Exercise is as important as diet when it comes to controlling your blood sugar. Its immediate effects are twofold:

• It increases insulin sensitivity, allowing your body to use insulin more effectively.
• It lowers blood sugar, reducing the risk for heart disease and nerve damage.

The long-term effect of regular exercise is a reduction in your A1C, the all-important measure of blood sugar averaged over the past two to three months.

While exercise has a largely positive overall effect on blood glucose, it can lead to hypoglycemia, which is a lower-than-normal blood sugar level. This is especially likely if you don’t plan for it by increasing carb intake to accommodate your exercise. Have snacks handy when exercising, with at least 15 grams of carbs each.

Then follow the 15-15 rule if your glucose reading falls below 100 mg/dL while exercising by consuming 15 grams of carbs and waiting 15 minutes. Check your sugar again. If it is still below 100 mg/dL, eat another snack. Repeat every 15 minutes until your sugar is above 100 mg/dL.

The key is to be prepared and to monitor your sugar while exercising to enjoy the benefits while minimizing risks.