By Kathleen Blanchard RN for EmaxHealth.com

Patients with Type 2 diabetes can control their blood sugar levels and mitigate damage to the blood vessels and major organs naturally. It’s important to take medications prescribed by your physician, but without lifestyle changes, patients with diabetes suffer from decreased quality of life as a result of the physical and financial toll of diabetes.

In December 2011 researchers published findings that Type 2 diabetes can be controlled by exercising for short periods of time. The trick is you might have to exercise a little bit harder, but that’s still good news. It means you don’t have to hit the gym. Just get up and move, take a brisk walk, march in place or go for a short jog. Even a quick session of vigorous swimming or walking in the pool can help people with diabetes control their hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) levels, lose weight and preserve healthy blood vessels.