If you ain't got your health...you got nothin'

GET OUT THOSE SUMMER RECIPES - Strawberry cream roll is a favorite

This is a fairly easy cake roll recipe. It's filled with fresh strawberries and cream cheese whipped cream! My family loved it. I had to use imported strawberries but fresh, locally grown produce is just a couple of months away.  We love anything with berries in it. It's the perfect cake for any occasion.

Ingredients:
For the Cake:

3 large eggs

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup all purpose flour

Powdered sugar, to aid in rolling

For the Filling and Topping:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups cold heavy whipping cream

1 pound fresh strawberries (plus more for topping, if desired)

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 10x15” or 10.5x15” cake/jelly roll pan with foil and spray with floured nonstick cooking spray.

*Place eggs in a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat at medium speed with mixer for 5 minutes until foamy and yellow.

*Add sugar and mix for 2 more minutes, until the mixture is thickened slightly.

*Mix in oil, baking powder, salt, and vanilla, then add flour and mix slowly until just combined.

*Pour into prepared pan, spreading as needed with a spatula. Tap the pan twice on the counter to release air bubbles

*bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the top is browned and the cake springs back when touched lightly. (Mine took 12 minutes, but all ovens differ.)

*While the cake is baking, lay out a clean kitchen towel onto the counter. Spread with about 1/4 cup powdered sugar.

*Remove the hot cake from the oven and carefully, using oven mitts so you don’t burn yourself, flip the cake onto the towel. This might make a mess, but that’s okay.

*Carefully remove the pan and foil (they’re hot!) and then, using the towel, roll up the cake from the short side. The towel will be rolled into the cake. Let this cool completely before continuing.

Note: you can wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap and let it sit overnight before finishing.

Make the filling:

Place cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer. Use mixer to beat the cream cheese and sugar until it’s smooth and fluffy, then beat in vanilla.
Slowly add the heavy whipping cream, then turn the mixer up to high and beat until stiff peaks form.

To fill cake:

*wash and dry the berries very well.
Slice about 3/4 of the pound into small pieces, then pat the pieces dry.

*Carefully unroll the cake.

*Spread with some of the whipped cream mixture and top with the chopped strawberries.

*Carefully roll the cake back up as tight as possible, unsticking it from the towel as you go.

*Wrap the cake roll in plastic wrap and chill until ready to top and serve.

*To serve: frost with remaining whipped cream and remaining berries. I used a 1M tip to create roses all over the cake, but you can just frost it if you wish.
This cake is best eaten the day it is made, because of the fresh berries. It will last, fully made, overnight in the refrigerator (wrap it loosely) but the berries might weep a bit.
Indulge yourself.

Your birth control pills may be making you feel like crap



Any woman who’s used hormonal contraception will likely tell you that, while the pill is great for helping us stay in control of our reproductive choices (thank you, birth control!), it also sometimes makes us feel like crap. And now, a new randomized study has confirmed just that: The most common type of combined hormonal birth-control pill has been found to negatively impact a woman’s quality of life.

Scientists from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden gave 340 healthy women between the ages of 18 and 35 either placebos or contraceptive pills containing ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel over the course of three months. Published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, the study found that women who took the combination pills reported overall reduced feelings of well-being — from a lower quality of life to negative impacts on her mood, self-control, and energy; also, perceiving things in a more negative way... eg: my glass is half empty, rather than half full.  

The scientists noted in a statement that, despite the fact that an estimated 100 million women around the world use contraceptive pills, the medical community still knows “surprisingly little” about the pill’s effect on women’s health. As a result, there’s a great need for studies like this one, which actually compares the pill’s effect with placebos. The scientists added that because the perceived changes in the study were relatively small, the findings should be interpreted cautiously. However, they also noted that the pill’s negative impact on individual women could be of clinical importance.

“This might in some cases be a contributing cause of low compliance and irregular use of contraceptive pills,” study co-author Dr. Niklas Zethraeus said in a statement. “This possible degradation of quality of life should be paid attention to and taken into account in conjunction with prescribing of contraceptive pills and when choosing a method of contraception.”

So, sister friends, be very informed when you make birth-control choices. Ask your doctor about this study and which products were tested.

The fountain of youth... inside a beet

Is beet juice the key to staying young?

Beets are a common sweetening ingredient in the juices you’ll find at most health food stores, but a recent study found another reason to drink the bright red juice: It has anti-aging benefits.

