Diabetes has been my concern for a while now and I have been meaning to know many methods that can help with it as, without proper management it can lead to many health problems like stroke or heart diseases. Although you can suffer from diabetes due to many reasons such as being overweight, having an unhealthy lifestyle, or due to genetic factors. However, proper care is needed in all cases.
I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and this type of diabetes is known to affect the use of insulin by the body. The body no longer responds to the insulin in the same manner and it is said to be the most common type of diabetes. Some health institutes suggest that it has a link with obesity and obese people develop the problem easily.
All doctors and nutritionists mostly suggest making some changes in the daily routine that promotes weight loss and overall better health and it was no different for me. After being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes I consulted a nutritionist who made a diet chart for me according to my needs and recommended me to work out for at least 5 times a week as burning more calories is beneficial to lower blood sugar levels. However after a few months, I started having a problem in working out as a restricted diet lowered my energy levels and it was getting difficult to workout efficiently.
After this problem, I discovered that mindful walking can be beneficial for diabetes and helps to improve the condition. At first, I was not sure that mindful walking can be effective as only a few calories are burned during the activity and I believed that it is necessary to workout daily for at least 30 minutes to see results. But slowly as I started practicing mindful walking I started understanding why it is effective. As I practiced walking without thinking about my past or my future and simply observed the surroundings around me. It helped me regain my energy and gradually I started spending more time doing this.
Mindful walking has many benefits like reduced stress and fatigue, helps to relax, helps you feel energized, brings positivity, and many more. Adding mindful walking to my routine made me realize the power of being positive and carrying out positive practices which helped to include other activities like yoga in my lifestyle. Also, I read a research article on mindful walking and meditation in which they observed two groups of people who had type 2 diabetes, one group practiced mindful walking along with meditation and light exercises and the other group only did workout for around 40 minutes. It was observed for 3 months and then their body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, insulin, fasting blood glucose were compared to the measurements taken before the observation started. After comparing the results it was seen that both groups had improved fasting blood glucose and many other health issues. Hence it was seen that even without practicing mindful walking there were improvements. However, people who practiced mindful walking improved blood pressure, vascular health, glycemic control, and stress levels as well. These results from the observation highlight many benefits of practicing mindful walking. It also helped me to improve the effectiveness of my workout sessions by managing stress levels and thus promoting mental as well as physical wellness. This made my workout sessions more enjoyable for me thereby improving the results and it can be practiced to aid in any disease due to its many benefits.
Other than these benefits there are many other positive points that support mindful walking. However, to gain all these benefits it is necessary to practice it in the long term.
- It is a good way to promote blood circulation, especially to the legs. Many of us get busy with work and sit for straight 4-5 in order to complete the work. In such cases, it is beneficial to promote blood flow to the legs.
- It not only helps in managing stress but also anxiety. Since anxiety begins due to continuous stress and mindful walking helps in managing stress thus it also helps to avoid anxiety.
- It helps in easy digestion. Many people suffer from poor digestion and are advised to take a walk after having their meal in order to digest the food easily. Walking when combined with mindfulness is even more beneficial for health.
- It can alleviate mood and fights depression by reducing its symptoms as walking helps us to appreciate the simple fact of existence, nature, and our surrounding thus providing comfort.
- It can be beneficial for people who have trouble sleeping easily and ends up waking exhausted as it helps you to manage your emotions and reduces muscle tension which promotes sound sleep.
- It improves decision making by giving clarity of thoughts. Having a clear mind while making a decision helps to understand the pros and cons of the decision better thus resulting in a rational decision.
- It helps you to be mindful of your thoughts thus improving creativity. A positive mind only thinks of productive thoughts which in turn leads to better problem-solving skills.
- It helps you to realize the importance of being connected to your surroundings and nature thus promoting coordination with nature which helps you to make better choices that are not harmful to the environment.
I took many things into consideration while practicing mindful walking such as staying in the present moment, no matter what I did I tried to stay in the moment. While cooking, walking, and even while doing my other daily chores I focused on my breathing and my surroundings. This helped me to realize how blissful these simple activities can be as compared to when I did all this work in a rush. Many times slowing down a little can also be beneficial because as we slow down we can see the tension leaving our body and muscles gradually losses the stiffness. It also helps in regulating our heartbeat and improves the efficiency of our work. All these practices when combined can give us positive results can prevent symptoms of many other health issues as well. Overall these practices gradually helped me in improving my quality of life so much that many people noticed these changes and wonder how I started being all calm and collected most of the time. I feel elated to assist other people whether they suffer from diabetes or not to practice mindful walking on a daily basis. You can also assist a professional practitioner to carry out the practice correctly and enjoy some company that can be a positive influence. As for me, I joined a yoga club where they not only practiced mindful walking but also practiced seated meditation. Joining the club helped to be consistent in my practice and I was exposed to a great company of people who all believed in the benefits of mindfulness and had a positive outlook. I will always be grateful for trying out mindful walking and then believing in it that helped me in having a new vision to see things differently where I try to find positivity in almost everything and enjoy every moment of my life.