Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects how the body processes blood glucose, also known as blood sugar. In diabetes, the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin or can’t effectively use the insulin it produces, leading to high blood sugar levels. Over time, high blood sugar levels can cause serious complications like heart disease, stroke, kidney damage, blindness and amputation.
With lifestyle modifications like diet, exercise and medication, diabetes can be managed. But can it actually be cured just by walking regularly? Let’s take a look at the facts.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes occurs in two main forms:
- Type 1 diabetes – The body does not produce enough insulin due to autoimmune destruction of pancreas cells that make insulin.
- Type 2 diabetes – The body becomes resistant to insulin, leading to insufficient insulin production.
Over 90% of diabetes cases are type 2. Both types cause high blood sugar and share complications, but important distinctions exist. Type 1 is an autoimmune disease requiring insulin treatment from diagnosis, while type 2 may be managed through lifestyle changes, at least initially.
Is there a cure?
Currently, there is no cure for diabetes. Treatment focuses on managing blood sugar levels to avoid complications.
For type 1 diabetes, insulin injections or pumps are always needed to survive. The underlying autoimmune condition cannot yet be reversed.
For type 2 diabetes, the disease is progressive but can enter remission through weight loss, nutrition and activity. Remission means blood sugar levels can stay normal without medication temporarily. But diabetes could come back, so remission is not a cure. Losing weight by walking daily may induce remission in some type 2 diabetics, but weight loss through other means like diet can also lead to remission.
Can walking cure diabetes?
Regular exercise like walking provides enormous health benefits for diabetics, but it cannot cure diabetes permanently on its own. Here is an overview of how walking impacts blood sugar in diabetes:
1. Walking lowers blood sugar
Going for regular walks is extremely beneficial for lowering high blood sugar in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Walking helps insulin work better. Muscle activity during walking allows cells to absorb glucose from the bloodstream, lowering glucose levels. Walking also makes the body more sensitive to insulin.
For type 1 diabetes, brisk walking for even 10 minutes reduces blood sugar for up to 2 hours. Longer, moderately intense walks can lower blood sugar for up to 24 hours.
In type 2 diabetes, walking after meals is especially helpful to lower the spike in blood sugar after eating. Post-meal walks help regulate glucose levels.
2. Walking alone cannot induce permanent remission
In type 2 diabetes specifically, regular exercise combined with a healthy diet and weight loss can lead to remission, a state where blood sugar levels stabilize without need for medication.
But walking alone is very unlikely to induce remission or “cure” someone of type 2 diabetes permanently. Weight loss of at least 10-15% body weight seems necessary to attain remission, along with nutrition changes and ongoing activity. For most overweight individuals, that level of weight loss will not happen through walking alone without dietary changes.
However, walking remains crucial for maintaining any remission achieved through weight loss. Continuing regular, brisk walks helps sustain normal blood sugar after remission.
3. Walking reduces risk of complications
While not a cure, walking significantly minimizes the risk of dangerous complications in both types of diabetics by:
- Improving insulin sensitivity and glucose control to prevent damage to blood vessels and nerves
- Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, reducing heart disease and stroke risk
- Reducing inflammation that can worsen diabetes progression
- Supporting weight loss to reduce strain on the cardiovascular system
For diabetics unable to achieve remission, walking remains one of the best ways to stay healthy and avoid developing disabling or deadly complications.
How much should you walk?
To manage diabetes, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends:
- At least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity like brisk walking
- Muscle-strengthening exercises at least 2 days per week
- More activity for weight loss, at least 300 minutes per week
Let’s look at how much walking that translates into:
Moderate walking – 30 minutes per day
For general diabetes health, aim for a brisk 30-minute walk 5 days per week. “Brisk” means walking fast enough to raise your heart rate and break a light sweat. This moderate pace provides excellent blood sugar control and cardiovascular benefits.
Build up gradually if new to exercise. Start with just 10-15 minutes at a time and increase weekly. Use a fitness tracker to monitor walking pace and distance.
More walking for weight loss
To lose weight through walking, steadily work up to 60 minutes per day 5 days per week, or a total of 300 minutes weekly. This amount of moderate-intensity walking supports clinically meaningful weight loss for overweight type 2 diabetics, especially alongside a calorie-controlled diet.
The key is sustaining the higher walking volume long-term and keeping nutrition on track to lower body weight and achieve remission.
Incorporate other activity too
While walking is tremendously beneficial, also aim to perform muscle-strengthening exercises at least 2 times per week per ADA guidance. Activities like weight-lifting help build and preserve muscle mass while losing weight. Maintaining lean muscle improves glucose metabolism.
Mixing up cardio workouts also helps. Add cycling, swimming or other aerobic activity into the mix when possible for variety.
Tips for walking with diabetes
Making walking a consistent habit is key to managing diabetes long-term. Here are some tips for getting started and maintaining a regular walking program:
Prep your feet
Take care of your feet by wearing supportive, well-fitted walking shoes and socks to avoid blisters or injuries to feet. Inspect feet closely before and after walking to catch any wounds early to prevent complications like infections.
Check blood sugar first
Know blood glucose levels before walking, especially if taking insulin or blood sugar lowering medication. Starting a walk with very low blood sugar below 70 mg/dL can lead to hypoglycemia. Have a carbohydrate snack first to prevent this.
Walk after meals
Schedule a 15-30 minute walk right after eating, especially after high-carb meals. Walking helps lower the spike in blood sugar following meals for better regulation.
Hydrate
Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water before, during and after walks. Dehydration directly worsens blood sugar control.
Mind the temperature
Avoid walking outdoors in very hot or cold temperatures as temperature extremes can affect blood sugar and cause hypoglycemia. Check blood glucose often if walking in temperature extremes.
Have glucose tabs
Carry fast-acting glucose tablets or snacks like gummies to treat low blood sugar. Consuming 15-20g of glucose will raise blood sugar if it drops too low while walking.
Spread walks out
Take multiple, shorter walks spread throughout the day rather than one long walk. This provides more sustained benefits for blood sugar management.
Be consistent
Walking daily or near-daily maintains the benefits. If needed, start with just 5-10 minute walks and increase time weekly. Some walking every day is better than longer, sporadic walks.
Conclusion
Regular walking provides powerful health advantages that help manage diabetes, but walking alone cannot permanently cure either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Still, daily walking remains one of the best ways for diabetics to improve insulin sensitivity, keep blood sugar under control and prevent devastating complications.
For type 2 diabetics, brisk walking combined with other lifestyle measures like diet can lead to remission by inducing weight loss. But permanent diabetes remission only happens in some individuals, and any remission achieved requires ongoing diligence with activity and nutrition to sustain. Regardless of remission, consistent walking habits provide lifelong benefits for all diabetics.
While not a cure, committing to regular walking and activity is a cornerstone of any diabetes treatment plan and tremendously helps diabetics live full, healthy lives. For managing diabetes, brisk daily walking provides unmatched benefits that everyone can gain.
References
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