4 super easy exercises for controlling diabetes

Exercising doesn't always have to be a workout. A few gentle stretches or a light jog can provide benefits that will help you manage your diabetes and address stress and high blood pressure.

You've probably heard a lot about the benefits of different activities. Chances are, you know someone who swears by this or that. Here are four exercises and how they can help with diabetes:

Tai chi increases your flexibility and balance — but it's unlikely that this gentle martial art can lower blood sugar. In a 2011 review of tai chi studies, researchers concluded that the evidence doesn't reveal any blood-sugar-lowering benefits.

• But that's not to say tai chi doesn't have a place in your activity program. Its slow, sure movements and gentle stretching benefit your muscles and joints.
• What's more, it is proven to lower stress. Since being stressed can raise your blood pressure and drive your blood sugar up, tai chi can do you more good than you realize.

The obvious benefit is that stretching keeps muscles and joints flexible, which helps to keep you mobile and injury-free. Stretching also helps tame high blood pressure and insulin resistance by lowering stress.

• Your muscles are equipped with stretch receptors that are in constant communication with your brain about your overall level of tension. When your muscles are chronically tight, your brain gets the message that you're under constant stress. Stretching promotes muscle relaxation, which in turn signals to your brain that all is well.
• A recent study also found that people who aren't flexible are more likely to have stiff arteries, which are caused by atherosclerosis. Stiff arteries can contribute to high blood pressure, an enlarged heart and even heart attack.
• And it's quick: a full-body stretching routine takes just a few minutes. It's the perfect thing to do in the morning, shortly after waking up. There are lots of stretching routines available, many customized for different body types, lifestyle needs or physical needs (from preparing for a round of golf to remedying a bad back). With a little research, you'll find a routine that is right for you.

The ultimate goal of a fit and healthy person is to walk 10,000 steps in a day, experts say. A sedentary person today might walk fewer than 3,000 steps in a day. That's a lot of room for improvement!

• By discreetly carrying a pedometer with you, you can truly measure your activity level and monitor each day's progress.
• Walking with poles, called fitness trekking or Nordic walking, can help. It can boost your calorie burn 20 to 50 percent over regular strolling because the poles recruit muscles in your upper body.
• Poles can also be helpful if you need a little extra stability or want to take some impact off of your legs. Follow the instructions that come with the poles. You might also be able to find a lesson through your local health club or community centre.

If you want to lose weight quickly, inexpensively and, most important, enjoyably, you can dig out the first piece of exercise equipment you ever owned — your bike.

• Bike riding is gentle on your joints, easy to do and literally melts away pounds as you scorch more than 500 calories an hour.