Researchers at Wake Forest University knew that exercise has positive anti-aging effects on the brain, and were looking for ways to increase those benefits.

“What we showed in this brief training study of hypertensive older adults was that, as compared to exercise alone, adding a beet root juice supplement to exercise resulted in brain connectivity that closely resembles what you see in younger adults,” said W. Jack Rejeski, co-author of the study.

The small study included 26 men and women aged 55 and older who did not exercise, had high blood pressure, and took no more than two medications for their high blood pressure. Three times a week, they drank Beet-It Sport Shot — a beet root juice supplement — one hour before a 50-minute walk on the treadmill.

Half of the participants received Beet-It containing 560 milligrams of nitrate, a substance found in beets that increases blood flow in the body and improves exercise performance, while the other half received placebo Beet-It with very little nitrate.

“Nitric oxide is a really powerful molecule,” Rejeski stated. “It goes to the areas of the body which are hypoxic, or needing oxygen, and the brain is a heavy feeder of oxygen in your body.”

Combining beet juice with exercise was found to deliver more oxygen to the brain, thus creating an environment for strengthening the area of the brain associated with motor activity. The group served beet juice had much higher levels of nitrate and nitrite than the placebo group after exercise.

This isn’t the first study to find that beets have a positive effect on health and exercise. They may also regulate blood pressure and improve exercise performance and endurance.

So if these bright red roots aren’t yet part of your diet, it may be time to plug your nose and drink up.

Maxy sez :When is the Best Time to Test Your Blood Glucose?

By Amy Tenderich
Amy Tenderich was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in May of 2003. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of Diabetes Mine and co-authored the book Know Your Numbers, Outlive Your Diabetes. You will frequently find her speaking at diabetes, health, and social media events across the country.
The best times to check your blood glucose (BG) actually depend on your reasons for checking. If you are checking in order to choose your insulin doses, then the best times are:

1. At wake time in the morningAmy Tenderich
2. Before and after each meal
3. At bedtime

If you do not need the information immediately to set insulin doses but are checking for more “general purposes”—like to evaluate changes or improvement in your overall BG control—then checking at the same times each day is most helpful. This helps you identify trends, like if you are consistently high every day in the late afternoon. Of course, you’ll only see these trends if you keep track of your test results.

It’s important to use the little log book that comes with your meter to keep track of your numbers and look over them periodically. The data is not just for your doctor. It's for you. 

As a rule of thumb, just before a meal and then three or four hours afterward provides a useful timeframe for seeing the effects of that meal. Similarly, testing before and just after exercise will tell you the effects of that particular activity.

If you routinely test before and after meals, before and after exercise, and before and after sleeping, you'll have great results to review yourself or with your doctor. These numbers will give you a good sense of what might be pushing your blood glucose up or down.  

Some people believe that if they get their A1c blood test done regularly, there’s no need for daily glucose testing.
Wrong.
It is true that the hemoglobin A1c (or simply A1c for short) is considered the “gold standard” of blood glucose measurement. It’s conducted in a laboratory and measures your average blood glucose levels for the past three months. This test is used as the main measure of your glucose management. (The recommended goal is a level of less than seven percent.)

The big picture

The A1c looks at the big picture, i.e. “What effect are my blood glucose levels having on my chance of future diabetes complications?” BUT, if your A1c turns out to be high, this test doesn’t provide a clue as to what you can do about it. A high A1c result tells you that you need to change something, but only your individual daily glucose results can provide the real clues about specific actions or strategies you might need to take. That’s why frequent home glucose testing matters!

Meeting your target A1c

What if you meet the A1c target (7.0 or below), while your before- and after-meal blood glucose numbers have been “off”? What does this mean?

Remember that the A1c is an average number. In other words, it's a point that reflects the “middle” of all your glucose values over the past three months. So you could have a “perfect” A1c result of 6.5 that might actually reflect the mid-point between several weeks of severe highs and lows. Not good.

If, however, your A1c met your target and you did not have frequent low blood glucose values, then all of your levels during the previous three months were okay. They were okay even if they were occasionally off-target. There will always be fluctuations, which is why the A1c is the perfect complement to daily testing.

In a nutshell: All of the existing clinical research tells us that your A1c is the vital indicator of your future health. Your glucose meter is a vital indicator of how you’re doing on a daily basis, leading up to your A1c.
Stay tune Amy Tenderich will share   more of her struggles to get her diabetes under control .

