Have Diabetes? Experts Say Don't Skip This 10-Minute Routine After Meals

From food.ndtv.com

Light walking after meals may help your body process food more efficiently while supporting healthy blood sugar levels 

After a good meal, most of us are ready to sit back and relax. Some head for the couch, while others jump straight back into work. But experts say the period right after eating can have a bigger impact on your health than you might expect. A short walk of just 10 to 12 minutes may help with digestion and support healthier blood sugar levels after meals. Here's why this simple habit is worth adding to your routine.

Why Should You Walk After Eating?

According to Gastroenterologist Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a short walk after meals helps your body process food more efficiently while supporting metabolic health. Here are some of the benefits he highlights.

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1. May Help Your Body Handle The Rise In Blood Sugar After Meals

After eating, your body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, causing blood sugar levels to rise. According to Dr. Sethi, a short walk after meals slows how quickly glucose enters the bloodstream, helping reduce sharp blood sugar spikes and lowering the amount of insulin the body needs to release.

A study published in Scientific Reports also found that light walking after meals can improve post-meal blood glucose levels, particularly in people with diabetes and insulin resistance.

2. Supports Better Digestion

Dr. Sethi says light movement activates the gastrointestinal tract and the vagus nerve, which may help food move through the digestive system more smoothly. According to him, this may support stomach emptying and reduce sluggish digestion after meals.

3. May Help Ease Bloating

If you often feel uncomfortably full after eating, a gentle walk may help. According to Dr. Sethi, walking after meals improves gut motility and may reduce gas retention, making it especially helpful for people who experience bloating or meals that “sit heavy.”

4. May Reduce Acid Reflux After Meals

Lying down immediately after eating can sometimes make reflux worse. Dr. Sethi explains that a slow walk keeps food moving through the digestive tract, which may reduce acid exposure and episodes of heartburn.

5. May Improve How Your Body Uses Insulin

Dr. Sethi says muscles use glucose for energy during a walk, allowing them to absorb sugar from the bloodstream with less dependence on insulin. Over time, this may help improve insulin sensitivity.

How Long Should You Walk?

According to Dr. Sethi, the ideal duration is 10 to 12 minutes at a slow-to-brisk pace after lunch, dinner or your largest meal of the day.

Diabetics Need To Focus On Diet As Well

A short walk can be a healthy addition to your routine, but what you eat matters just as much. According to nutritionist Rupali Datta, people with diabetes or insulin resistance should include foods such as whole grains, pulses, green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds as part of a balanced diet. Pairing nutritious meals with regular physical activity may help support better blood sugar management.

So, if you have diabetes, try and incorporate this simple habit in your routine to manage blood sugar levels properly.

https://food.ndtv.com/health/have-diabetes-this-10-minute-habit-after-meals-may-help-control-blood-sugar-11785162

Type 2 Diabetes in the Office: 9 Ways to Add More Movement to Your Day

From everydayhealth.com

When you work a desk job, finding an opportunity to move more can feel challenging. But if you have type 2 diabetes, moving throughout your day helps your body keep blood sugar levels stable.

Even quick exercise breaks can keep glucose levels down. Moving your muscles uses sugar in your bloodstream and makes your natural insulin (a hormone that manages blood sugar) more sensitive to high sugar levels, says Kelly Bogowith, a physical therapist at OSF HealthCare in Alton, Illinois.

You don’t have to do a complicated routine to get the benefit of movement, says Theresa Marko, DPT, a doctor of physical therapy in private practice in New York City and a spokesperson for the American Physical Therapy Association. “Doing small and consistent movements and routines throughout the day can be more sustainable and have a real impact on diabetes management over time.”

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You have lots of choices in adding more movement to your day at a desk. Here are some options you can try.

1. Walk a Few Laps Around Your Office

To start, take a walk around your office space. If possible, go outside and stroll around your building.

Your walks don’t have to last too long. In one small study, participants who took 3-minute walks every 30 minutes throughout the day lowered their blood sugar by 17.5 percent.

