There are preventive measures that can delay the onset of diabetes. Proper diet and exercise seem to be the prescription for many common health problems: high blood pressure and cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, and obesity.
In fact, health experts recommend following a proper diet and exercising to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. This disease, which is also affecting more and more teenagers who trade outdoor activities air for computer games, and carrots and yogurt for chips, cookies and soda.
Diet and physical exercise.
Weight loss from healthy eating and increased physical activity allows muscle cells to use insulin and glucose more efficiently. This reduces the risk of diabetes. Lack of exercise can cause muscle cells to lose sensitivity to insulin, which controls blood sugar levels.
Avoid complications!
Although cutting out fatty foods and sweets and motivating yourself to maintain a daily exercise routine can take some discipline. The benefits are enormous, as people at risk for diabetes are much more likely to develop cardiovascular disease.
Heart disease is two to four times more common in diabetics and the risk of stroke is two to four times higher. High blood pressure occurs in the majority of adults with the disease. As well as diabetes is the main cause of kidney disease.
A walk following meals helps reduce the risk of diabetes.
It is sometimes difficult to do 2 hours 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each week. Between meetings and preparing dinner, or household chores and preparing for presentations, movement can occasionally take a back seat. Now, new research has shown that two minutes of walking (yes, really!) can have a positive impact on your blood sugar levels. And potentially, prevent type 2 diabetes.
A meta-analysis of seven studies, published in the journal Sports Medicine, examined the impact of sitting for long hours compared to light-intensity walking or standing on markers of cardiometabolic health.
Study participants were placed in a walking or standing group. They were instructed to walk or stand for two to five minutes every 20 to 30 minutes over the course of a day. Two of the seven studies included participants with and without diabetes. The other five studies involved participants with no history of diabetes. Researchers found that even just a few minutes of slow walking was enough to lower blood sugar levels.
Specifically, walking within 60 to 90 minutes of eating (when blood sugar is at its peak) was associated with more gradual changes in blood sugar drop compared to sitting or standing. This is important for people with prediabetes or another type of diabetes who are looking to avoid dramatic blood sugar swings.
The conclusion :
If you are considering adding an following-meal walk to your usual routine. Dr. West, chief medical officer and vice president of global medical affairs at Abbott, says it’s a great idea for benefits other than blood sugar. “Notwithstanding the recently described benefits in blood sugar control and diabetes prevention. Exercise, in general, is good for cardiovascular health and physical condition. Thus, it can help maintain a healthy body weight. Which in itself is important for a variety of reasons. He adds that walking following a meal can even improve bloating and gas and, in the evening, improve sleep.
Dr. West warns that vigorous exercise too soon following meals can cause some indigestion and abdominal pain. So it’s best to carefully choose the intensity of your postprandial movement and consider the size of your dinner.
In short, add a short walk to your postprandial schedule. Find ways to make walking fun for you. Like taking your best walking shoes, your favorite podcast, your dog or a friend to move following meals!