Concepts of male beauty



Storm Warning Thursday ...Be careful out there Ontario

Wednesday, April 19, 2017, 6:58 PM - A threat for spring severe weather is developing for parts of southern Ontario on Thursday, as a dynamic weather system tracks across the Great Lakes region. If the ingredients come together, storms Thursday afternoon and evening will have the potential to produce strong winds, hail, and even isolated tornadoes, in addition to localized heavy downpours.
As a tee-up, the province already saw severe storms in the extreme southwest, with a severe thunderstorm warning in effect for several hours for the Windsor area before dropping around 7 p.m.
Thursday's storms are likely to be even stronger. Read below for an analysis of the system that is set to bring Thursday's storms.

South of the warm front on Thursday, surface temperatures will climb well into the teens and even low 20’s with southwesterly winds. This will help build the instability needed to fuel severe thunderstorms. North of the front, showers and easterly winds will keep temperatures stalled in the single digits.
If enough instability does build through the afternoon, the environment will favor the development of strong to severe storms on Thursday. Strong winds aloft will provide ample wind shear, and the vertical temperature profile supports powerful updrafts capable of producing lightning and even hail.
There will be the potential for isolated tornadoes on Thursday as well, particularly near the warm front where low level wind shear will be maximized. Any storms that show signs of rotation will need to be monitored closely for tornado potential.
Storms should diminish in intensity through the overnight hours on Thursday, as the system continues to shift east – giving way to clearing and more seasonal temperatures on Friday.

The Tulips of Modern Holland

Sprawling across the landscape like a gigantic patchwork quilt are the brightly colored tulip fields of Holland.

Acres upon acres of flowers decorate the countryside in Anna Paulowna, North Holland with fields in pink, yellow, red and purple.
Photographer Normann Szkop captured these beautiful shots from the air in during the multi-coloured height of the growing season in mid-April.

 

More than three billion tulips are grown each year and two-thirds of the vibrant blooms are exported, mostly to the U.S. and Germany.
The tulip season begins in March and lasts until August with several shows held across the country, but the flowers are undoubtedly at their most spectacular at this time of year.
The cultivation of flower bulbs began more than 400 years ago and today Holland produces more than nine billion bulbs every year, of which two thirds are exported overseas.
Evenly distributed, this number would allow for almost two flower bulbs for every person on the planet.

 

Normann explains: "The tulip has come to be a loved symbol of the Netherlands. Many tourists visit the country just to see the bright coloured flower and the astonishing view over the bulb fields.’
‘The season begins in March with crocuses, followed by the daffodil and the yellow narcissi. In April the hyacinths and tulips blossom to some time in mid May, depending on the weather. Later, in August it is time for the gladioli. Modern mass flower production and modern windmills replace the ages old images we have of Holland. But the brilliant colors which can be seen for miles and miles across the flat landscape are a wondrous sight to see.

Favorite Trump jokes

Donald Trump is not a sexual predator.

He's an alternative romantic.

There's a term for presidents like Trump.

Probably not two terms though.

The Pentagon is changing the nuclear codes to over 140 characters...

So Trump can't tweet them.

A Russian spy, a sexual predator and a billionaire walk into a bar.

The bartender says, "What can I get you, Mr. Trump?"

Donald Trump says to Mike Pence, "The less immigrants we allow in, the better."

Pence says, "The fewer".
Trump says, "I told you not to call me that yet."

In breaking news, Trump's personal library has burned down.

The fire consumed both books and in a tragic twist he hadn't even finished coloring the second one.

Donald Trump was asked if he knew any bible verses.

He replied, "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Deport him and you don't have to feed him ."
Trump 20:17

What does the Secret Service say when Donald Trump gets shot at?

Donald! Duck!

I'm sick of people comparing Hitler to Trump.
Hitler wrote his own book.

Bill Gates has agreed to pay for Donald Trump's wall.

On the condition he gets to install windows.

What's going to replace ObamaCare?

Don.T.Care

Donald Trump becoming President has had a positive effect on the economy.

Sales of alcohol have never been higher.

What's the difference between Donald Trump and an orange?

An orange has a thicker skin.

I'm not a big fan of Donald Trump, but I'd never denigrate his supporters.

