AIIMS, Harvard-Trained Gastroenterologist Reveals One Lifestyle Habit That Instantly Lowers Blood Sugar

Managing

your blood sugar levels is not an easy task – especially when you need to change your diet and lifestyle completely. However, according to AIIMS and Harvard-trained gastroenterologist Dr Saurabh Sethi, a simple daily habit can lower glucose levels naturally while improving your overall health. “Most people think blood sugar control requires strict diets,” Dr Sethi said on his Instagram. “But one simple habit can lower glucose almost as effectively as diet changes,” he added. So, what is this habit?

The easiest natural way to keep blood sugar in control

According to Dr Sethi, a simple 10-minute walk after your meals works wonders for managing diabetes. “A 10-minute walk after meals. Yes, just walking,” he revealed. “Your leg muscles act like a sponge,” he explains. “When they move, they pull glucose directly out of your bloodstream. Less glucose in the blood means less insulin release. Less insulin means less fat being sent to the liver, which is particularly important for those with fatty liver,” he added.

How does walking keep blood sugar levels low?

When you take a short walk after eating, your muscles use sugar for energy and improve insulin sensitivity. This thereby allows cells to absorb glucose more effectively, especially after meals, which prevents spikes by using circulating sugar for fuel and enhancing the body's natural insulin response. Experts say muscle contractions during walking pull sugar into cells independently of insulin, and this effect lasts for hours, stabilizing levels.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Saurabh Sethi MD MPH | Gastroenterologist (@doctor.sethi)

Benefits of walking

A few benefits of taking short, post-meal walks include:

• Smaller blood sugar spikes
• Lower insulin levels
• Reduced fat storage in the liver
• Less belly
• Fewer sugar crashes
• More steady energy

“You don’t need to walk fast, you don’t need step goals, and you don’t need a structured workout,” said Dr Sethi. “Even walking around your home works. One simple habit, no diets, no workouts, just walk for 10 minutes after meals and let your muscles lower your sugar naturally,” he added.

How long and when to walk?

According to experts, short bursts of walking are the key. Various studies have shown that even 2 to 5 minutes of light walking after a meal can be effective, making it more feasible than longer sessions. Also, walking immediately after eating is more effective at blunting sugar spikes than waiting. You need to take a brisk 10 to 15-minute walk after meals, a highly recommended duration for significant impact.

A few other benefits

A few other benefits of walking after meals, other than blood sugar management, include:

Weight loss and management

It helps burn calories, aiding weight control, a major factor in insulin resistance.

Stress reduction

It lowers stress hormones, which also helps control blood sugar.

Better sleep

Walking after meals helps support better sleep, further improving insulin sensitivity.