Those are just a few of the remedies promoted for treating arthritis. It's no wonder that companies offer so many choices, considering how debilitating and frequent arthritis is -- just like diabetes.

In fact, a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that more than half of those of us diagnosed with diabetes have arthritis. And those of us who have diabetes are twice as likely to have arthritis as people who don't have diabetes.

Arthritis can keep many of us from the exercise that we need. Almost 30 percent of people with diabetes and arthritis are likely to be physically inactive, compared with 21 percent of people with diabetes who do not have arthritis.

"Because arthritis affects the joints and is associated with pain, people with arthritis, when they begin to exercise, experience more pain," Dr. John Klippel, the president of the Arthritis Foundation, says. "The other thing is there is a common misconception that exercise is bad for arthritis and it will damage joints."

Many forms of exercise are in fact "joint-safe," including walking, swimming, and biking, he says. "If people walked 30 minutes a day, it would have a profound effect on reducing their pain and improving their symptoms."

You don't have to let arthritis be a double bind preventing you from the exercise that you need to control your diabetes. You can still get the exercise you need now, and with weight loss you may well be able to reverse the symptoms of arthritis.

Need help becoming active again? Read David's post "Overcoming Exercise Intertia" for tips on how to get back into the swing of things! 

Or are you tired of the same old exercise routine? Learn how to make exercise fun. It's not an oxymoron!