If you're a Trump supporter, denigrate means to put down.

What is Donald Trump's favorite nation?

Discrimination.

My confidants

Why do I find it easier to talk to my dogs than I do people?? Is it because they don't judge me?? I think there must be more to it than that.

Happy Birthday My Dear Friend

Till the end of time 

I will love you my Friend 

A Friendship like ours 

is one with no end 

You raise my spirits 

with ways I can't find 

Always lifting me up 

and ever so kind ...

I'm blessed & I thank you 

so lucky am I .

My friend you are treasured

'til the day that I die .

Happy Birthday  

Nee & all the Caranos

Late Nite Jokes

This weekend is Easter, where Christians celebrate the return of Jesus. Unfortunately, this year Jesus can’t return because he’s Middle Eastern and been detained at the airport.


Because of the sexual allegations against him, it’s rumored that Bill O’Reilly’s show may be going off the air. For continuity’s sake, Fox will replace it with reruns of "The Cosby Show."


After being accused of sexual harassment by five women, Bill O’Reilly announced he is taking a vacation. And if there’s any justice in the world he’ll be flying United.


White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has apologized for his Hitler comments and admitted he "screwed up." I don’t think Spicer learned his lesson though, because he then said, "Even Hitler didn’t screw up as badly as I did."


They’re having trouble organizing Easter at the White House this year. Instead of an A-list musician, there will be a military band. And instead of eggs, there’s going to be golf balls and instead of children there will be old white guys.





Before he was press secretary, Sean Spicer actually played the Easter bunny at the egg roll during the Bush administration. Which means this week, for the first time maybe in history, we got to see the Easter bunny apologize for comments about the Holocaust.

Congratulations to the first lady, Melania Trump, who just got a nice payout from a British tabloid newspaper, The Daily Mail. According to CNN, Melania received $2.9 million in damages, which she's using to build an escape tunnel back to Slovenia.


Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino from "Jersey Shore" is facing up to 15 years in prison on tax evasion charges. So basically, if you’re a reality star in this country and you don’t pay your taxes, we either put you in prison or make you President of the United States.


Donald Trump made an extraordinary claim to The New York Times about a Democratic congressman: “Elijah Cummings was in my office, and he said, ‘You will go down as one of the great presidents in the history of our country.’” Really? I get the “you will go down” part, but, after that, you kind of lost me.







Apparently Barry Manilow announced today that he is gay. Also scientific research found that the sky is blue. And sugar is sweet. Lots of interesting stuff happening today in the news.


Today, North Korea conducted a missile test, which escalated tensions in the region. But don’t worry — things settled down when Kendall Jenner stepped in and handed them a Pepsi.

Detroit doctor faces life in jail for FGM (Female Genital Mutilation)

Dr Nagarwala mutilated girls aged between six and eight

A doctor in the US city of Detroit has been charged with carrying out female genital mutilation (FGM) on young girls in what is believed to be the first case of its kind in the country.

Prosecutors said Jumana Nagarwala had been performing the practice on girls aged between six and eight for 12 years. She was investigated after the authorities received a tip-off.  If found guilty, she faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
FGM was made illegal in the US in 1996.

In a voluntary interview with investigators earlier this week Dr Nagarwala denied being involved in any such procedure, local media reported. But prosecutors said she had performed "horrifying acts of brutality on the most vulnerable victims".
Some travelled to her practise from outside the state of Michigan and were told not to talk about the procedure, they added.
Dr Nagarwala appeared in a federal court in Detroit and was remanded in custody.
"Female genital mutilation constitutes a particularly brutal form of violence against women and girls. It is also a serious federal felony in the United States," acting US attorney Daniel Lemisch said.
"The practice has no place in modern society and those who perform FGM on minors will be held accountable under federal law".
The first recorded case of FGM in the US was in 2006, when an Ethiopian immigrant was jailed for 10 years for aggravated battery and cruelty to children for mutilating his two-year-old daughter five years earlier with a pair of scissors.
In 2012 the US authorities said more than 500,000 women and girls in the country had either been subjected to FGM or were at risk of it.
About 200 million girls and women around the world have suffered some form of FGM, the UN says, with half living in Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia.
The mutilation involves cutting off the clitoris and, in some countries, also sewing the vagina almost shut so that it is difficult to urinate. The purpose is to stop women from enjoying sex and prevent them from being unfaithful.
It is hard to believe this practice still exists in an enlightened modern world. The inhumanity and cruelty  to women in developing countries is mind boggling. And who is the origin of all of it? Men.

