While it is essential to undergo lifestyle changes to manage your blood sugar levels, sometimes it takes just 10 minutes to do it. How?
According to experts, a 10-10-10 rule – a simple, science-backed way to help control your diabetes – works wonders.
Doctors say not only does it help regulate your sugar levels, but it also helps balance other aspects of your health if you are a diabetic – encourage mindful eating, boost insulin response, and support better self-care. Backed by studies, the routine is super easy to follow and has realistic steps that help you control your health.
What is the 10-10-10 rule?
Designed to help regulate blood glucose naturally, the 10-10-10 method offers a practical, medication-free way to flatten those post-meal spikes.
According to experts, this rule is a great lifestyle intervention that involves taking three 10-minute walks throughout the day – one after each main meal – breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It helps reduce postprandial or after-meal blood glucose spikes by activating muscles to use glucose more efficiently. The easy-to-follow method mostly focuses on light-to-moderate physical activity, which is done shortly after eating, and so can help those with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, or those aiming to prevent glucose dysregulation.
Experts believe that, unlike high-intensity workouts, this technique helps encourage small and sustainable movements that can easily fit into your daily schedules. However, what is important is the emphasis on timing – walking within 15 to 20 minutes after meals – which sets it apart from general exercise recommendations that are given for the same task.
How do post-meal walks regulate blood sugar levels?
As you finish eating – especially a meal loaded with carbohydrates – your blood glucose levels begin to rise. In those without diabetes, insulin manages this spike. But if you have type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, the response often becomes sluggish, leading to prolonged hyperglycemia, which damages nerves, blood vessels, and organs over time.
So, when you follow the 10-10-10 method, your muscles become the body’s largest glucose sink. During a walk, muscles begin to contract and actively absorb glucose from the bloodstream, which is independent of insulin. This immediate uptake of glucose helps flatten the spike that follows a meal, and even two to three minutes of light activity after meals significantly improves blood glucose profiles. As opposed to waiting for medications to kick in, doctors say walking works in real time, also supporting your heart health, regulating digestion, and even improving insulin sensitivity over time.
Most endocrinologists across the world are now recommending this method, especially for older adults or those who have difficulty performing exercises. Even carers can incorporate these walks into patient routines, making it a versatile strategy.
How to follow the 10-10-10 rule?
According to experts, it is easy to adopt the 10-10-10 rule, which does not need any major life changes, other than being proactive. You can begin by setting a reminder 15 minutes after you finish your meals. Thereafter, take a walk at a comfortable pace – aiming for around 1,000 steps in each 10-minute session. A few practical strategies include:
- Walk around the house while talking on the phone.
- Head to a local park or even just around the block.
- Turn on music to make it enjoyable.
- Take along a friend, family member, or pet for accountability.