3 Easy Exercises to Help Stabilize Blood Sugar and Strengthen Legs

Managing blood sugar is a lifelong challenge for most diabetes patients. Research has shown that exercises such as slow jogging and squats can help lower blood sugar levels, prevent cardiovascular disease, and strengthen leg muscles.

Recent data reveals that in 2023, 11.6 percent of the U.S. population had diabetes. In addition to insulin and glucose-lowering medications, exercise is highly effective in managing blood sugar. Specifically, exercise offers two remarkable benefits for diabetes patients:

1. Promotes insulin secretion: Exercise increases glucose uptake in muscles, which stimulates insulin release and helps lower blood sugar levels.
2. Improves lipid profile: Exercise effectively lowers total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol in the blood, thereby reducing the risk of complications associated with diabetes.

For diabetes patients who find it challenging to avoid carbohydrates, incorporating regular exercise into their daily routine can help stabilize blood sugar levels. Years of clinical practice have shown that activities such as slow jogging, chair squats, and towel stretching exercises can be effective in lowering blood sugar.

1. Slow Jogging: Stabilize Blood Sugar and Protect Blood Vessels

Slow jogging is an aerobic exercise that helps improve muscle glucose uptake, effectively stabilizing blood sugar levels and enhancing cardiovascular health.

• Recommended for: All ages.
• Method: Keep your chest lifted and your head up, avoiding a hunched posture. Allow your arms to swing naturally. When jogging, aim to land on the balls of your feet first, then gently lower your heels to the ground, keeping your knees slightly bent throughout. Avoid running solely on your toes, as this can lead to excessive calf fatigue. Take small steps, aiming for a pace of 180 steps per minute. Run comfortably, without feeling overly sore, fatigued, stiff, or out of breath. Your pace should be slow enough to allow for easy conversation.
• Timing: It is advisable to jog before meals or when not feeling hungry, such as between breakfast and lunch or between lunch and dinner. Aim for a total of 20 minutes of jogging each day, which can be divided into multiple sessions with no limit on the number of sessions.
• Location: Jogging can be done outdoors or indoors. When jogging in place indoors, use a soft mat on the floor for added comfort.

Case study: A 78-year-old man jogged slowly for 30 minutes to an hour each day without making any significant changes to his diet, and over six months, he lost more than 22 pounds. He has even set a goal to run a marathon.

A 2023 study published in BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation found that, compared to the control group, all Type 2 diabetes patients in the exercise intervention groups showed improvements in fasting blood sugar, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and body fat percentage. Of these, the group that combined strength training with aerobic exercise demonstrated the greatest improvements.

A meta-analysis published in Springer Link in 2021 indicated that exercise and general physical activity help manage blood sugar levels in Type 2 diabetes patients. Specifically, they have a positive impact on reducing hemoglobin A1C, fasting blood sugar, body mass index, and waist circumference. Therefore, exercise can serve as a safe and effective adjunct therapy to medical treatment for Type 2 diabetes patients.

2. Chair Squats: Strengthen Leg Muscles

The calf muscles are often referred to as the “second heart” of the body as they help pump blood back to the heart. Squats boost metabolism, improve circulation, and strengthen leg muscles, thereby reducing the risk of injury. Chair squats can help better identify the body’s center of gravity, which is beneficial for addressing issues such as poor posture and balance problems during squats.

• Recommended for: Individuals with weak leg muscles and high blood sugar.
• Method: Face a sturdy chair with your feet shoulder-width apart. Gently hold onto the back of the chair with both hands. Push your hips backward and lean your torso slightly forward. Bend your knees slightly and distribute your weight evenly across your feet, while keeping your hamstrings and glutes engaged. Maintain a lifted chest and an extended back. Squat down and return to the starting position to strengthen your leg muscles.
• Frequency: Three times a day, with each session lasting two minutes.
• Note: Avoid using chairs with wheels, as they do not offer stable support for the exercise and could increase the risk of falling.

A 2022 study highlighted that more than 55 percent of sports-related injuries affect the lower limbs, with specific knee injuries accounting for about 15 percent of all sports-related injuries. Squats benefit muscles like the quadriceps and semitendinosus. In particular, Spanish squats (done with a heavy band behind the knees—not described here) are effective at targeting the quadriceps and vastus lateralis, making them especially beneficial for individuals with limited strength in these muscles.

3. Towel Stretching Exercise: Prevent Muscle Atrophy

An a Chinese saying goes, “Stretching your tendons by an inch can extend your life by ten years.” Performing this towel stretching exercise can help stretch the muscles in the sides of your body and promote blood circulation. To ensure the smooth flow of qi (energy) and blood throughout the body, every joint must remain flexible and relaxed.

• Recommended for: Individuals with limited mobility or those using a wheelchair.
• Method: Sit with your feet together and your back straight. Hold a towel with both hands, lifting it above your head. Use your left hand to pull the towel to the left, feeling a stretch along the right side of your waist. Hold this position for five to 10 seconds, then return your hands to the starting position above your head. Repeat the same movement on the right side.
• Frequency: Three times a day, with each session lasting two minutes.

Exercise Safety Precautions

• Avoid exercising on an empty stomach or if you feel your blood sugar is dropping too low.
• Avoid intense exercise, especially after taking glucose-lowering medication or injecting insulin. Exercising on an empty stomach can lead to symptoms of low blood sugar, such as headaches, blurred vision, delayed reactions, and muscle cramps.
• Monitor for symptoms of low blood sugar. If you experience palpitations, cold sweats, dizziness, weakness in your limbs, or intense hunger during or after exercise, these could be signs of low blood sugar. Stop exercising right away, eat something to relieve the hunger, and wait until your blood sugar levels are stable before resuming activity.