No reason...just not your usual dance troupe



The Afghan restaurant run by domestic abuse survivors

Afghanistan has been labelled one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a woman. One study suggested 87% of women in the country experience some form of domestic violence. Sodaba Haidare visited one place in the capital Kabul that offers hope to women escaping abuse.

Aryan's shift in the kitchen has come to an end. She removes her apron and hat. Glimpses of her personality are revealed - she's wearing a colorful tunic over her black jeans, and she he has a mole exactly between her eyebrows - as if someone planted it in the perfect position.
She places a glass of fresh lemon juice on the table sits down across from me. Aryan is strikingly beautiful and moves with confidence. Yet it's hard to believe we are the same age. She is 24 but has the look of a much older woman. It's because of the years of abuse she endured at the hands of her violent husband.
She was only 16 when her parents arranged her marriage to a man she'd never met. Soon after the wedding, her husband and mother-in-law started beating her. She stuck it out, hoping things would get better with time. But they got worse. By the time she realized she was in an abusive relationship, she already had three children.
One day, when Aryan's husband left for work, she examined the fresh bruises he'd left on her face, then packed her bags and took her children to the police station.
Women who suffer domestic abuse are usually turned away by Afghan police or persuaded to go back to their husbands for their family's honor. But Aryan thought her injuries would make the police take her seriously. And they did.
She was sent to a women's shelter, where she and her children lived ever since, with other women who have also escaped domestic violence. She often dreams of a future where she has her own place, where she can live without the fear of her ex-husband coming near her or her children.
The path to this dream becoming reality lies in the heart of Kabul. And it begins in a traditionally decorated Afghan restaurant called Bost.

Hope is at the heart of its mission. The place is run by survivors of domestic violence and here, women are celebrated as strong, independent human beings, not just victims. Bost is a base for eight women, of all ages. Working empowers them to write a new chapter in their lives.
It's a long and often difficult process. Still, it helps that every corner of this restaurant pays homage to powerful women. The place screams female empowerment. Every wall is hung with pictures of women with unique stories.
There is Queen Soraya, the wife of King Amanullah, who dressed in European fashion and believed women should shed the veil, and that a man should only have one wife. She was also the minister of education, who opened the country's first school for girls in the 1920s.
Then there is the current first lady, Rula Ghani, a Christian-born Lebanese woman, who surprised Afghans by speaking out about women's rights.

There are also lesser-known faces, Afghan women who have been killed simply for doing their jobs. Lt Islam Bibi, for example - a young police officer who suffered death threats from her own brother and was then shot down by unknown gunmen on her way to work. Their stories are not forgotten.
Another wall pays homage to Afghanistan itself, with images of three different women in vibrant, traditional clothes. They symbolize each region of this fractured nation.
There's a small stage, decorated with a handmade Afghan rug. Here female performers sit and play the long-necked string instrument known as the Tambur - or even the guitar or violin. It's an unusual sight in Afghanistan's conservative society, where many believe music should be forbidden - never mind played by women.
Now a divorcee, Aryan has adored the three months that she's spent here. It has changed her.
She is no longer the insecure and scared woman she once was, who had to raise her arms in self defense, who would cower at the slightest aggressive word. But her husband has left her with a lasting hatred of men. She thinks all men are abusive - but little by little that's changing too.
Here, every day she sees men come to the restaurant with their families - men who are kind and caring. And she sees something that she never experienced herself. Love.


I write about middle Eastern and Indian women quite often for two reasons. First of all, to show western women how fortunate we are, even the ones from lower income families. The freedoms we enjoy, we take for granted and often, do not appreciate. The other reason is that they are women I admire and respect. It takes great courage to take a stand in their countries, where women are treated as chattel, possessions to be used until they are worn out and beaten or discarded at their husbands' will. They have few freedoms or human rights and this condition is usually supported by their governments and religions. They are often risking their lives just to speak out about their situation. These few women are the hope for all who have been subjugated, abused or imprisoned by men.
They should be recognized by all women as the heroes of our time.