“[Another] study showed that if people went for a short walk after eating, their blood sugar levels rose and fell more gradually, and their insulin levels were more stable,” says Ashley Katzenback, DPT, a physical therapist in private practice in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

2. Take a 10-Minute Walk After Lunch

Walk for 10 minutes right after any meal or snack, says Katzenback. Blood sugar spikes after eating can boost your HbA1C levels, but getting active can lessen those effects.

“If you are unable to walk immediately after, another equally effective option is to walk for 30 minutes, 30 minutes after your meal,” says Katzenback.

3. Take the Scenic Route

As you walk to work from your car, or make a cup of coffee in the break room or visit the toilet, you can add length to each journey. “Park farther away from your building entrance or get off public transportation one stop early if feasible,” says Marko.

Marko also suggests getting off the elevator one floor early and taking the stairs the rest of the way. If you need to make copies or go to the bathroom, take an extra lap around the office before going back to your desk, says Marko.

4. March in Place at Your Desk

Marching in place or stepping up on a step are great exercise options for small spaces.

If you don’t want to attract attention by doing these at your desk, you can sneak away to a stairwell or even do them in a bathroom stall. On the other hand, you can lead the charge and invite your co-workers to join you in movement breaks.

5. Try Seated Soleus Push-Ups

Seated soleus push-ups (SPUs) sound complicated, but you can do them while you sit at your desk or in a meeting.

Here’s how to do one:

1. Sit in a chair and place both feet flat on the floor.
2. Raise your heel, keeping the ball of your foot down.
3. Relax and lower your heel.
4. Repeat.

One study review found that doing SPUs after a meal can lower your blood sugar by up to 52 percent.

“The results of the study are really quite remarkable because previously we suspected you needed to walk to stabilize post-meal blood sugar,” says Katzenback. “But this study concluded that simple interventions that can be performed while seated are more than enough to do the trick.”

Katzenback recommends doing three minutes of SPUs every 30 minutes throughout the day. 

6. Do Push-Ups Against a Break Room Wall

Standing wall push-ups can be another good way to move at work, says Bogowith.

Here’s how to do these exercises.

1. Stand facing a wall (a few feet away).
2. Place your hands against the wall at about chest level.
3. Lean forward, bending your elbows.
4. Pause and hold when your head gets close to the wall, keeping your body straight.
5. Push away from the wall until your arms are straight again.
6. Repeat as many times as you can.

You can make this exercise easier, if needed, by moving your feet closer to the wall. Or make it more challenging by leaning against a countertop instead of the wall.

7. Use Mini-Squats in Tight Spaces

Mini-squats work well to strengthen your legs in a small office space, says Bogowith. These modified squats strengthen your core and support the sugar-managing benefits of movement.

To do a mini-squat, follow these steps:

1. Stand up straight with your feet apart (about shoulder-width).
2. Bend your knees and move your hips back slightly as if you are about to sit. A mini-squat doesn’t lower your body as far as a traditional squat.
3. Hold this almost-sitting position while keeping your back straight and tightening your core and thigh muscles.
4. Rise back up into a standing position.
5. Repeat 10 to 15 times.

Make sure to keep your knees from pushing out over your toes to avoid injury.

8. Stand Up, Sit Down, Repeat

The simple act of sitting and standing uses muscles. “Stand up and sit down 5 to 10 times every time you go to use the restroom,” says Marko.

For best results, get in and out of your chair without using your arms.

9. Do Leg Kicks While You Wait

While waiting for coffee to brew, water to boil, or food to cook in the break room, do 20 standing side leg kicks or back leg kicks, says Marko.

Here’s how to do a standing side leg kick.

1. Stand straight, starting with your feet together.
2. Place your hands on your hips or use one hand to hold onto a counter or chair.
3. Lift one leg out to the side as far as you can and hold it there for a few seconds. Your hips should stay in place during this movement.
4. Lower your leg slowly.
5. Repeat 8 to 12 times
6. Switch to the other leg and repeat steps 1 to 5.

