Exercise improves the uptake of glucose, helps to control blood sugar levels. Exercise will help produce muscle cells to replace the fat stored in your body: muscle uses more sugar. "Exercise helps you lose weight or maintain your weight by burning calories...If you have Type 2 diabetes, exercise helps to increase the sensitivity of your body cells to insulin. With this increased sensitivity, your own insulin works better and your blood sugar levels get better. When exercise is done at least every other day it is more likely to have this effect. Exercising regularly and following a meal plan may get your blood sugars in the target range without medication." University of Iowa Healthcare Hospitals & Clinics, "Diabetes and Exercise", http://www.uihealthcare.com/topics/diabetes/diabetesandexercise.html.

Start up of exercise after injury, illness or long periods of sedentary lifestyle should be monitored by your healthcare professional; too much too fast can result in much more harm than good. Over-stress can lead to failure of an exercise program (it hurts too much after, or is in fact "too hard") as can unrealistic expectations. One type of exercise is referenced above: Qi Gong. Re-read that paragraph, paragraph 2, and look at how exercise and relaxation assist with control of sugar. Think about the three conditions, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. What single factor is most common among persons who have had encounters with the three factors: stress. Stress is controllable. The anti-dote for stress is real relaxation (not laying around the pool eating a bag of bon-bons, surfing the 135 channel remote). What if you could get a dose of exercise and real relaxation therapy at the same time?

Re-read paragraph 2 again: Qi Gong ( pronounced: chee goong ) is exercise and relaxation. Qi Gong is a very good method of exercise start-up, and can be led up to higher degrees of intensity and duration without the need for expensive equipment, or a gym or track to "work out". Most people who practice some form of qi gong come to think of it more as play than work. Qi Gong is becoming more popular in its own right, but many people have gotten the benefits of improved health and sense of well being by practicing Tai Chi. Tai Chi, is a form of Qi Gong : there are literally thousands of Qi Gong forms and styles, but at the core they are essentially the same: slow gentle movements synchronized with deep, rhythmic breathing. Qi Gong routines run from very simple, basic and easy, to thoroughly complex, confusing and difficult, there is something for every personality. Qi Gong can be learned from books and video tapes, but the easiest way to learn is to have fun with a group, led by a competent instructor. You'll know during the first session if your instructor is competent, you'll just know.