Maxy sez : Diabetes and Walking: Small Steps, Big Difference

By Mikel Theobald Reviewed by Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MD
Exercise is an important part of managing diabetes, and walking is one of the best options. It's easy to get started, and it can fit into any schedule.
For people with type 2 diabetes, regular physical activity is especially important because of the huge impact it has on maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. “A 20- to 30-minute walk can help lower blood sugar for 24 hours,” says Tami Ross, RD, LD, a spokesperson for the American Association of Diabetes Educators. Not only can exercise make you feel better, but it can also help prevent many complications of diabetes. And you don't have to run five miles a day or lift heavy weights at the gym to benefit from it. Brisk walking — fast enough to break a light sweat and get your heart beating faster — on a regular basis can make a big difference in your overall health and how well you manage your diabetes.

The Benefits of Walking

Walking is easy, costs practically nothing (aside from a good pair of walking shoes), and can be done almost anywhere. When you have diabetes, the advantages of walking include:

Improved blood sugar control
Lower blood pressure
Improved cholesterol — lower bad cholesterol and higher good cholesterol
Fewer diabetes-related complications, such as heart disease and stroke
Weight loss and weight maintenance
Improved circulation and movement
Stress relief, better sleep, and an overall feeling of well-being
Walking Recommendations for Diabetes

The current recommendation for exercise for people with diabetes is to aim for 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise at least five days a week. Ross suggests thinking of exercise as a kind of “extended-release medicine.” That’s because 30 minutes of exercise can provide benefits for 24 hours — a good reason to not skip a day.

If you're not used to exercise, even walking, you’ll need to start slowly and build up to the suggested 30 minutes. Aim for 10 minutes a day the first week and gradually add more time as your energy allows. Try to walk three to five minutes longer each week, until you reach the goal of at least 30 minutes five days a week. Keep in mind that your total walking time can be broken up to include a 10-minute walk to the grocery store, a 10-minute walk around the block, and 10 minutes of mowing the lawn. The key is to move consistently during each 10-minute time span.

Gearing Up for Walking

Taking steps to ensure foot health is essential to a walking routine because diabetes makes you more prone to foot infections. Be sure to buy walking shoes that fit properly. Choose shoes that are sturdy yet comfortable and that provide plenty of support. Consult a specialist at a walking or running shoe store and let him or her know that you have diabetes so that you can get recommendations on the best design and fit for you. A doctor who specializes in foot care (podiatrist) can also suggest good walking shoes.

Next, consider these extras that can make walking more comfortable and more fun:

Good socks. Choose proper-fitting socks that won't bunch up or move around in your shoe. Choose fabrics that wick away moisture from your feet to keep them from getting damp.
A pedometer. This small, wearable device can help you track how many steps you take. Experts suggest that you build up to 10,000 steps a day — the equivalent of five miles. Don’t worry about reaching “five figures” right off the bat — even 4,000 to 5,000 steps a day can yield great health benefits, so pick a goal that’s right for you and build on it as your endurance increases.
A walking buddy. Walking can be more fun if you do it with someone else. Plus, a walking buddy can help keep you motivated.
Exercise log. Track your progress by keeping an exercise log book. Be sure to record your blood sugar levels before and after you walk so you can see how it affects your levels.
Other Important Walking Tips

Before you start any exercise routine, including walking, it’s important to talk to your doctor. Here are some other important tips to keep you healthy and safe:

Schedule your walk 30 to 60 minutes after a meal.
Check your blood sugar before you exercise. If it's under 100 milligrams/deciliter (mg/dL), have a snack before getting started and then wait until it’s above 100 mg/dL to start your walk. If it’s 250 mg/dL or higher, wait until it comes down to a normal range before you begin to exercise.
Check your feet for blisters, bumps, cuts, sores, or redness before and after every walk. If you notice any problems with your feet, don't walk that day and call your doctor. You may want to try swimming or another form of exercise until your feet heal.
Follow your doctor’s recommendations for keeping your toenails appropriately trimmed, so as not to injure yourself while walking.
Stretch before you walk.
Drink plenty of water before, during, and after your walk to stay hydrated.
Bring glucose tablets or a snack or drink, such as hard candy, fruit juice, or regular soda, in case your blood sugar drops while you're walking.
Wear a medical identification bracelet or necklace and carry personal identification with you.
Walk in a safe place, away from traffic and with other people around. If the weather isn’t cooperating, take a walk at the mall.
Walking is an easy way to help control your diabetes and get in shape. Make a plan, find a friend, and get moving!