Standing back leg kicks follow the same steps, except you lift each leg behind you, instead of to the side.

If you want more ideas for simple exercises to do at the office, ask your healthcare provider for suggestions or a referral to a physical therapist.

The Takeaway

• An office job can make it hard to stay active when you have diabetes, but adding movement to your day can help you manage your blood sugar levels.
• To move more at work, do mini-squats at your desk, try leg kicks while your coffee brews, march in place while your lunch heats, and take walks around your office or building, especially after you eat.
• If you want more personalized exercise tips, ask your provider for their suggestions or a referral to physical therapy.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/type-2-diabetes/ways-to-add-more-movement-to-your-day/

 

Endocrinologists Share 5 Habits to Break for Healthier Blood Sugar

From eatingwell.com

Plus, some everyday habits endocrinologists recommend instead 

KEY POINTS

• Frequent dips and spikes in blood sugar can increase risk of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
• Endocrinologists shared five habits they wish you'd stop doing for healthier blood sugar levels.
• Focus on eating more fibre, managing stress and exercising regularly to support blood sugar.

After enjoying something sweet, you may notice a quick burst of energy followed by an afternoon slump. That’s because—similar to a roller coaster—blood sugar levels naturally rise and fall throughout the day. While these fluctuations are normal, frequent highs and lows over time aren’t ideal for long-term health, as they can increase the risk of conditions like prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

As endocrinologist Jennifer Cheng, D.O., explains, “There are millions of undiagnosed, diabetic and prediabetic people in the U.S. There are significant complications when people develop diabetes that can be potentially preventable.”

So, how can we keep blood sugar levels in a healthy range? We asked endocrinologists which habits to stop for healthier blood sugar, and they shared five. 

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1. Drinking Sugary Drinks

From soda to sports drinks to sweetened coffee, tea, cocktails and mocktails, there are many ways to gulp down sugar—often without realizing just how much is in your go-to beverage. Yet sugar-sweetened beverages are the leading source of added sugar in Americans’ diets.

The issue with these drinks is that, unlike solid foods, they don’t contain fibre, protein or fat, so the sugar is absorbed quickly. “This can lead to sharp rises in blood sugar and insulin levels,” says Sowjanya Naha, M.D. “Research shows that regular intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, and even fruit juice in large amounts, is linked with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.”

Beyond that, these beverages don’t offer much nutritional value. So what’s a better option? Dietitians recommend water, seltzers or sparkling water, or unsweetened flavoured beverages like herbal tea or infused water. 

2. Staying Sedentary All Day

Whether we’re at our desks trying to crank out work before a deadline, in meetings, in the car or on the couch, one habit worth breaking for better blood sugar control is sitting for long periods of time. 

“Sitting for long periods reduces the body’s sensitivity to insulin, making it harder to control blood sugar. Even small increases in daily movement—such as walking more often—can improve how the body regulates glucose,” says Naha.

Physical activity helps the body increase glucose uptake by the muscles, effectively lowering circulating blood sugar even without additional insulin, explains Cheng. A simple strategy: Set an alarm to get up each hour, and make it a habit to move after meals. Research suggests that even a short walk after eating can help lower blood sugar.

“Walking, even for 15 minutes after eating, can help sensitize your body’s response to insulin,” explains Anastasios Manessis, M.D. If you’re glued to your desk or couch throughout the day, try quick bursts of movement like body-weight squats, lunges or jumping jacks for 30-second intervals.

3. Relying on Refined Carbohydrates

A common knee-jerk reaction to improving blood sugar is to cut carbs entirely—but endocrinologists say not so fast. The type and amount of carbohydrates matter most. 

Carbs worth limiting are those low in fibre, such as sugary cereals, baked goods and snack foods like pretzels and chips. Experts say regularly relying on these foods can lead to more significant blood sugar swings. “Research using continuous glucose monitors suggests that diets higher in these types of carbohydrates tend to cause larger swings in blood sugar throughout the day. These ups and downs may place more strain on metabolic health over time,” shares Naha.

