In this fight against diabetes, the movement is widely recognized as a powerful weapon for controlling blood sugar. So, 10,000 steps a day, is it really useful to control blood sugar?
The proposal of “one step a day” is in fact an estimate by some scholars of the amount of mobility that is appropriate for most people, based on the efficiency of health enhancement of the low-intensity movement that can be achieved by all on foot. It means that if it takes 10,000 steps, even if it is slow, it can achieve sufficiently visible health promotions, including improvements in CPR function, weight control, improvement in blood sugar.
For people with diabetes or high blood sugar, there are many advantages to taking 10,000 steps a day. Walking is an aerobic exercise, and when we walk, muscles start working, they take glucose from the blood and break it into energy, thus reducing the concentration of glucose in the blood. Moreover, the long-term persistence of 10,000 steps per day also helps to increase the sensitivity of insulin, making insulin work better, making it easier for cells to receive glucose and further stabilizing blood sugar levels.
However, there are some small details to be noted. While 10,000 steps a day would help to control blood sugar, the way and timing of walking was also important. It is generally recommended that the journey begin at a moderate rate of between half an hour and an hour after the meal, so that it is not too urgent to avoid injury. If you go too fast, your body may be over-tired and not conducive to blood sugar control.
Furthermore, for some diabetes patients who already have diabetes complications, such as foot pathologies or joint problems, it may not be appropriate to take one step. At this point, there is a need to adjust the way and the amount of movement to their physical condition. It is possible to select movements with lower joint pressure, such as walking in water, which can reduce the weight of body pressure on joints and also achieve a walk-like exercise.
Ten thousand steps a day is like a double-edged sword for controlling blood sugar, which, if used properly, can be a good helper in controlling blood sugar; but blindly pursuing the number of steps can be counterproductive if we do not take into account our physical condition. So, before embarking on this one-step journey, it would be better to talk to a doctor or professional fitness coach and develop a sports plan for his/her own, so that this one can really play a positive role in our blood sugar control and start a new chapter in healthy life.
Diabetes
