There are numerous benefits to walking. It makes you feel good, and a nice walk can improve your health. However, did you know a quick stroll can reduce your blood sugar? According to a 2022 study in Sports Medicine, a two-minute walk after a meal will do the trick. In addition, standing up after a meal can help, but not as much as walking.
“Intermittent standing breaks throughout the day and after meals reduced glucose on average by 9.51% compared to prolonged sitting. However, intermittent light-intensity walking throughout the day saw a greater glucose reduction by an average of 17.01% compared to prolonged sitting,” Aidan Buffey, a doctoral student in the physical education and sport sciences department at the University of Limerick in Ireland.
Benefits of A Short Walk
The study showed that a quick walk after a meal stabilized insulin levels in the participants. According to experts, keeping blood sugars from spiking is good for the body as large spikes and fast falls can raise the risk for diabetes and heart disease. Furthermore, studies proved blood sugar levels would spike within 60 to 90 minutes after eating.
Our muscles need glucose to function. Therefore, movement helps clear sugars from the bloodstream. For instance, runners rely on carbo-loading before a big race. If you want to put in a more significant effort to lower your blood sugar, then make sure you are doing 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two days of muscle training per week.
“People who are physically active for about 150 minutes a week have a 33% lower risk of all-cause mortality than those who are physically inactive,” the U.S. CDC. Meaning that just 21.43 minutes each day of the week cuts your risk of dying by one-third.
Will you add a two-minute walk as an after-meal activity? Comment below!
