* Check your blood glucose level before and after exercising to determine if your level is too high to exercise safely, or if you need to take action before exercising to prevent hypoglycemia. Your doctor can help you decide whether you should eat a snack or change a medication dose before exercise, to avoid hypoglycemia.

* Exercise one to two hours after a meal -- that is the best time to avoid hypoglycemia.

* If you have retinopathy (any disease of the retina which is specially linked to diabetes), avoid activities that involve jarring, straining or bearing down (such as handball or heavy weight-lifting), since they can damage fragile blood vessels in the eye.

* If you have peripheral neuropathy (disease involving destruction of the tissues of the nervous system), be sure to choose the right footwear and have a thorough foot examination before starting an exercise program. If you have severe loss of sensation, avoid repetitive weight-bearing activities like basketball, biking or swimming would be better.

* Be sure to drink plenty of fluids, since dehydration can hinder your body's ability to handle glucose.

If you have a history of high cholesterol and triglycerides or a family history of heart attacks or if you have autonomic neuropathy, have a cardiovascular exam before starting an exercise programme.

"Precooling" before exercise helps beat the heat

Cooling down before warming up may help exercisers keep going during the dog days of summer, according to a small study.

Researchers found that when they outfitted male cyclists with special "precooling" garments before a workout in the heat and humidity, the athletes showed cooler body temperatures, lower heart rates and less sweating.

The cool down came courtesy of shirts and pants with tubing that allowed cold water to run through the clothes. Other studies have shown that a pre-workout dip in a cold bath or exposure to cold air can help exercisers lower their odds of heat strain in hot, humid weather.

Physical activity causes the body's core temperature to rise, with hot, humid weather spurring a particularly rapid ascent; at a certain point, an exerciser must slow down or risk heat-related illness. The idea of precooling is to increase the body's heat tolerance by starting exercise with as cool a body temperature as possible.

Source: International Journal of Sports Medicine