Walk or vajrasana after meal: Nowadays lifestyle is enough to make people sick. If your first action as soon as you finish eating is to sit on the sofa or lie down on the bed, then it is time to change this habit of yours. Especially after a heavy meal, some people like to sit in Vajrasana, while some people consider walking ‘100 steps after meal’ to be better for digestion. Both methods are easy and do not require any special equipment. But the question is – which of the two is more beneficial for digestion?
According to experts, light physical activity after meals can be useful in terms of digestion and blood sugar management. At the same time, Vajrasana is a traditional yoga posture for sitting comfortably after meals. However, it would not be correct to call any one method the ‘most effective’ for all people.
What is the benefit of walking 100 steps after meal?
Walking at a light pace after eating is an easy way to keep the body active. Walking after meals causes the muscles to use glucose, which can help control the rise in blood sugar after eating. In some research, walking for a while after a meal has been linked to reducing the post-prandial blood glucose increase. Therefore, especially for people who sit for a long time, a light walk for a few minutes after meals can be a useful habit.
The thing to keep in mind is that ‘100 steps’ is not a magic number. The real benefit lies in starting light activities and avoiding sitting continuously for long periods of time.
Why is Vajrasana considered beneficial?
In Vajrasana one bends the knees and sits on the heels. In yoga tradition, this asana is considered to be done after meals. In this, the person sits quietly for some time, due to which the body gets rest instead of running around immediately after the meal. However, the claim that Vajrasana directly improves digestion or cures every problem like gas-acidity is not scientifically proven enough.
So which one is better?
If your goal is to manage blood sugar after meals and get some physical activity, a light walk after meals is a more practical option. At the same time, if you want to spend some time sitting comfortably after meals and your knees are healthy, then Vajrasana can be done in a comfortable manner. The most important thing is not to run fast, do difficult exercises or do heavy workouts immediately after meals. A light walk may be sufficient.
Who should take precautions?
Vajrasana may be uncomfortable for people with knee, hip or ankle problems. In case of dizziness, weakness or any other health problem, it is better to consult a doctor before walking after meals.