After you eat, the body will respond to digest and absorb the nutrients in that meal. Fats are broken down into fatty acids, and delivered to the liver, which then are redistributed throughout the blood in lipoprotein carriers[5]. These changes to fatty acids in the blood after a meal are known as postprandial lipemia, and are often associated with increased markers of inflammation⁵. Additionally, insulin is released from the pancreas after a meal to help manage the rise in blood sugars associated with the foods we eat. For many Americans, insulin is working to send the glucose from our blood into our stored body fat, which can further add to an inflamed state in the body.

Going for a walk, however, can provide relief for the body’s post-meal inflammatory response. One of my favorite articles is a review published in 2011, titled, The anti-inflammatory effects of exercise: Mechanisms and implications for the prevention and treatment of disease. In it, the authors describe how physical activity has both immediate, and long-term benefits to balance inflammation in the body[6]. Going for a brief, 10 – 20 minute walk around the block after dinner can also help to support our body’s insulin response. When our muscles contract, they help the glucose in our blood to enter our muscle and liver, rather than our stored body fat. Also,  going on a nice little walk after a meal can give your family more time to talk about their day and helps to reinforce memorable, healthy and fun habits. And it never hurts to get a little break from the television!

As children grow, they go through different phases of development. One of the body systems that has recognizable stages of change is the nervous system. This is identifiable in how a toddler, a young child, a pre-adolescent, and an adolescent would look if they were all running side-by-side. You can see how a little kid will awkwardly stomp around, compared to a young teenager who can more efficiently control their muscles. Soccer is an example of a sport, in which there are lots of variations of control and development of the nervous system[7]. This is called motor development and control. Running around can sure stimulate a lot of healthy outcomes, but chasing a soccer ball on a field takes the act of running to the next level with the quick forward, backward and lateral movements. Going to the park with the family and kicking a soccer ball around is a great way to enjoy a sunny day, teach the kids about good sportsmanship, and sneak in some physical activity!

What do you do if it’s rainy outside and you can’t go for your family walk, or kick the soccer ball around? It’s always good to have some indoor activities up your sleeve, and one of the most fun and accessible things you could do with your family is to turn on some music and dance around. Whether you have a fun dancing video game that awards points to your stylin’ moves, or you simply turn on a radio and start moving—dancing is, believe it or not, a great way to exercise! In a 2014 study looking at recreational ballroom dance, dancing to a handful of songs until 30-minutes passed was a sufficient volume of exercise to match the fitness guidelines for American adults, even if you’ve never danced before[8]! Furthermore, dancing is reported to be so fun that it has one of the highest compliance criteria for people who start, and stick with a fitness program⁸.

Our goal here at Natural Grocers is to encourage healthy lifestyles and social responsibilities. With the obesity epidemic so rampant, and with its long-term economic and healthcare sustainability concerns, we encourage everyone to seek out ways to be the examples to friends, family and communities to eat right and lead an active life.  Be sure to swing by your local Natural Grocers and speak with your Nutritional Health Coach to customize a plan that’s right for you and your family!