Movement is good for your overall health, and walking is the best way to do it. The importance of walking to maintain optimal health cannot be stressed enough. But beyond general fitness, walking has specific benefits for blood sugar management, a crucial factor for millions living with diabetes or prediabetes.While most people know that diet and medication play key roles in regulating blood glucose, many overlook how a simple walk, done the right way, can significantly help keep blood sugar in check.What happens when blood sugar rises
When food is consumed, especially foods that are carbohydrate-rich, the body breaks them down into glucose. This glucose enters your bloodstream, causing the blood sugar levels to rise. As a result, the pancreas releases insulin to help cells absorb glucose for energy or storage. For people with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes, this process doesn’t work efficiently. Because of this, the blood sugar levels can remain elevated, and increases the risk of complications such as heart disease, nerve damage, and kidney issues.Can walking help
Walking is one of the most accessible and effective ways to stay healthy. Walking is a low-impact aerobic exercise that boosts insulin sensitivity and helps the body to absorb glucose more effectively. This process, known as non-insulin-mediated glucose uptake, it is especially crucial after meals when carbohydrate digestion causes blood sugar to rise. Walking is linked with a reduced risk of developing diabetes. The faster you walk, the better. A 2023 study found that brisk walking (2 mph to 3 mph) was associated with a 15% lower risk of diabetes, no matter how long people walked each day. The faster, the better. Walking 3 mph to 4 mph was associated with a 24% lower diabetes risk, and going faster than 4 mph was tied to a 39% lower risk. How to walk to regulate blood sugar levels
Studies have shown that walking shortly after eating, ideally within 30 to 60 minutes, can significantly reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes. Even light-intensity walking for as little as two to five minutes after a meal can lead to noticeable improvements in glucose control. The study found that the post-meal walks had a positive effect on blood sugar, in all the participants who took part in it, regardless of their diabetes status. Standing after eating was also proven to have a beneficial effect, but it was far more modest.Not just that, walking is also linked with longevity. A 2023 study found that walking at least 3967 steps a day started to reduce the risk of dying from any cause, and 2337 steps a day reduced the risk of dying from diseases of the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular disease).
“Our study confirms that the more you walk, the better. We found that this applied to both men and women, irrespective of age, and irrespective of whether you live in a temperate, sub-tropical or sub-polar region of the world, or a region with a mixture of climates. In addition, our analysis indicates that as little as 4,000 steps a day are needed to significantly reduce deaths from any cause, and even fewer to reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease,” the lead researcher said.
