Well, I looked it up on the net. The overall picture for diabetes is that exercise is marvellous for it and walking is the way to go. But none of the sites that counsel walking mention pains in the feet (well, I say none - I mean none that I came across in a ten minute search). Then I concentrated on the foot pain, and it looks like what I have is peripheral diabetic neuropathy. Or, as I understand it, as a result of diabetes the nerves in my peripheral bits are rotting. If this blog suddenly stops it will mean the PDN has hit the hands as well.
They counsel low impact exercise. No jogging they say. Jogging? That will be the day! Their suggestions are cycling, swimming and something else - God knows what, I've already forgotten. Anyway, cycing doesn't seem a good idea for a guy with (or - hopefully more accurately - a guy who has had) prostate cancer so, since I can't remember the third option, that leaves swimming.
Now, the local swimming pool is . . . I was going to say in easy walking distance . . . mm . . . let's just say a five minute drive away. For a local resident OAP it's as good as free. I have been known to use that pool five days a week and to get in up to forty laps per visit (it's a very small pool). I haven't used it much recently (maybe twice this year). My excuse is that I always went first thing in the morning, but the local schoolkids now move in at 8.30, which means I'd get in a maximum quarter of an hour before they arrived. Yes, I could still swim in one of the three lanes that remain open, but I'm the world's slowest swimmer and I hate buggering things up for everybody else - it's very embarrassing.
Please don't think I'm complaining about the kids. I love the fact that every kid in my village learns how to swim properly. I even brag about it. I only wish every community in the world could (or would) provide that facility for its kids.
Anyway, I checked with a pool attendant long ago and she informed me that now that the morning slot has gone, the pool's quiet time is at lunchtime. It would suit me fine. Afterwards, I could even lunch on one of their cheap and quite possibly diabetic-friendly snacks. Why haven't I already done it? Quite simply: stupidity, idleness and forgetfulness. I won't elaborate.
Being aware of those faults, I have just wandered off to get together my swimming gear, find my season ticket and set an alarm for 11.30 tomorrow morning. I shall not return to this blog until I have visited the pool.
In summary therefore, as a result of these two blogs I have a) realised that I should NOT be trying to walk further each day, and b) taken the decision to start swimming on a regular basis.
We shall see.
[Yes, I know I promised to look at food in this offering but, as I warned you, this blog is for me, not you.}
They counsel low impact exercise. No jogging they say. Jogging? That will be the day! Their suggestions are cycling, swimming and something else - God knows what, I've already forgotten. Anyway, cycing doesn't seem a good idea for a guy with (or - hopefully more accurately - a guy who has had) prostate cancer so, since I can't remember the third option, that leaves swimming.
Now, the local swimming pool is . . . I was going to say in easy walking distance . . . mm . . . let's just say a five minute drive away. For a local resident OAP it's as good as free. I have been known to use that pool five days a week and to get in up to forty laps per visit (it's a very small pool). I haven't used it much recently (maybe twice this year). My excuse is that I always went first thing in the morning, but the local schoolkids now move in at 8.30, which means I'd get in a maximum quarter of an hour before they arrived. Yes, I could still swim in one of the three lanes that remain open, but I'm the world's slowest swimmer and I hate buggering things up for everybody else - it's very embarrassing.
Please don't think I'm complaining about the kids. I love the fact that every kid in my village learns how to swim properly. I even brag about it. I only wish every community in the world could (or would) provide that facility for its kids.
Anyway, I checked with a pool attendant long ago and she informed me that now that the morning slot has gone, the pool's quiet time is at lunchtime. It would suit me fine. Afterwards, I could even lunch on one of their cheap and quite possibly diabetic-friendly snacks. Why haven't I already done it? Quite simply: stupidity, idleness and forgetfulness. I won't elaborate.
Being aware of those faults, I have just wandered off to get together my swimming gear, find my season ticket and set an alarm for 11.30 tomorrow morning. I shall not return to this blog until I have visited the pool.
In summary therefore, as a result of these two blogs I have a) realised that I should NOT be trying to walk further each day, and b) taken the decision to start swimming on a regular basis.
We shall see.
[Yes, I know I promised to look at food in this offering but, as I warned you, this blog is for me, not you.}