Warning signs of diabetes? 4 symptoms you might notice while walking​

From timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Ever felt a restless or weird sensation in the legs while walking?

Walking is one of the simplest and most natural activities we do every day. Whether it's a morning stroll in the park, a quick walk to the store, or simply moving around the house, we rarely stop to think about how our body responds to it. But what if your daily walks start feeling different that wasn't there before? These could be early warning signs of diabetes, a condition that affects millions worldwide.

Diabetes impacts blood sugar levels, circulation, and nerve health, leading to symptoms that can subtly appear while walking. Recognizing these early signs can help you take control of your health before things escalate. Here are a few key symptoms of diabetes that might show up when you're walking. 

Tingling sensation in feet and legs while walking

One of the most common first signs of diabetes is peripheral neuropathy, where high blood sugar damages nerves in your hands and feet. You might have a tingling, burning, or "pins and needles" sensation in your legs and feet when you move around. At first, this can be mild and easy to ignore, but over time, it can progress to widespread numbness.

Leg cramps while walking

Do your legs cramp up when you walk short distances? This could be a sign of diabetic peripheral artery disease (PAD). High blood sugar levels can lead to narrowed and hardened arteries, restricting blood flow to the legs and feet. This reduced circulation causes pain, cramping, or heaviness in your calves, thighs, or buttocks, especially when walking.

Unusual fatigue while walking

Fatigue or weakness after a short walk can be an indication of blood sugar swings. Both high blood sugar (hyperglycaemia) and low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) can cause intense fatigue. If you are always tired and it seems to be disproportionate to what you've done, it can be an indicator that your body is not managing glucose effectively—a significant warning sign of diabetes.

Swelling in feet and ankle while walking

Diabetes may impact kidney function, resulting in fluid retention causing swelling in ankles and feet. If your shoes suddenly become tighter or your legs appear puffy after a walk, your body may be struggling with excess fluid retention.

Why does this happen?

Diabetes can damage small blood vessels that supply oxygen to the nerves, making it harder for them to function properly. If left unchecked, neuropathy can worsen, leading to loss of sensation.


Since diabetic neuropathy can cause numbness, you may not feel small injuries when they occur. This means a tiny cut or blister from walking could turn into a serious infection without you realizing it. Checking your feet regularly and wearing comfortable, well-fitting shoes can help prevent complications.

What to do if you notice these symptoms?

Diabetes is controlled, particularly if detected early. Monitor the timing and frequency of these symptoms when walking. If you have a glucometer, check your blood sugar level at several times of the day. Proper circulation and regulation of blood sugar is facilitated by regular exercise. Injuries and discomfort can be avoided with supportive footwear.


Taking proactive steps—like regular check-ups, maintaining a balanced diet, staying active, and managing stress—can help you prevent or control diabetes effectively.

Diabetes risk factor to know

Diabetes is caused by the body's inability to properly regulate blood sugar (glucose) levels. This occurs due to insufficient insulin production or the body's resistance to insulin. Type 2 diabetes, the most common form, results from insulin resistance, often linked to obesity, poor diet, and lack of exercise. Genetics, sedentary lifestyle, and high sugar intake also contribute to diabetes risk. Proper diet, exercise, and medication help manage the condition and prevent complications.

Early signs of diabetes

Diabetes often develops gradually, with early signs that can be easily overlooked. Frequent urination and excessive thirst are common as high blood sugar levels force the kidneys to work harder. Unexplained weight loss, increased hunger, and fatigue may also occur due to the body's inability to use glucose properly. Blurred vision, slow-healing wounds, and frequent infections (especially skin and gum infections) are other warning signs. Some people experience tingling or numbness in hands and feet due to nerve damage. If you notice these symptoms, consult a doctor early, as early detection and lifestyle changes can help manage diabetes effectively.

Workouts to control diabetes

Regular physical activity is crucial for managing diabetes effectively. Engaging in exercises such as walking, swimming, or dancing enhances insulin sensitivity, aiding in blood sugar control. The American Diabetes Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity weekly, complemented by strength training sessions. Incorporating brief walks after meals can further stabilize blood sugar levels and improve digestion. 

