Walks | Athens Java Hut

After dinner, you probably just want to kick off your shoes, curl up on the couch, and fire up your DVR—but here’s why you shouldn’t: Taking a 15-minute post-meal walk can help regulate your blood sugar level and reduce your risk of type-2 diabetes, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS).

In the study, 10 healthy seniors spent three 48-hour spans in a lab. During each session, participants ate the same foods and followed one of three exercise routines: They either walked at an easy-to-moderate pace on a treadmill for 15 minutes after each meal, walked 45 minutes in the morning, or walked 45 minutes in the afternoon. In each of the three scenarios, researchers continuously monitored participants’ blood sugar levels. What they found: The short post-meal walks were more effective at regulating blood sugar levels for up to 24 hours.

Why this is so key: Typically, your body can handle the normal blood sugar fluctuations that occur about 30 minutes after you eat: Your pancreas releases insulin, which sends the sugar to your liver, where it’s stored as fuel. But as you get older (or if you’re inactive throughout the day), your body doesn’t react as efficiently, which leads to prolonged high blood sugar levels, says lead study author Loretta DiPietro, PhD, MPH, chair of the department of exercise science at SPHHS. Over time, this can damage the walls of your cardiovascular system, heighten your risk of getting type 2 diabetes and heart disease, affect brain functioning, and even lead to blindness, she says.

Luckily, exercise triggers muscle contractions that work like insulin. Why are post-meal walks more effective than a single 45-minute stroll at another time? They jump-start this process exactly when your body needs it: When sugar enters the blood stream, says DiPietro.

Can’t swing a walk after every meal? Focus on moving more about 30 minutes after you eat your largest meal of the day or after you eat carbohydrate-rich dishes (like pasta or rice) or super-sweet foods (like donuts and sugary drinks). All of these cause your blood sugar to spike faster and hit higher levels, says DiPietro. Bonus: She says that walking can also help you sidestep that post-meal energy zap—so you’ll actually be able to stay awake when you do sit down to catch up on those DVR’d shows.

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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After a year filled with controversy, breast cancer charity Susan G. Komen for the Cure is cancelling seven of its 14 previously scheduled 3-Day races in 2014, according to a recent announcement on the brand’s Facebook page.

Since the first 3-Day in 2003, the organization has held the 60-mile charity walks in several different cities throughout the country. The money raised by the event series goes to breast cancer education, research, screening, treatment, and more, according to company data from 2012.

While there will still be events in Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Philadelphia, San Diego, Seattle and the Twin Cities in 2014, Komen is putting the kibosh on next year’s 3-Day walks in Phoenix, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Tampa Bay, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. Previous walks in the nixed locations didn’t attract enough participants or raise as much money as those in the remaining cities, says Susan G. Komen spokesperson Andrea Rader.

In fact, total participation in the 3-Day walks has dropped by 37 percent in the past four years, says Rader. “Economic uncertainty over the past four years has presented challenges for all nonprofits and has affected participation levels for the 3-Day as well,” Rader said in an email. “Many participants have reported that enthusiasm for the series remains very high, but it is more difficult for people to donate at levels they had in the past.”

While the 3-Day fundraising goal is a bit daunting—walkers need to raise at least $ 2,300 to participate—there could also be other factors at play. Ryan Lamppa, the media director at Running USA, a running industry not-for-profit, says Susan G. Komen events like Race for the Cure and 3-Day seriously suffered when the organization decided to stop providing funds to Planned Parenthood in 2012—even though the decision was later reversed. “It’s very difficult to win back that lost goodwill and support,” says Lamppa.

Although there will be seven fewer 3-Day walks next year, there are still plenty of ways to join the battle against breast cancer now. Here’s how:

• Register for a 2013 Susan G. Komen 3-Day walk, Then mark your calendar for Monday, July 29, when registration opens for the seven remaining 2014 3-Day walks.

• Find another local Susan G. Komen event (like Race for the Cure).

• Get the online tools you need to host a ticketed event like a concert or a bake sale to support the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

• Donate frequent flyer miles, Ebay profits, or an old car to the American Cancer Society.

• Shop for the cause by buying an item for which some of the proceeds go to breast cancer research.

photo: Hemera/Thinkstock

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Tag Archives: Walks

Short Walks After Meals Can Help Fend Off Diabetes

Komen Cancels Some of Its 3-Day Walks