Do you walk after Dinner/Supper ? It can be Dangerous !


It might sound like a false alarm, that habit of walking after dinner is dangerous. I myself used to believe that walking after dinner helps in better digestion and being idle after dinner is an invitation to digestive problems. So before writing this article i myself decided to google if walking after dinner is good or bad. As i was expecting most of the results were explaining the benefits of walking after dinner. But as i researched more i got something interesting and i will explain it in this article.

Let me first make it clear that same rule does not apply on every one. Mild / Slow walking for 5 to 10 minutes after a dinner is good for health of a healthy person. Even if you are diabetic then you might reap some benefits by light walking after dinner. But if you are a patient of hypertension or some other heart diseases then you should consult your doctor before making it a regular habit.

What happens to our body when we walk after dinner ?

Having a meal starts our digestion process, which means that our digestion system starts to work. It improves the blood circulation towards our stomach. It puts some extra pressure on our heart and blood circulatory system, which is not a big deal for a healthy person. When we start to walk after dinner our leg muscles also require the blood supply, so now our heart gets double responsibility. Again it is not a big deal for a healthy person, but a person with heart related medical issues might not bear this excess burden on regular basis.

Burning excess calories

Burning excess calories after a meal is the primary objective of a calorie conscious person. It is a good thing but you must follow the rule that extensive exercise after a meal is not good for anybody. So even if you are a healthy person, you should just do a mild walk after dinner, otherwise it may upset your stomach.

Is walking after dinner good for digestion?

Yes, mild walking for 5 to 10 minutes is good for digestion for a healthy or a type-2 diabetic person. It helps in movement of food in your stomach which aids digestion and also saves you from gas related issues. It improves the secretion of gastric juices necessary for digestion. It also saves you from bloating or constipation. It saves a diabetic person from sudden blood-glucose spike after having dinner as some glucose is consumed due to walking.

Conclusion: You should avoid running or extensive walking after dinner even if you are a healthy person. A mild walk of 5 to 10 minutes is sufficient to reap the benefits like better digestion and a steady blood glucose level. But if you are a heart patient then you should consult your doctor before making it a regular habit.

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