Two basic activities that have a big impact on our health and wellbeing are walking and eating. Walking is a low-impact exercise that improves both physical and mental health, while eating supplies the body with vital nutrients and energy. There is growing recognition of the connection between the two, since walking after meals improves digestion, helps regulate blood sugar, and aids in weight management. Combining these commonplace activities—walking for a short while after eating and improving your general health—makes them much more advantageous.
Aids digestion
After eating, taking a walk aids in resuming the digestive process. Your body naturally produces light physical activity when you walk, which encourages peristalsis, the movement of food through the digestive tract by the intestines. Constipation, gas, and other typical digestive problems can be avoided with the help of this movement. Walking can help you feel less full and less uncomfortable after a big meal by encouraging your stomach to empty into your small intestine more rapidly.
Helps control blood sugar levels
Walking after a meal is very helpful for regulating blood sugar. Your blood sugar levels naturally increase after eating, particularly if it was a meal high in carbohydrates. Walking lowers blood sugar levels by allowing your muscles to absorb glucose, or sugar, from your blood. Because it can lessen the need for your body to create extra insulin, this is especially advantageous for those who have type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance. Walking for even 15 minutes after a meal has been shown to drastically minimise blood sugar rises, making it an easy but efficient strategy to control blood glucose levels.
Supports weight management
Even though it’s not a particularly intense exercise, strolling after meals nevertheless adds to your daily caloric expenditure. Walking after meals on a regular basis can increase your daily physical activity, which is important for managing your weight. After a meal, walking helps you burn more calories than sitting or lying down. These additional calories burned over time may aid in weight loss or the maintenance of a healthy weight.
Improves heart health
One low-impact exercise that helps maintain cardiovascular health is walking. Walking on a regular basis can help lower blood pressure, increase HDL (good) cholesterol, and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol—all of which are critical components of heart health. Walking after a meal not only improves digestion but also provides a mild cardiovascular workout for your heart. These strolls have the potential to lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases over time. After a meal, even a quick stroll can increase oxygen flow throughout your body, improve circulation, and support cardiovascular health in general.
lessens acid reflux and heartburn
When stomach acid refluxes back into the oesophagus, it can lead to discomfort such as heartburn and indigestion. By accelerating stomach emptying and lowering the risk of acid reflux, walking after eating can help avoid this. But, it’s crucial to move at a modest pace; excessive exercise right after a meal may make heartburn worse by agitating the contents of the stomach. Walking steadily and gently can help keep things going in the proper direction and lessen the likelihood of heartburn or indigestion.
Enhances mental well-being
Walking is one type of physical activity that is well-known to have favourable impacts on mental health. Walking after a meal can help you decompress, lower stress levels, and lift your spirits. Endorphins are naturally occurring substances that elevate mood and can be released simply by moving. Furthermore, spending time outside in the fresh air—especially in a natural environment—can improve emotions of wellbeing and relaxation. After a meal, taking a walk can help you feel less lethargic and more alert by boosting your energy levels.
Tips for walking after eating:
Keep it light: After a meal, a leisurely stroll suffices. High-intensity exercise should be avoided just after eating as it can slow down digestion by rerouting blood flow away from your digestive organs.
Timing: Begin your stroll ten to thirty minutes after your meal is finished. At this precise moment, your body can start the digestive process and profit from the exercise.
Length: Try to walk for ten to fifteen minutes following each meal. A 20- to 30-minute stroll can have even more advantages if you have more time. Still, even a little stroll is preferable to lying down or sitting down.
Be consistent: Include walks after meals in your daily schedule. Walking regularly might have a cumulative positive impact on your health over time.
