Why Walking After Eating Is Good For You

A while back I posted on the benefits of walking after eating fats – in that posted I mentioned a study that showed that after eating a high fat meal the levels of cholesterol in the arteries spiked causing a resemblance to arterial disease. That study showed that exercise could effectively return the arteries to a healthier state if performed right away.

As many people will tell you it’s hard to actually exercise very hard after eating a meal. The body wants to go into digestion mode and the energy of the body is transferred from the muscular system to the digestive system; this is why many people can get cramps if they swim or run right after eating a meal. It’s also contributory to the reason why we all like the idea of napping right after eating a big meal. It’s not just Thanksgiving that does this to us.

Despite these natural phenomenon walking after eating is actually a good thing if you can keep it to a regular task you perform and if you can keep it to a minimal amount of effort. You don’t want to overdo exercise after eating because the body isn’t designed that way but a little walking can go a long way. Not only does the walking help with bringing cholesterol levels in the artery back to normal quicker but it can also help with managing blood sugar levels as well.

Another Reason Why Walking After Eating Is Worth Doing

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere on this blog exercise or physical activity is the best way to improve insulin sensitivity. The food you eat does play a large role in short term spikes but staying active also plays a large role in managing blood sugar spikes on average over the long term. Another reason why exercise after eating is good for you is that it pushes the body to use more energy and burn more calories. This gives your body the extra push it needs to be even more sensitive to insulin.

We all know what it’s like to eat a meal and then want to crash on the couch and take a nap. This is fine on occasion but over the long term it trains the body to store energy rather than use it. The food you eat goes in and is transformed into glucose, the fuel your cells need to produce energy, but if you are not using it then the cells have less reason to use the glucose. As a result your blood sugar levels remain higher longer than they need to remain elevated.

Exercise, Lifestyle & Longevity

I noted in my post on reversing type-2 diabetes naturally and in my post on normal blood sugar levels that high blood sugar can slowly cause damage to the body. Even if you are not an advanced diabetic you should place some emphasis on keeping your blood sugar levels stable… if at the very least to simply feel normal around the clock. You don’t want to have to feel exhausted every time you eat so start walking.

For the better part of two years now I’ve been blogging about longevity and trying to answer the question of how to live longer. I wrote that post over a year ago and it’s very relevant but I’m beginning to realize that aside from staying active and eating right we really have to focus intently on preventing the diseases which are classified diseases of old age. Many types of cancers such as advanced prostate cancer, heart and arterial diseases such as clogged arteries, and more poignantly the prevention of type-2 diabetes or the better management of blood sugar.

If you are already taking the steps necessary to improve your chances for living a long life then you need to start maximizing those steps by practicing them in the most efficient way possible. Exercise is great but doing it in bursts throughout the day instead of in one long stretch has been shown to be better for you. Eating certain nutritional foods together (food pairing) enhances the positive effects of each individual food. Going walking is good for every aspect of your body; you might as well do it at times of the day that can enhance the positive effects. When you take your vitamins make sure you are taking vitamins that you can actually absorb – if you can’t look for ways to improve this rate. Some vitamins are fat soluble, some are not. Just be smart about what you are doing already.

Start looking for ways to enhance your health without substantially changing anything. You may even want to consider treating your skin with some respect as well. There are some top notch men’s moisturizers on the market as well as some excellent anti aging products for women which can keep you looking as great as you feel. You may be surprised how much healthier you feel just by taking care of your body, staying active, and looking great.

Normal Blood Sugar Levels

One of the best ways to ensure you live a longer life is to stay regular when it comes to visiting your primary care doctor. Just as you should have regular checkups your doctor should also be ordering the regular round of tests including simple tests such as blood pressure readings to lab tests like fasting blood sugar levels.

In this era where diabetes is one of the most prevalent conditions affecting American’s it makes more sense in the world to identify the early development of diabetes by monitoring your blood sugar range, that way you can take action if necessary.

What Are Normal Blood Sugar Levels?

Normal blood sugar levels in men and in women are based on the duration of time it’s been since you last ate. Most blood glucose tests are performed at least 10 hours since the last food was eaten. This is called fasting blood glucose levels and an ideal level would be less than 100.

In people who have just eaten, glucose levels are almost always higher because food is broken down in the stomach and turned into glucose which is used as fuel for your body. The glucose however doesn’t simply fuel your body but it is delivered to the cells of the body via the blood stream. The problem with type-2 diabetes is not the breaking down of food into glucose it’s the glucose not being delivered properly to the cells.

Insulin, produced by the pancreas, is supposed to metabolize glucose and allow for delivery to the cells. In many diabetics or pre-diabetics glucose testing shows elevated blood sugar because the body is resisting the insulin. Basically insulin resistance is responsible for blood sugar levels staying too high for too long and this is what regular fasting blood sugar testing is looking for.

Usually pre-diabetes or insulin resistance is classified as people who have fasting blood sugar levels in the 100-120 range. These levels are worrying but there are steps that you can take to reverse insulin resistance and return to normal blood sugar levels. For more on this you click here if you want to know more about how to reverse type-2 diabetes naturally - you will have to catch it early but that's what these doctor's visits are all about.

Normal Blood Sugar Levels After Eating

It’s hard to say exactly what a normal blood sugar range is after eating because it has completely everything to do with what kinds of food is consumed. For instance certain foods which are consistent with the insulin resistance diet are far better at keeping glucose levels from spiking. Generally whole grains and vegetables do much better at managing blood sugar spikes especially when compared against foods which are high in fats, sugars, and those which are generally low in nutritional value.

If you want to know how to live longer then you need to manage your blood sugar levels better. Have them checked routinely when you visit your doctor and stay as active as possible as this action alone is the single best way to improve insulin sensitivity and keep fasting glucose levels in a healthy range. You don’t want to have to deal with diabetes so take the steps necessary today to improve your health for tomorrow.