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/diabetes-symptoms-while-walking-warning-signs-of-diabetes-4-symptoms-you-might-notice-while-walking/photostory/118747277.cms?picid=118747412

How Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Affect Heart and Kidney Health

From niddk.nih.gov/health-information

How do obesity and type 2 diabetes affect heart and kidney health? Learn about how these conditions are connected, and how these links can affect patients with type 2 diabetes.

Obesity, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and heart disease present distinct challenges for health care professionals, particularly when treating their patients with type 2 diabetes. Sadiya S. Khan, MD, a cardiologist with a focus on the influence of obesity on heart disease, discusses the connections among these conditions—recently defined in an American Heart Association (AHA) presidential advisory External link as Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) syndrome—and how type 2 diabetes can worsen heart and kidney disease, and vice versa.

Q: How do obesity, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, and heart disease interact and influence each other? How does obesity affect this interaction?

A: One of the key things that we’ve learned about how these conditions develop is that they are connected. Obesity—also called excess or dysfunctional adiposity—is a source of inflammation and oxidative stress. Through this and other mechanisms, obesity contributes to the risk for high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and impaired kidney function, all of which often cluster and occur together and lead to heart disease.

Q: How does this interaction affect people with type 2 diabetes, particularly? Why is heart failure an especially common outcome?

A: People with type 2 diabetes have a high risk for developing heart disease, particularly heart failure. In fact, even when diabetes is well-managed, risk for heart failure persists. Risk of heart failure in people with type 2 diabetes has been underappreciated and less recognized due to our early focus on heart problems caused by clogged arteries, or coronary artery disease. Among people with type 2 diabetes, those who also have chronic kidney disease have an even higher risk of heart disease, heart failure, and death.

Q: How are newer medicines such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors used to manage these conditions?

A: One of the most positive things is that we now have medicines such as GLP-1 receptor agonists, SGLT2 inhibitors, and nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor agonists that can treat all these conditions—obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease. Some of these medicines were originally approved to treat type 2 diabetes, but we now know these medicines have the potential to also treat obesity, improve kidney function or kidney health, and prevent heart disease.

For people who have both type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease—and thus the highest risk of dying and developing heart disease and heart failure—these medicines can be lifesaving.

However, many people taking these medicines stop within a year. There are important unanswered questions about whether the short-term use of these medicines has any long-term benefit, and even the potential for harm. For example, once people stop taking GLP-1 receptor agonists, they often regain any weight they lose. In fact, regaining weight may lead to harmful changes in body makeup, especially if someone has lost lean muscle mass.

Q: The AHA recently defined these connected conditions as CKM syndrome. How does this help to test, treat, and manage these conditions as a group?

A: The AHA scientific statement and presidential advisory bring together, for the first time, a way to consider testing for, treating, and managing these conditions in a holistic way. As part of these considerations, the advisory identifies five stages External link that are defined by the presence or absence of risk factors.

The AHA created these stages to focus on preventing health problems earlier. If we aren’t identifying people earlier and we’re just waiting until they have signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, or heart disease and heart failure, then we’re missing the boat. The goal is to enhance health for people and make sure they understand that these stages are gradual, but also reversible.

Q: How can we encourage health care professionals to manage these as connected, rather than isolated, conditions? What are the most significant challenges and barriers that we can address now?

A: It’s important that we focus on how to improve overall health, quality of life, and outcomes for patients. We should think about the whole person rather than just how to treat diabetes or kidney disease or manage weight. I think we’re getting there. Defining CKM syndrome is a helpful step forward, but we’re not there yet.

One of the key challenges is to provide the kind of team-based care that the AHA advisory recommends. A team-based approach including physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, nurses, social workers, and other health care professionals is critical to manage this group of connected conditions.

We’re seeing some success now with emerging cardiometabolic clinics that enable high-quality and timely access to care, particularly among patients with type 2 diabetes. Creating some standards across these types of clinics will be essential. Other challenges include how people access health care and food.

