Exercise can help keep diabetes in check and heart disease at bay.
About 16 million people in the United States have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, which means their blood sugar is high. Diabetes is a lifelong disorder that can have serious effects on almost every part of the body, including the heart. In fact, heart disease death rates are two to four times higher in adults with diabetes than in those without the condition. Some researchers think that high blood sugar spurs the development of plaque in the lining of the arteries. Plus, many people with diabetes have other conditions that increase their risk of heart disease, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol.