The Sweet Science of Walking

“The sweet science” is a term that usually refers to boxing (because nothing is sweeter than trying to punch someone into unconsciousness while trying to avoid being punched by them), but there’s actually some pretty sweet science when it comes to the benefits of walking.

Walking and other forms of physical activity causes something called insulin independent glucose uptake, which is a fancy term that means the activity causes the body’s cells to take in blood sugar to use directly as fuel, without the need for insulin.

This effect is, of course, very beneficial for helping control blood sugar in diabetics and those with insulin resistance, but it is helpful for those with normal blood sugar control as well, especially when they eat something high in carbohydrates and sugar.

The benefit that most readily comes to mind is in weight management, but that’s more of a long-term issue that depends on repeated eating behaviors over time. There’s actually immediate benefits from reducing blood sugar through exercise in terms of neurological function.

Research has shown that elevated blood sugar will quickly lead to decreases in attention, memory, and mood.

Yet a lot of people will reach for a snack, and often a sugary one, when they feel like their energy is lagging because they think they need to “re-fuel.” And while the initial surge in blood sugar will often perk someone up, that effect is pretty short-lived. The sudden spike in blood sugar is soon followed by a sudden fall, and the large swing is generally not favorable for optimal brain function. We tend to function best on a more steady blood sugar supply.

This is where walking and other forms of exercise come in. Again, they cause the cells, particularly in the muscles to take up the excess blood sugar and take a lot of the load off of the insulin system. This keeps blood sugar levels more steady.

Just a 10 minute walk at a reasonably brisk pace will do a pretty good job of moderating blood sugar after eating for most people and prevent the post-meal lag that a lot of people experience. While this works best for those with good insulin function, it is still pretty effective for people with diabetes and insulin resistance as well.

In addition, in the longer term, brief periods of physical activity done regularly over time can help you control sugar cravings. One of the big factors in cravings is that foods with a lot of sugar will stimulate a spike in the neurotransmitter dopamine, which elevates mood and makes you feel good. Repeated large spikes in dopamine from eating sugary foods makes you want them more and more the longer you eat them habitually. As with drug addiction (which in part are also related to dopamine effects), you gradually need bigger and more frequent “hits” to get the dopamine boost.

A sugar habit is not as bad as a drug habit, but it still can be pretty damaging to your health in the long run.

While it can be difficult to change habits at first, by replacing eating sugary snacks with something like going for short walks, you can re-set your dopamine system so that you don’t need as much stimulation to feel good.

So, going for a 10 minute walk after a meal, or whenever you feel like your mood and energy are lagging, can help you feel better in the moment, as well as help you start to feel better more consistently long-term.

Until next time…

George F. Best, D.C.