Q: What questions do we still have about treating these conditions? Have we identified areas for future research?

A: There are still many questions about the best way to treat these conditions, including which medicines to start and when. We are fortunate that advances in science have given us many options for treating patients. However, we should consider which is the right medicine for the right patient at the right time.

We also must figure out how to help people stick with their treatments, especially people taking GLP-1 receptor agonists. Early estimates suggest between 50% and 75% of people taking these medicines stop after a year External link, often due to cost and access issues. But we need to understand what other factors make people stop taking the medicines and how to address them. Stopping these medicines can reverse their benefits. One of the important things to recognize is that these are chronic disease medicines and are not meant to be short-term treatments.

One of the most pressing areas for research is how type 2 diabetes affects the heart muscle or the heart tissue itself, leading to the most common type of heart failure, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. We know that in this type of heart failure, the heart pumps normally but struggles to relax fully, leading to symptoms. Unfortunately, we have very few treatments to help these people live longer. Improving our understanding of how type 2 diabetes leads to heart disease—what some people call diabetic cardiomyopathy—is important to improve quality of life and survival in people with type 2 diabetes.

About the Expert

Sadiya S. Khan, MD, is a cardiologist and associate professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and coauthor of the AHA presidential advisory on CKM syndrome. In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Khan’s research focuses on the influence of obesity on heart disease, especially heart failure.

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/professionals/diabetes-discoveries-practice/how-obesity-type-2-diabetes-affect-heart-kidney-health

The #1 Underrated Exercise to Do If You Have Diabetes, According to Experts

From eatingwell.com

You’ll be amazed how easy it is! 

If you’re living with diabetes or prediabetes, your doctor might suggest adding more exercise to your routine to help keep your blood sugar in check. But that advice may leave you overwhelmed and wondering, what’s the best exercise for diabetes? Should I hit the treadmill, sign up for a fitness class or invest in exercise equipment? 

The answer might surprise you. Experts agree the best exercise for diabetes is the most underrated. It’s walking! Here’s how walking can help improve your blood sugar, and how much you need to do for better blood sugar management.

                                                                      Photo: Getty Images. EatingWell design

How Walking Can Improve Your Blood Sugar

Improves Insulin Sensitivity

Think of exercise as free medication for blood sugar management. When someone has diabetes, they may be resistant to their body’s own insulin, or their pancreas might not produce enough insulin, says Amy Kimberlain, M.S., RDN, CDCES, a certified diabetes educator and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Because insulin is necessary to transport glucose from the blood into your cells for energy, this can cause sugar to hang out in the bloodstream, resulting in elevated blood sugar readings. 

How can walking help? “Any type of exercise, like walking, helps the body use its insulin better and can help lower blood sugar levels,” adds Kimberlain. And the benefits don’t stop once you finish your walk. The positive effects of exercise can last up to 24 hours after a workout, she says. So, you still reap the benefits hours later.

Prevents Blood Sugar Spikes

Keeping blood sugar levels stable is key for managing diabetes, and walking can help. “Even taking a short walk after meals, just 10- to 15-minute walk, can help prevent blood sugar spikes,” says Ashley Hawk, M.S., RD, a Los Angeles-based registered dietitian. “Research shows that a short walk within 30 minutes of eating can help blunt post-meal blood sugar spikes, which is a game-changer for diabetes management.”

Supports Heart Health 

Exercise doesn’t just strengthen your muscles. It also strengthens the heart and improves circulation. This is especially important for people with diabetes, who face a higher risk of heart disease.  That’s because consistently high blood sugar levels can damage coronary arteries, making them susceptible to fatty atherosclerotic deposits, leading to coronary artery disease, says Kunal Lal, M.D., a Florida-based cardiologist.

The good news? Walking offers major heart-health benefits. It can help lower blood pressure and triglycerides, reduce markers of inflammation and raise beneficial HDL cholesterol. So, every step you take supports your body in a multitude of ways.

