Just 2 minutes of walking after a meal also helps prevent diabetes

In a meta-analysis recently published in the journal Sports Medicine, researchers looked at the results of seven studies that compared the effects of sitting versus standing or walking on cardiovascular health, including insulin and blood sugar levels. They found that a light walk after a meal, for as little as two to five minutes, had a significant impact on blood sugar regulation.

Dr Kershaw Patel, a preventive cardiologist at Houston Methodist Hospital, who was not involved in the study, said: "Every little thing you do has benefits, even if it's just a few. step".

Gentle walking lowers blood sugar

Of the five studies that the analysis reviewed, none of the participants had prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. The other two studies looked at people with and without such conditions. Participants were asked to stand or walk for 2 to 5 minutes after each meal for 20-30 minutes throughout the day.

All 7 studies show that just a few minutes of light-intensity walking after a meal is enough to significantly improve blood sugar levels compared to sitting at a desk or sitting down on the couch. When the participants walked a short distance, their blood sugar gradually increased and decreased.

For people with diabetes, avoiding sharp fluctuations in blood sugar is an important part of managing their disease. It is also thought that blood sugar spikes can contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes.

A short, gentle walk can have a magical effect on your blood sugar

Standing also helps lower blood sugar, although not as well as walking lightly. Aidan Buffey, a doctoral student at the University of Limerick in Ireland and author of the analysis, said: "Standing has only a small benefit. Compared to sitting or standing, light-intensity walking is a significant benefit. better interventions," he said.

That's because gentle walking requires more active muscle engagement than standing and uses "fuel" from food at a time when there's a lot of fluid circulating in the blood. "Your muscles will absorb some of that excess glucose," says Jessie Inchauspé, author of "The Glucose Revolution: The Life-Changing Power of Balancing Your Blood Sugar." You'll still have the same meal, but the impact on your body will be reduced."

Walking for 60 to 90 minutes after eating for the best results

While a light walk at any time is good for your health, a short walk for 60 to 90 minutes after a meal can be especially helpful in minimizing blood sugar spikes. , as that's when blood sugar tends to peak.

Inchauspé also recommends getting up to do household chores or find other ways to be physically active (after a meal). People can also make some changes to their diet to help better control their blood sugar.

"Moving even a little is worth it and can lead to measurable changes, as these studies have shown, in your health markers," says Dr. Euan Ashley, MD cardiologist at Stanford University, who was not involved in the study, said.

Short walks are more practical during the workday

Mr. Buffey, whose research has focused on physical activity interventions in the workplace, notes that short walks of two to three minutes are more practical during the workday. "People aren't going to get up and run on the treadmill or run around the office, but they can drink some coffee or even go for a walk in the hallway," he said.

For those who work from home, he suggests taking a short walk around the block between online meetings or after lunch. Mr. Buffey says the more we normalize to short walks in the workday, the more feasible they are.

If you can't take those few minutes for a walk, standing will provide the same benefits as walking a distance.

The benefits of physical activity are never non-existent, Dr. Patel says, but instead are persistent. "It's a gradual effect of more activity, better health," he said. "Every incremental step, every incremental standing or brisk walk seems to be beneficial."