What's In It For You?
Exercise is important for everyone, but not always for the same reasons.
Why bother with exercise? Why spend time running around, jumping around, and getting hot and sweaty? What's the payoff?
Live Long and Prosper
For starters, how about happiness and long life? Exercise offers a wide range of benefits. It helps control weight, lowers blood pressure, lowers cholesterol, cuts the risk of heart attack, strengthens your immune system, eases arthritis pain, protects against osteoporosis, fends off some forms of cancer, keeps your thinking sharp in old age, and even brightens your mood.
As if all of this were not enough, exercise can also improve blood glucose control.
Slow Down Diabetes
Moderate exercise can reduce the need for diabetes medicines or insulin. It can also can slow the progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes.
But “moderate” means just that. Don't try to run a marathon on your first outing. A brisk walk, for 15 minutes twice a day—or even a shorter walk, if you've …
