The first time I thought about exercise to normalize blood sugar.

The first time I thought about exercise as a way of normalizing blood sugar was when I was on my third diabetes book in the first month after diagnosis.

I had been exercising fairly regularly since 1999 when I bought a treadmill and set it up in my home. My exercise goal all along had been to stress my heart in a controlled way. I had been steadily increasing the treadmill incline and speed to the point where, based on the heart rate monitor strapped on my chest, my heart was getting a decent workout.

But it had not helped me lose any weight. Or reduced my cholesterol numbers. It was probably helping to keep my blood pressure down a tad bit.

In all likelihood, I was neutralizing the good effects of the tread milling by superbad diet and snacking binges at night during Jay Leno.

This time around my focus was different. I had quickly come upon a fairly consistent observation by the authors in the various diabetes books. Which was that exercise definitely helps in keeping blood sugars normal.

If diet was responsible for 75% of the improvement, exercise helped with the remaining 25%.

So I decided to do something in addition to the tread milling. That was when I discovered the remarkable benefits of walking briskly for 30 minutes.

I changed my schedule around so that I could get in two 30-minute walks every day. First one before dinner. Second one after dinner, at about 9 PM. There are of course exceptions if I have to be gone in the evening or on weekends.

However, I am quite nutty about my walks. Whether it rains or shines, snows or freezes, I am always out at least twice a day for half an hour each time.

Walking does amazing things for my post-meal blood glucose readings. More on this next time.