Nutritionist names one thing that everyone should do for longevity

What needs to be done for longevity

An expert explained that there is one simple way for longevity - it's walking after meals. Movement after meals significantly improves our mental and physical health, Skytalinska assured.

Why walking after meals is beneficial

Movement helps maintain a normal blood sugar level

If you sit immediately after eating, glucose from the food will be stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen, and the excess will be converted into fat. But when you move, you activate muscles that use this glucose for energy, reducing the spike in blood sugar after eating.

Walking immediately after a meal, starting with 2-5 minutes, has a beneficial effect on postprandial hyperglycemia.

Even if we stand instead of sitting or lying down after eating, our muscles are activated, preventing sharp fluctuations in blood sugar. This is beneficial for everyone, as fluctuations in glucose levels not only affect energy levels (making us sleepy after eating) but can also increase the risk of type 2 diabetes if high blood sugar levels are frequent.

This advice also applies to people with type 2 diabetes: if a person's blood sugar level remains elevated for a long time, it can lead to kidney, eye, or nerve damage.

Promotes healthy digestion

Often after eating, there's a feeling of bloating or excessive fullness, especially if we eat or drink quickly. Taking a 10-15 minute walk helps avoid this.

Improves circulation

Walking after meals, rather than working or napping, or sitting, allows our muscles and brain to receive more blood and feel more alert.

Activates stem cell formation

These cells aid in the healing and regeneration of organs in need of restoration (chronic inflammations).

Improves mood

In 2022, the renowned scientific journal JAMA Psychiatry published the results of a study: people who exercised for 2½ hours per week had better mental health, including a 25% lower risk of depression compared to those leading a sedentary lifestyle.

Physical activity boosts levels of feel-good hormones, including endorphins and dopamine.

Walking also helps make our brain more receptive to the neurotransmitter serotonin.

When to walk?

Walking immediately after a meal is ideal since it helps "burn" glucose in the blood and avoids its high spikes, which in turn lead to spikes in insulin and metabolic stress.

If walking right after eating, it should be at a normal pace, not too intense.

A more intense pace can be adopted about 30 minutes after eating to give the body more time for digestion.

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This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.