A short podcast episode by Brian Johnson (Heroic +1 #1,880, Sept 13, 2024) promoting walking after meals to improve glucose regulation, reduce stress, aid digestion, and support weight loss. Johnson cites Dr. Casey Means (Good Energy, Levels app) and Dr. David Ludwig (Always Hungry) and highlights evidence that three 15-minute post-meal walks can match a single 45-minute walk for blood-sugar regulation. He frames the habit through the Italian tradition of the passeggiata as pleasurable, family-oriented movement.
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Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another heroic plus one. In our last plus one we talked about how to create heroic energy by optimizing our glucose levels. And I offered a super simple pro tip via Dr. Casey Means, who wrote Good Energy and created the Levels app Walk after your meals now this isn't the first time we've talked about the power of walking after a meal. We also talked about it in our notes on Dr. David Ludwig's great book Always Hungry. Check out those notes. Dr. Ludwig is an endocrinologist and professor at Harvard. He has both an MD and a PhD and is recognized for his work on obesity and nutrition. He developed something known as the carbohydrate insulin model of obesity and has scientifically proven that a calorie isn't a calorie AKA different foods affect our bodies in different ways. Now in Always Hungry he tells us, and I quote, if weight loss were simply a question of calories in and calories out, you could spend 20 grueling minutes on a treadmill. But a handful of raisins, just a half a cup, would negate all your hard work. Thankfully, in addition to burning a modest number of calories, physical activity also improves insulin resistance, setting the stage for weight loss. You needn't work out for hours for these effects. A study involving older adults at risk for diabetes found that three 15 minute walks after meals improved their ability to regulate blood sugar for the following 24 hours. These three short walks were at least as effective as one long 45 minute walk taken during the day. The habit of taking multiple walks during the day also gets you up and away from your desk or couch and may lower stress levels. He continues by saying, italians have a name for this type of walk, the passa giata. You won't see anyone wearing a pedometer or spandex during an Italian passeggiata. These walks are purely for pleasure, to get outside and see the neighbors, to reconnect as a family after a long day, and to enjoy the last bit of sunlight. The movement and light that you take in during your passeggiata before nightfall can recalibrate your body clock. The passa jata is a moment of joyful movement that helps support healthy digestion and insulin action while simultaneously relieving stress and helping you sleep better. Plus, he says, no matter how fit you are, the passajata can reintroduce you to movement in a pleasurable, easy, stress relieving activity, not a chore to be sweated out and endured. And that's today's Pashuan the passeggiata. It does a hero good. Let's see if you can follow up at least one of your meals today with a nice little walk. Buona passa chiata heroa. Chatgpt tells me that's how to say enjoy your passeggiata, hero. Now, I should use some AI to help me pronounce that. One of my superpowers is mispronouncing names and foreign words. So here's the AI version of me saying that, yeah, that was AI generated, which is astonishing. P.S. you want to see me talking in over 25 languages? Check this out. Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another Arete plus one degree. Kurban, Rolandan, Kahraman, Roland and Asigachiris Bibasit. Sorry. Focus on Nashohona Stupnohoplusodin, Rados.
