We all know the triangle of diabetes care.  “FOOD. MEDICATION, EXERCISE.”  We've heard this from so many sources and resources starting with the American Diabetes Association. Picture that triangle encircled with one other word -  ATTITUDE. This word is the key that unlocks the door to good diabetes care and management. Without a positive attitude don't expect to keep up with balancing the life style that we all deal with every day. Diabetes doesn't give us 2 weeks off for summer vacation or even every other Sunday off for Pete's sake! We live with our diabetes every minute of every day, thus it is of the utmost importance to adopt, nurture, calculate, develop, cajole, create, muster, grow, manifest, enhance, seek - you get the picture.  It's all about finding good ATTITUDE.

At our Self-Care DARE retreats we start off each day with thirty minutes of tai chi stretches.  These movements help loosen us up, awaken our biological engines and sharpen our minds for the activities of the day.  Many of the women who attend the retreats have asked for a few simple exercises to do at home.  The following is a group of movements that can be done once or several times during the day when you need a few minutes to unwind, relax or chill out.   

Take notice of a child waking up in the morning.He or she usually gives a big yawn, rubs the sand out of their eyes and then stretches arms and legs all the way out, top to bottom. They then hop out of bed and rev up the energy of the day. Children capture the essence and importance of the morning stretch. Do you?