A healthy lifestyle can help reduce risk factors for diabetes. Now a new study has found that making healthy behavior changes can be an important health resource to help diabetics live longer lives.

According to Reuters, the study followed 1,177 people with diabetes and 15,217 without diabetes from 1988 through 2001. It found that a greater number of healthy behaviors was linked to a 15 percent reduction in the risk of dying from any cause in diabetics, and a 17 percent reduced risk in non-diabetics.

The healthy behaviors included physical activity, not smoking, higher healthy eating index, moderate alcohol intake, and maintaining or trying to lose weight in the past 12 months.

“Among the healthy behaviors studied, regular, moderate to vigorous physical activity was most protective for those with diabetes,” Dr. Sharon Saydah told Reuters. Exercising was found to be important for non-diabetics also.

According to WebMD.com, containing beta carotene, blond psyllium, chromium, flaxseed, ginseng and milk thistle are among the substances believed to help naturally lower blood sugar in diabetics.