Lower blood sugar levels for Type 2 diabetics because you wear a certain style of shoes, it almost sounds too good to be true. It seems like such an easy way to get your blood sugar levels in control. Just slip on a pair of Reebok EasyTones, and you get so much exercise out of just walking your blood sugars float down to normal and your thighs and butt tighten, too. But do they really work?

Toning shoes are shoes with a curved insole designed to imitate the experience of balance on a wobble board at the gym or walking on a sandy beach. They definitely cause twitching muscles in the ankles, calves, thighs, and buttocks.

The jury is still out on whether toning shoes really tone muscles. The American Council on Exercise has commissioned a team of scientists at the University of Wisconsin to put Skecher’s ShapeUps, Reebok EasyTones, and Masai Barefoot Technology to the test. The request was made after advertising claims by Reebok seemed to promise more benefits than the shoes can deliver, at least in terms of tightening muscles.

Anytime you get muscles moving, however, especially muscles in the buttocks, glucose will be burned and insulin sensitivity will increase. This doesn’t mean:

using the shoes will burn more calories overall
wearing these shoes will help your cardiovascular fitness

It just means that they will probably help your insulin sensitivity and give you lower blood sugar levels than exercise in ordinary running shoes.

Most Type 2 diabetics, of course, don’t need special running shoes. They need to try running! If your doctor approves, even a few seconds of running, rather than walking, can have noticeable or even dramatic effects on your blood sugar levels, far more than any medication.

Among the most common medical problems experienced by people with diabetes, Type 1 or Type 2, are problems related to feet. The feet, or human feet anyway, were meant to walk on grass and dirt, not on flat hardened surfaces such as concrete. One of the problems with walking or running on concrete over long periods of time, is that joints of the feet may break down!

Here are a few tips to help keep your feet healthy:

1. Look at the condition of your feet and toes each and every day.
2. Get up and move… regular body movement will help your overall circulation and muscle tone.
3. Choose footwear carefully.
4. Check your sock drawer… pitch the nylon ones or any socks that help keep in the perspiration. And the socks with holes cause irritation to the skin.
5. If you need to sit for long periods… wiggle your toes.
6. Wash you feet daily… keep them dry and clean.
7. Your skin is the first and best armor to protect your feet… keep it moisturized daily
8. Make sure your doctor checks your feet at each visit.

Smoking causes poor circulation and puts Type 2 diabetics at a higher risk of complications if and when you injure your feet. Smoking affects your circulation.