{"id":145675,"date":"2025-05-31T02:32:19","date_gmt":"2025-05-31T02:32:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/145675\/"},"modified":"2025-05-31T02:32:19","modified_gmt":"2025-05-31T02:32:19","slug":"what-is-the-2-per-20-rule-to-stabilise-blood-sugar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/145675\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the ‘2 per 20’ rule to stabilise blood sugar?"},"content":{"rendered":"

It often gets difficult to find time to work out in our busy lives. However, if you want to age well and stay disease-free, experts urge you to be physically active<\/strong><\/a> throughout the day \u2014 including at work. But how? By following the \u20182 per 20\u2019 rule, which they suggest can play a significant role in stabilising blood sugar levels, even without formal exercise.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis simple yet effective strategy suggests that for every 20 minutes of sitting, whether working at a desk or watching TV, you should get up and move around for just two minutes. This movement can be as light as pacing the room, stretching<\/a><\/strong>, or taking a short walk. Research has shown that following this routine can reduce post-meal blood sugar levels by up to 25 per cent, which is a substantial improvement,\u201d said Dr Manisha Arora, director, internal medicine, CK Birla Hospital, Delhi<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Our muscles, particularly in the legs, are underutilised when we remain seated for extended periods. According to Dr Birali Swetha, chief dietician, Gleneagles Aware Hospital, LB Nagar, Hyderabad<\/a>, this slows down glucose uptake from the bloodstream, contributing to post-meal sugar spikes. \u201cBy standing or walking briefly every 20 minutes, muscle activity increases, promoting better glucose absorption and circulation,\u201d said Dr Birali.<\/p>\n

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Dr Arora also stressed that insulin levels can decrease by 25 percent, indicating better insulin sensitivity and reduced insulin resistance. \u201cThis approach is especially beneficial for prediabetic individuals or those in the early stages of diabetes, many of whom lead sedentary lifestyles<\/a><\/strong>, particularly office workers with limited time or motivation for exercise. The key lies in shifting the mindset and building awareness about how small, consistent movements throughout the day can have a big impact,\u201d said Dr Arora.<\/p>\n

\"workplace Take a break (Photo: Getty Images\/Thinkstock)<\/p>\n

Even subtle changes, such as taking 30 seconds to sit down slowly, can mimic the effect of taking 3\u20134 steps. \u201cThese micro-movements contribute to increased daily activity,\u201d Dr Arora said.<\/p>\n

\"Festive<\/a><\/p>\n

While it doesn\u2019t replace the benefits of structured exercise, like improved cardiovascular health and muscle strength, the \u201c2 per 20\u201d rule is a practical solution, particularly for busy individuals<\/a><\/strong> or those with limited mobility. \u201cCombined with a balanced diet, adequate hydration, and proper medication when required, this approach can contribute to better glycaemic control,\u201d said Dr Birali.<\/p>\n

DISCLAIMER:\u00a0This article is based on information from the public domain and\/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It often gets difficult to find time to work out in our busy lives. However, if you want…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":145676,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4322],"tags":[62693,34207,50651,1630,105,62695,4990,38632,7430,62694,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-145675","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-2-per-20-rule","9":"tag-blood-sugar-levels","10":"tag-blood-sugar-regulation","11":"tag-fitness","12":"tag-health","13":"tag-how-to-improve-blood-sugar-levels","14":"tag-indianexpress-com","15":"tag-insulin-sensitivity","16":"tag-physical-activity","17":"tag-sedentary-lifestyle","18":"tag-uk","19":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114600106185083889","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145675","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=145675"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145675\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/145676"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=145675"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=145675"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=145675"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}