So what should you choose instead? “Whole carbs like fruits, vegetables and whole grains are not only good for your blood sugar, but your overall health,” says Manessis. “These nutrients are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber, which can help support heart health, brain health, weight management and so much more.”

And don’t be too quick to cut fruit. “Whole fruit is bound in fibre and nutrients which can support a healthy blood sugar response,” Manessis adds. In fact, research has found that people who consume moderate amounts of whole fruit tend to have better insulin function and a lower risk of diabetes, showing an inverse relationship between fruit intake and diabetes risk.

For a steadier blood sugar response, pair fruit with a source of protein or healthy fat, such as a handful of nuts or seeds, or Greek yogurt or cottage cheese. 

4. Getting Poor Sleep

Another habit worth breaking: not getting enough quality sleep. 

“Poor or inconsistent sleep can raise blood sugar levels and make it harder to maintain control. Research shows that sleep restriction and circadian disruption can impair glucose metabolism and increase insulin resistance,” says Naha.

Lack of sleep may also affect stress hormones because when you’re not getting enough sleep, cortisol levels can rise, explains Cheng. “This causes more insulin resistance and higher sugars in the blood. Chronic high stress or cortisol levels may increase risk of diabetes and high blood pressure, leading to more disease.”

On top of that, poor sleep may leave us reaching for more carb-rich foods throughout the day to keep energy levels up, points out Manessis. Research suggests that even two nights of poor sleep may increase hunger hormones and lower appetite-suppressing hormones.

So how can you improve your sleep? Aim to maintain a consistent sleep and wake schedule, target seven to nine hours of sleep each night and limit caffeine and screen time before bed to support healthier glucose regulation, says Naha.

5. Skipping Meals or Eating at Irregular Times

Keeping consistent meal times and avoiding regularly skipping meals may help support healthy blood sugar levels.  

“Eating at irregular times or late at night can interfere with the body’s natural rhythms for processing glucose. Studies show that when eating is out of sync with these rhythms, the body handles sugar less effectively, leading to higher and more variable blood sugar levels,” says Naha.

Skipping meals may have a similar effect—including skipping breakfast. “Our bodies love consistency and regularity, so starting the day off with a strong, protein-rich breakfast can be helpful to stabilize our blood sugars and set the tone for the day,” explains Manessis. 

Try eating around the same times each day when possible. And if you find yourself consistently skipping meals like breakfast, consider prepping something the night before—such as overnight oats or breakfast burritos—so you always have an easy option ready to go. 

Other Tips for Healthy Blood Sugar Levels

When it comes to maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, endocrinologists shared these additional tips:

• Pair protein and fat with carbohydrates. Pairing carbs with a source of protein or healthy fat may help support healthier blood sugar levels. Try adding nut butter to a waffle, or pair fruit with cottage cheese.
• Eat more fibre. Dietary fibre is essential for slowing the absorption of glucose, which significantly stabilizes sugar levels, says Cheng. Aim to include fiber-rich foods at meals and snacks, such as veggies, fruits, beans, nuts, lentils, seeds and whole grains.
• Manage stress. “Ongoing stress has been associated with greater variability in glucose levels and increased metabolic risk,” says Naha. Incorporating stress-relief practices—whether a few minutes of mindfulness, deep breathing or yoga—may help support overall blood sugar regulation.
• Stay hydrated. “Proper fluid intake assists your kidneys in filtering excess glucose from the bloodstream via urination,” says Cheng. Keep a water bottle nearby or set reminders throughout the day to help make hydration a habit.
• Exercise regularly. Physical activity can improve insulin sensitivity and support healthy blood sugar levels even after exercise. Find movement you enjoy—whether it’s walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, hiking or taking a fitness class—to make consistency easier.

