Type 2 diabetics who want to get the most bang for their buck from their physical activity may want to consider scheduling to maximize their efforts.
A New Zealand research study at the University of Otago that studied 41 diabetic patients during a two-week experiment in which the patients were expected to walk for at least one half hour a day, determined that timing is the key to help reduce blood sugar levels.
The benefits of a post-meal walk helped people avoid the need for increased total insulin doses and additional, mealtime injections.
While all participants were given devices to measure their physical activity, half were encouraged to walk immediately after their meals, the other half were asked to walk whenever they wanted to. By the end of the two weeks, researchers noted that the post-meal walking subjects experienced greater blood sugar reduction – 12 percent – following a meal than their counterparts who walked whenever they wished.
The benefits of a post-meal walk helped people avoid the need for increased total insulin doses and additional, mealtime injections. Researchers noted that the reduction in insulin is significant because increased doses are often associated with weight gain with type 2 diabetics.
The small study size means that the findings will require more verification. But researchers believe that the physical activity guidelines diabetics have been following should be amended to emphasize post meal physical activity, especially if meals contain significant quantities carbohydrates.
So a post lunch or dinner constitutional can go a long way towards successfully managing your diabetes!
