Type II Diabetes.  You've been diagnosed with it, and now you face the daunting task of trying to be as healthy as you can.  You know that you have increased your long term risk for diabetic neuropathy, peripheral arterial disease, and atherosclerosis.

Sometimes dealing with Type II Diabetes can be overwhelming.

Our doctors prescribe medications to stabilize our symptoms, and suggest things we can do to be as healthy as possible.  Soon, you notice a theme.  The dreaded phrase "Diet and Exercise” occurs over and over.  Chances are you've tried diet and exercise before, with varying degrees of success.  So you look at your options, and none of them thrill you. 

Usually, when someone decides to start moving more, they go to the gym or they walk.  Urban Poling Inc. would like to help you get moving with a safe, easy exercise that uses ninety percent (90%) of the muscles in your body, and is as easy as walking.  In fact, it is walking, only smarter -- it's Urban Poling also known as Nordic Walking.

Urban Poling is walking with specially designed poles that allow you to involve 90% of all the muscles of your body in one, simple-to-learn fitness activity. Urban Poling develops greater overall strength, improves cardio vascular function, increases caloric use by up to 40% over regular walking, and it is fun to do!

“An hour of vigorous pole walking keeps my blood glucose down for a whole day and as well or better than an hour-long workout at my fitness centre,” says Dan Overmyer a retired University of British Columbia professor

The Canadian Diabetes Association’s 2003 Clinical Practice Guidelines recommend that individuals with Type II Diabetes aim for 50 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (like walking, swimming or cycling) three days week. They also recommend resistance exercise (like wall push ups, lifting soup cans or propelling yourself with Nordic walking poles) be done three times per week.

The founder of Urban Poling Inc., Mandy Shintani an Occupational Therapist in British Columbia says “Because Urban Poling involves more muscles than regular walking, it burns substantially more calories.” And that’s good news for people who are interested in weight loss, adds Shintani

For more research information on the health benefits of Urban Poling check out: www.urbanpoling.com