Last September, the Honolulu City Council voted to remove the city's famous Haiku Stairs — a treacherous 3,922 step climb up the side of the Koolau mountain range. At the top, there's a secret radio station that was installed by the U.S. Navy during World War II.

Closed to the public for years, the stairs still see 4,000 hikers annually.

I'm not suggesting that climbing that many stairs is necessary (or even a good idea) for most people. But what about a moderate-intensity stair climb?

According to new research published in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases, that's a great idea. The researchers found that climbing stairs daily can improve glucose and insulin levels after you eat (doing three minutes a day) and insulin sensitivity (with 10 minutes daily). The participants did around 90 to 110 steps per minute while going up and down 21 steps.

If you are struggling to manage your glucose levels and want to increase your insulin sensitivity (that lets you reduce or even get off your diabetes medication), give the stair climbing a shot.

Here’s a smart technique to try:

• Keep your feet pointed straight ahead of your body as you go from step to step, and place each foot flat on the stair with your weight slightly on the inner side of your foot and your big toe.

• Maintain good posture by holding in your stomach and keeping your shoulders over your hips. Avoid leaning forward.

• Engage your entire body, not just your legs. Active core muscles can take some pressure off of your hips and knees.