Post-meal sugar spikes, also known as postprandial blood glucose, can be tricky to manage. A high-carb meal can lead to a significant spike, as our digestive system breaks it down into sugar, which enters the bloodstream and impacts glucose levels, according to the National Institutes of Health. However, these spikes can be avoided with a simple trick that anyone can follow, shared by French biochemist Jessie Inchauspé on her Instagram handle.
Inchauspé says a 20-minute activity after a meal helps her curb her blood sugar levels. The science-based trick isn’t time-consuming and quite simple to do.
Here’s what you need to do:
After eating, say a pizza, which is high in carbs and has a high GI index (glycemic index), the blood sugar levels are bound to go up. But what if this spike can be curbed with a simple activity post-meal.
The 20-minute squat trick
“Whenever I move after a meal, my glucose curve looks completely different. If I do 20 minutes of squats right after eating something high in starch or sugars, the spikes are smaller and my glucose comes back down faster. That’s because our muscles are like sponges. Every time they contract, they directly soak up glucose from our bloodstream and use it for energy,” says Inchauspé, who goes by the moniker Glucose Goddess on Instagram.
The French author says this also means that our body doesn’t need to release as much insulin to get our glucose levels back down.
“Less insulin would mean less post-meal crash, less glucose stored as fat and over time a lower risk of insulin resistance. I did squats here but any movement works. Walking, going up and down the stairs, cleaning your home, dancing, or anything you like doing,” she adds.
Movement, a science-backed hack for blood sugar management
Any form of exercise, physical activity, or walking post meals can lead to significant improvement in blood sugar levels. Even a brief 10-minute walk after a meal can effectively manage hyperglycemia or high blood sugar levels, according to a Nature study. Exercising 30 minutes after a meal is considered best for blood sugar management, as per the study.
The window between 60 minutes to 90 minutes is ideal for reaping benefits of physical activity like walking following a meal. Sudden blood sugar spikes and drops can increase heart disease risk and raise chances of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Why people without diabetes should care about their blood sugar levels
Many people who are diagnosed with diabetes may be in prediabetic range which could still be silently raising risk of certain complications. By monitoring blood sugar levels, diabetes risk can be reduced and a step towards a healthier lifestyle can be taken.