Did you explode your calorie counter at lunch? So go do a little walk. Not only will this help you digest, but it will also protect your heart from cardiovascular disease, according to researchers at Kyoto Prefectural University.
After a meal that is too high in fat, the level of lipids in the blood increases, which tends to increase the level of triglycerides in the blood. However, too high a rate of these lipids (more than 2g per liter of blood) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Japanese researchers suggest that exercise after eating is beneficial because it speeds up the rate at which the body draws on fat, thereby reducing the level of lipids in the blood.
Several studies have already highlighted the effects ofregular physical exercise on reducing triglyceride levels. But few focused on the impact of exercise on triglycerides right after a meal.
Sport, yes, but within an hour of the meal!
This small study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise was made on a panel of ten men and women. Their triglyceride levels were measured over three days: a day when they exercised an hour before eating a large meal. A day when they exercise an hour after a meal that is too rich. On the third day, the volunteers did not exercise at all after the meal.
When people did not exercise after a large meal, their triglyceride levels rose above normal. On the other hand, when they exercised the triglyceride level was lower when the physical exertion was done one hour after one hour before the meal.
In contrast, six hours after eating, the triglyceride levels of all participants were equal regardless of whether they exercised or not.