Type II diabetes is rapidly reaching epidemic status. The most common treatments include medications, changes in nutritional habits and an exercise program, usually walking.

According to many endocrinologists, the average patient receives 2-3 hours of instruction on nutrition and cooking, 1-2 hours on medication effects and testing, but no formal instruction on exercise. Many are given brochures or simply told to begin walking. It's not uncommon for an individual with type II diabetes to suffer back pain, knee pain, arthritis or another complication that would likely limit their ability or tolerance for exercise. Additionally, many patients have very little knowledge or experience with recommended activites, or have had negative experiences in the past.

None of this changes the fact that workouts do have a significant and immediate effect on blood sugar levels. Repeated exercise also has the well-known and well-documented long-term effects of body weight reduction, which provides additional benefit for diabetes.

The good news is that any type of muscle contraction grants the desired effects. While this includes walking, it also includes simple movements like standing up and sitting down from a kitchen chair. Walking is the most common recommendation because it's perceived to be the cheapest and easiest form of exercise. While it does produce many low level, beneficial muscle contractions, it also requires moving body weight which can be quite a strain on painful joints.

When a muscle contracts, it produces chemical reactions inside the muscles that lead to similar effects as insulin in lowering blood sugar. The more muscle contractions, the more blood sugar can be lowered, without medications. This brings us to some simple conclusions: 1) Muscle contractions during exercise are helpful for controlling blood sugar levels, 2) muscle contractions can come in any form, and 3) the more muscle contractions, the greater the effects on blood sugar levels.

Dr. Gordon's guidelines:

  1. Exercise can be in simple forms such as:
    1. Lifting small weights with the arms for 1 minute (or 30 repetitions). Several muscle groups can be used as you move from one exercise to another.
    2. Standing up then sitting down in a chair, and repeating this several times.
    3. Stationary biking using the arms, legs or both. Start with 2-3 minutes and work up to 30 minutes or more per day.
    4. Sit on a chair and march your knees up and down while reaching your arms out to the side or up to the ceiling. Again, do this as long as possible and add time as you can, not exceeding 30 minutes per session.
  2. Test your blood sugar after exercising.
  3. When exercising, keep candy or sugary drinks nearby in case your blood sugar drops too low.
  4. If you feel faint or dizzy unexpectedly, rest immediately.
  5. Always consult your physician before starting your exercise program.
If you have specific questions regarding exercise, consult your physician or physical therapist.