The World Heart Federation reports that India had a total of 2,873,266 deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD) in 2021. Heart attacks are the leading cause of death, accounting for about one-third of all deaths between 2021 and 2023.
Therefore, it is essential to prioritise your heart health and make lifestyle changes that reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke. According to Dr Brijmohan Arora, a senior diabetologist and physician with 24+ years of experience, Dwarka, there is a simple method that can reduce your risk of heart attack: walking after meals.
1 tip to reduce heart attack risk
Highlighting the importance of walking after meals, the diabetologist stressed in the video that it decreases the risk of a heart attack by 40%, adding that if the practice were a medicine, he would prescribe it to every single patient. It benefits patients with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and even heart risk issues. “The surprising truth? Most people still don’t do it,” he lamented.
According to Dr Arora, a 10 to 15-minute walk after meals can:
- Improve sugar control
- Reduce triglycerides
- Ease digestion
- Protect the heart and arteries
“This is not theory — it’s backed by real, measurable outcomes. No gym. No cost. Just a small habit with massive returns. Your health is built in small steps. Literally,” Dr Arora stressed. Let’s find out how walking after meals helps one achieve all these benefits:
1. Improve sugar control
The diabetologist explained, “Whenever you are eating food, you should walk for 10 to 15 minutes afterwards. Why? If there is a blood sugar spike, inflammation increases due to excess insulin. Therefore, if we can control the insulin spike, we can also control inflammation. Controlling inflammation means that the damage in the arteries is reduced.”
He also emphasised that, along with inflammation, insulin also causes oxidative stress. You should consider oxidative stress to be something that damages the arteries and makes one prone to a heart attack, and walking eliminates that risk.
2. Reduce triglycerides
Walking after eating also reduces the level of triglycerides. “A triglyceride is a type of cholesterol particle, or a component of a cholesterol particle, which forms plaque in the artery and contributes to heart attacks. It also contributes to brain stroke. If you walk after eating, the triglycerides are being eliminated from the blood. The blood is being purified,” the diabetologist explained.
3. Increases nitric oxide in the blood
Walking after meals increases the amount of nitric oxide in the blood. Dr Arora explains, “Nitric oxide is a substance that is released from the walls of our blood vessels, specifically the artery walls. This thickens the arteries (enlarges them or increases their diameter).”
This process, in turn, lowers blood pressure (BP) and increases blood flow. So, if the amount of nitric oxide increases, the stress in the artery decreases, and the damage in the artery decreases.
4. Reduces brain fog
Lastly, walking after eating reduces brain fog. Dr Arora highlighted that many people complain that they feel sleepy after eating, fall asleep, their brain doesn’t work properly, and their focus decreases. All of this is brain fog.
According to him, this occurs due to a sugar spike and an insulin spike. So, if you walk after eating, you will also find relief from these issues.
In the end, the diabetologist highlighted, “In summary, if you walk for 15 minutes after eating—that is, after breakfast, after lunch, and after dinner—it is beneficial for heart health, brain health, lowering blood pressure, and better digestion.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
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