Even a short walk after dinner can have major health benefits: Shots

Even just a short walk around your neighborhood after dinner can aid digestion, help regulate blood sugar levels, and improve your night's sleep.

Annie Otzen/Getty Images

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Annie Otzen/Getty Images

The holiday season is here, and you'll likely be enjoying at least one indulgent meal over the next month. I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving.

But instead of relaxing in front of a football game after eating pumpkin pie, consider taking the plunge and going for a walk. It's one of the easiest things you can do to improve your health after a meal, and even a short walk can have a big impact.

It is noted that the concept of taking a walk after meals has existed for centuries. Loretta DiPietroprofessor of exercise and nutrition science at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.

“Italians have always done it, Europeans have always done it. My grandparents did it,” she says.

Some people called these walks constitutional, or walks taken for health.

Television may be one of the reasons this habit went out of style, but the idea has recently gained popularity again thanks to a viral TikTok video extolling the benefits of a post-meal walk. gas! Experts say this is one health hack that social media is getting right.

“Walking at any time of the day is beneficial, and walking after meals is even more effective,” says DiPietro.

why? First, walking and other physical activity can speed up digestion, making it easier to swallow food. Dr. Chris Dunman He is a gastroenterologist and professor at the University of Washington, where he studies the intersection of the microbiome and metabolic disease.

“In fact, it has very important benefits for toning the stomach and getting things moving, so to speak. And it might also be beneficial for clearing the air, if you know what I mean. “No,” Dunman said.

Faster digestion means more fiber and other undigested nutrients can reach the lower intestines and feed the microorganisms that live there, Dunman says. And when fed fiber-rich foods, these microbes produce many molecules that play important roles in keeping our brains, immune systems, and metabolism healthy.

Walking also plays a major role in regulating blood sugar levels after meals. That's because as food is digested, it is broken down into different parts, including glucose, which is one of the body's main sources of energy. That sugar floods into your bloodstream. A post-meal walk can blunt that spike, he says.

“One reason walking is beneficial is because it moves your muscles, both your heart and the muscles in your legs and arms, which become sponges for blood sugar that your intestines absorb into your bloodstream,” says Dunman. . “Basically, all of the glucose is taken from the blood into the muscles, where it is immediately used to propel us forward.”

Normally, the body produces the hormone insulin, which removes glucose from the blood and into nearby cells. However, this can also be achieved by muscle contractions from walking, even in the absence of insulin.

This means you don't have to produce as much insulin after meals, so there's less stress on your pancreas. And this is important. That's because “over time, high stress on the pancreas can put a strain on it and can even lead to prediabetes and diabetes,” says Dunman.

You don't have to walk long or strenuously to experience these benefits. For example, DiPietro co-authored studies such as: Walk for 15 minutes at a moderate pace Blood sugar control improved even several hours after a meal. other the study Researchers have found that even just two to five minutes of walking after a meal can help lower blood sugar levels, but longer is better.

DiPietro says it's best to leave the house within about 30 minutes after eating. During this time, your body digests your food, allowing glucose to flow into your bloodstream so your muscles can quickly use it up.

Don't be deterred if the weather isn't suitable for a walk outdoors or if you're too busy binge-watching Netflix. “Get up and march in place, move your arms,” ​​DiPietro advises. Even if it's only for a few minutes, these movements promote the body's storage of glucose.

Now, DiPietro says it's good to walk after any meal, but if you have to choose, dinner is probably the best. That's because dinner tends to be the most important time of the day for many people.

“So a lot of calories are ingested, sugar and fat circulate in the blood, and all we do is flop in front of the TV or go to bed,” she says. That's a bad idea, she says. Our bodies also produce less insulin at night, especially as we age.

The combination of low insulin and couch potato instinct can lead to high blood sugar levels, which should be avoided at all times, but especially before bed, says Dr. Luis Buenabar Behavioral sleep expert at Johns Hopkins University. This is because sudden spikes in blood sugar levels or sudden drops in blood sugar levels are associated with poor sleep quality.

Taking a light walk after dinner not only prevents this, but also improves blood circulation. “And it helps promote this feeling of relaxation” – which in turn can result in a better night's sleep.

And all of this is especially true after a heavy meal like Thanksgiving dinner.

“If there's ever a meal that you walk around after eating, considering your calorie intake, it's Thanksgiving dinner,” says DiPietro. Resist the urge to take a nap and go for a walk first.

Edited by Jane Greenhalgh