Strategies to Incorporate Walking into Your Routine

Make It a Regular Habit

Consistency is key when it comes to adding walking to your routine. While you don’t have to walk every day, experts recommend a total of 150 minutes of moderate- intensity activity per week. You can break it down in various ways. If you enjoy hitting the pavement most days, break that up into 30 minutes five times a week. If a daily walk is more your jam, aim for about 25 minutes per day. Or, if you prefer longer stretches, shoot for 75 minutes twice a week. Remember, you also can break up the time into smaller chunks, such as 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the evening, to fit a jam-packed schedule. 

Time It Right

The great thing about walking is you can do it practically anytime and anywhere. However, certain times of day may be especially advantageous. Studies show that walking after meals is more effective at reducing blood sugar spikes and managing blood sugar levels than exercising before eating. Research has found this to be true for people both with and without type 2 diabetes.

If you’ve been in the habit of plopping yourself down on the couch post-meal, try lacing up your sneakers instead. Hawk adds, “If you only have time for one walk a day, making it after your biggest meal can give you the most bang for your buck.”

Kick It Up a Notch

A leisurely walk is a great start, but a little more intensity will yield even bigger benefits. Kimberlain suggests aiming for a brisk pace that gets your heart rate up and pumping but still allows you to carry on a conversation. For most people, that’s a 3- to 4-mile-per-hour pace, she says.

You can also do intervals, such as speed walking for 1 minute, followed by 3 minutes of moderate walking. If that feels good, repeat the cycle a few times to challenge yourself. Or, if you have hills in your neighbourhood, incorporate a few hill repeats throughout your walk. Need a structured plan? Try our 7-Day Walking Plan to Lower Your Blood Sugar or our 30-Day Walking Plan to Help Lower Blood Sugar Levels. 

The Bottom Line

Walking is the No. 1 most underrated exercise for diabetes.  Research shows that walking can help improve insulin sensitivity, lower blood sugar levels and support heart health. Plus, it’s free, simple and you can do it virtually anywhere. So, whether you prefer to take it outdoors, on a treadmill, at the beach or even the stairs, there are lots of places to get those steps in!

If you’re wondering how much is enough, experts recommend 150 minutes per week. But if you’re not there yet, start slowly and increase as you get more comfortable. And don’t feel like you have to do it all at once—you can easily break it down into several small walks. Whether you do 10 15-minute walks, five 30-minute walks or two longer 75-minute walks, you’ll do good things for your blood sugar. Because when it comes to your health, every step counts!

https://www.eatingwell.com/underrated-exercise-for-diabetes-11681859

Weight loss can improve or reverse type 2 diabetes

From reuters.com/business

The more weight people with type 2 diabetes lose, the greater the odds that the disease will go partially or even completely into remission, according to a new analysis published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology

Reviewing 22 earlier randomized trials testing weight loss interventions in overweight or obese patients with type 2 diabetes, researchers found complete remission of the disease in half of those who lost 20% to 29% of their body weight. Nearly 80% of patients who lost 30% of body weight no longer appeared to have diabetes.

That means their haemoglobin A1c levels – a standard measure reflecting average blood sugar levels over the past few months – or their fasting blood sugar levels had returned to normal without use of any diabetes medications.

No one who lost less than 20% of their body weight achieved a complete remission, but some were in partial remission, with hemoglobin A1c and fasting glucose levels returning almost to normal.

Partial remission was seen in roughly 5% of those who lost less than 10% of their body weight, and that percentage rose steadily with greater weight loss, reaching nearly 90% among those who lost at least 30%.

Overall, for every 1 percentage point decrease in body weight, the probability of reaching complete remission increased by roughly 2 percentage points and the probability of reaching partial remission increased by roughly 3 percentage points, regardless of age, sex, race, diabetes duration, blood sugar control, or type of weight loss intervention.

Type 2 diabetes accounts for 96% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes, and more than 85% of adults with the disease are overweight or obese, the researchers noted.

“The recent development of effective weight loss medications, if made accessible to all who could benefit, could play a pivotal role” in reducing the prevalence of diabetes and its complications, the researchers said.

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/health-rounds-weight-loss-can-improve-or-reverse-type-2-diabetes-2025-02-28/