Walking is a practice more than supported by science to take care of your health. In March of this 2022, the magazine The Lancet launched a study showing that people who walked between 6,000 and 8,000 steps one day had between 40% and 50% less likely to die. However, with the hectic pace of life, you may need to achieve this goal not available to everyone.
Well, that’s no longer a problem. A meta-analysis published in the journal Sports medicine found that with just a few minutes of walking after meals, from two to fivegreat benefits can be obtained, such as the prevention of Type 2 diabetes.
These results are very relevant. Diabetes is considered one of the 21st century pandemicssince it is estimated that the number of people affected by this disease has increased from 108 million in 1980 to 463 million in 2019, four times more in just 30 years. In Spain, it is estimated that more than five million people suffer from this disease.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the 95% of people with diabetes have type 2associated with a sedentary lifestyle, Overweightan undesirable lifestyle or family history.
muscles in action
It is therefore very important to adopt healthy lifestyle habits and this is where walking comes in. Apparently, its benefits lie in the fact that when we walk, even lightly, the muscles are put into action. To work, these will absorb some of the excess glucose of food which, along with fat, is one of the body’s sources of energy. Thus, the negative impact that this food could have will always be less.
It is a simple contribution to the prevention of type 2 diabetes, the mechanism of development of which is linked, among other factors, to sharp points blood sugar level. However, it can also be a very useful tool for those already living with the disease, as it is essential that these people avoid sudden fluctuations in blood sugar.
The results of the research coincide with previous ones focused on this aspect. This is the case of a study conducted by the University of Otago (New Zealand) and published in the journal Diabetology. Walking after every meal can help lower glucose levels, she says up to 12%.
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Although, in this case, there were some appreciations. First, it was clarified that for best results it is best to walk about ten minutes, in addition to doing it after each meal. It is not enough to adapt it to breakfast, lunch or dinner.
The good moment
Of course, there was a time of day when researchers observed greater benefits, after dinner. As they explained, it has to do with the fact that we generally consume more carbohydrates and, likewise, we are less active.
Aidan Buffey, a researcher at the University of Limerick, Ireland, is the lead author of the latest study. Specialized in physical activity work environmentsin statements to The New York Times, also highlighted the benefits of a two- to three-minute walk during the workday. “If you work with some rigid habitsyou can have complicationssentenced.
In order to acquire this habit, the researcher specifies that the ideal would be to be able to walk around freely in the company’s facilities, even if he is aware that this is not something very common. Therefore, it is recommended to move from time to time to go for a coffee or any other type of snack. “The more we normalize walks during the working day, the more feasible they will be,” he condemned.
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However, it must be emphasized that doing this for just one day will have no benefit. The practice of walking offers long-term results and, moreover, it is a good way to gradually integrate the habit of walking into routines.
daily recommendations
According to SGDengaging in physical activity, such as walking, reduces the risk of death from heart disease and decreases the likelihood of contracting conditions such as cancer and the aforementioned diabetes.
According to what the agency quotes, Ideally, an adult should engage in moderate physical activity. between 150 and 300 minutes per week. You can also reduce the times, between 75 and 150 minutes, if you encounter vigorous activity, although this requires more effort.
For example, if we follow the recommendations of the surveys and increase the time for walks after eating, from two to five and, thus, up to ten, you could achieve 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day and the 150 minutes per week, meeting WHO recommendations and ensuring a small long-term lifeline for our health.