Our Expert Take

For healthier blood sugar levels, endocrinologists recommend moving away from habits like drinking sugary drinks, staying sedentary all day, eating only refined carbs, getting poor sleep and skipping meals. Instead, focus on supportive habits such as pairing protein and fat with carbohydrates, eating more fibre-rich foods, managing stress, staying hydrated and exercising regularly. “Blood sugar control is shaped by patterns over time rather than single decisions. Even small daily habits can have a meaningful impact when practiced consistently,” says Naha.

https://www.eatingwell.com/stop-doing-these-things-for-healthier-blood-sugar-12006080

Why You Should Be Lifting Weights if You Have Type 2 Diabetes

From everydayhealth.com 

While regular aerobic exercise can help you keep your blood sugar levels in check and boost your overall health, people with diabetes can benefit from regular weight lifting, or strength training, as well. In fact, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends strength training 2–3 times per week in addition to performing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise).

Before starting a new exercise routine, talk with your doctor about any special considerations you need to make. Complications of type 2 diabetes, such as heart disease, peripheral neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, blood pressure issues, and osteoporosis, can influence which forms of strength training are healthiest for you.

How Lifting Weights May Make Managing Type 2 Diabetes Easier

Diabetes is marked by the body’s inability to process glucose and use insulin efficiently, but strength training can help with these issues in various ways.

Burns Up Blood Sugar

Strength training relies primarily on the body’s glycolytic, or glucose-using, metabolic system for energy. “As we go through a strength training workout, we use stored muscle glycogen for fuel,” says Nick Occhipinti, CSCS, an exercise physiologist based in Red Bank, New Jersey. “Once this stored muscle glycogen runs out, we start to mobilize extra glycogen from the liver and from the blood. This [process] helps directly decrease blood glucose as well as deplete stored muscle and liver glycogen stores, giving blood glucose a place to go next time you eat.”

Improves Glucose Storage

Your muscles serve as storage facilities for consumed sugar and carbohydrates. “Trained muscle has a higher capacity to store blood glucose in the form of glycogen, aiding in lowering blood glucose,” says Occhipinti. The result: Lowered blood sugar levels and easier glucose management.

Spurs Weight Loss

Apart from burning calories during your workouts, strength training promotes fat loss by increasing levels of lean muscle mass. “Muscle is one of the few metabolically active tissues in the body at total rest,” says Occhipinti. “This means that even as we sit around and watch football or sit at a desk and work, the muscle we have on our body is serving to burn calories.”

In people carrying extra weight, losing 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can improve A1C scores, the 2- to 3-month average of blood sugar levels.

Targets Harmful Belly Fat

Abdominal fat (also called visceral fat) exacerbates insulin resistance and complicates blood sugar management, says Occhipinti, explaining that, in addition to storing energy, visceral fat cells produce chemicals and hormones that inhibit the body’s effective use of insulin. Fortunately, resistance training combined with moderate endurance training and a restrictive diet can be effective at reducing visceral fat levels.

6 Tips for Strength Training With Diabetes

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The ADA suggests people with type 2 diabetes engage in 2–3 strength training sessions per week on non-consecutive days. Here are some strategies to help you get the most benefits from your strength training sessions.

1. Talk to Your Healthcare Team

As with any exercise program, check with your healthcare team before starting a weight training regimen, making a point to discuss your blood sugar management specifically.

“People don’t typically associate strength training with low blood sugar, but some patients will have significant impacts on blood sugar with strength training,” says Wilson. Your doctor may recommend testing your blood sugar level before, during, and after exercise, as well as eating carbohydrates around workout time to prevent or address hypoglycaemia, she adds.

2. Ask for Help

“To gain more health benefits from physical activity programs, participation in supervised training is recommended over non-supervised programs,” says Wilson. For guidance, consider working out with a certified trainer or joining a weight training class, both of which are available in person and virtually.

