carry a snack or glucose tablets to treat hypoglycaemia.

Ÿ Wear an ID bracelet with details of your condition, in case of injury or any other problem.

Ÿ Try and find somebody to exercise with, it’ll make the whole process more enjoyable and help you stick to your new routine.

Diabetics should always try and exercise at the same time every day, making the activity part of a regular routine and gradually building up the amount of time they are active. Remember, it’s important to start slowly and build up your new regime over time.

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Everybody else seems to be doing it, and now a new report has indicated the benefits of a greener diet for diabetes sufferers, according to one expert.

Amy Campbell, an Education Program Manager specializing in diabetes control claims that going green can have a real positive effect on controlling blood glucose levels. Of course, every diabetic knows the importance of fresh fruit and vegetables in reducing glucose absorption and the value of foods containing fiber in controlling blood sugar levels, but the positive effects of a vegetarian diet are less well known.

As well as ditching meat, sufferers are being encouraged to shop local and buy produce which is allowed to ripen naturally in the field, meaning less artificial additives and sweeteners have been added.

Living life as a vegetarian, or even cutting down on your meat consumption is by no means restrictive and the American Diabetes Association has recently revised its meal exchange list thanks to a growing interest in the subject.

If you’re considering going green, or cutting out meat, it’s important to make the change gradually, allowing your body to slowly realign itself to your new diet and allowing you to closely monitor how the changes affect your body and your condition. You may find eliminating some foods has a positive effect while other changes may not suit you. Give yourself time to adjust.

Every newly diagnosed diabetes sufferer should seek the opinion of a professional dietician and develop a meal plan suitable for their own lifestyle, in order to minimize complications without taking the fun out of food. Remember, nutrition plays a major part in diabetes control, and while you have the same nutritional requirements as anybody else, special attention to what’s in your food is advisable.

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