3. Focus on the Body’s Largest Muscle Groups

Occhipinti recommends working on your gluteal muscles, hamstrings, quadriceps, latissimus dorsi, trapezius, and chest muscles. Some of the best strength exercises that target these muscle groups are compound, multijoint movements such as squats, lunges, deadlifts, hamstring curls, rows, lat pull-downs, chest presses, and push-ups, he says.

4. Follow a Plan

Mapping out what you want your workouts to look like can help you make and keep a routine, says Audra Wilson, RD, CSCS, a bariatric dietitian and strength and conditioning specialist at the Northwestern Medicine Metabolic Health and Surgical Weight Loss Center at Delnor Hospital in Geneva, Illinois.

If you plan to strength train two or three times per week, she says you’re better off making all of your workouts total body workouts. However, if your strength training is going to be more frequent, such as four or five days per week, alternating between upper body and lower body workouts, or push and pull workouts, can help ensure that each muscle group still gets the recovery time it needs.

Wilson recommends trying new variations of your favourite exercise or altering your number of sets or reps every 8–12 weeks to keep your workouts — and results — progressing.

5. Prioritize Recovery

Giving yourself one (if not two) days in between working a particular muscle group can allow it time to repair while still training it with sufficient frequency to adapt and grow, says Wilson. Great recovery day options include foam rolling, stretching, and low-intensity cardio like walking or cycling.

6. Consider Multiple Tools

Barbells, dumbbells, and weight machines can be useful strength training tools, but they aren’t mandatory, says Occhipinti. Resistance bands, filled duffle bags, and other household items are also effective in loading the muscles and are particularly great for helping you log more at-home workouts.

How Strength Training Helps Protect Against Diabetes Complications

By improving insulin health and lowering high blood sugar levels, strength training helps guard against some of the complications of type 2 diabetes. But it takes on diabetes complications in other ways, too.

Improves Heart Health

Type 2 diabetes is a leading risk factor in the development of heart disease. Fortunately, strength training increases levels of HDL cholesterol in the body while reducing LDL cholesterol levels, says Occhipinti. It also helps lower high blood pressure (hypertension).

Boosts Bone Density

While people with type 2 diabetes often have normal bone mineral density scores, they are at a heightened risk of bone fracture. Fortunately, weight-bearing strength training, especially performed from a standing position, helps build strength in the bones of the legs, spine, and hips, reducing the risk of bone breaks, says Wilson.

Prevents Age-Related Muscle Loss

Type 2 diabetes is an independent risk factor for accelerated declines in muscle strength. Research links severe age-related muscle degradation called sarcopenia to loss of physical function and increased risk of falls, hospitalization, and early death.

Conversely, building muscle through strength training directly combats this muscle loss that can occur through the decades.

Reduces the Risk of Peripheral Neuropathy and Vision Loss

“When you have chronically high blood sugar, glucose molecules start attaching themselves to everything, including your red blood cells, preventing healthy blood flow in many places in the body where you have very small blood vessels,” says Occhipinti.

It just so happens that the eyes and nerves of the hands and feet have these small vessels. When these areas don’t get the blood flow they need, peripheral neuropathy and diabetic retinopathy can occur. Strength training improves blood flow to reduce the risk of these complications, says Occhipinti.

The Takeaway

• Adults with type 2 diabetes should strength train 2–3 times per week, combining weight lifting with aerobic exercise for optimal blood sugar control.
• Strength training supports diabetes management by directly lowering blood glucose for energy, increasing the muscles' capacity to store glucose, promoting lean muscle mass, and targeting visceral belly fat.
• When starting a weightlifting regimen, individuals should first consult their healthcare team, focus on large muscle groups, use various tools like resistance bands and free weights, and prioritize adequate recovery time between sessions.
• Beyond managing blood sugar, lifting weights regularly helps protect against serious diabetes complications by improving cardiovascular health, boosting bone density to reduce fracture risks, combating age-related muscle loss, and improving blood flow to protect nerve and vision health.
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• https://www.everydayhealth.com/diabetes/why-to-lift-weights-with-type-2-diabetes/