A Walk after Dinner in Philadelphia, PA

Good for the mind, body, and other jawn.

Did you know that walking after a meal has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels, aid digestion, stimulate peristalsis, and help prevent weight gain? Have you ever noticed how taking a walk clears the mind while providing stimulation, socialization, and time for reflection? Did you also know that despite the constant feed of violent carnage on the local news, Philadelphia is one of the country’s most walkable cities? It’s quite safe to walk downtown well into the evening. The news stations trade in fear, so much so that many people think of my city as some kind of post-apocalyptic war zone where votes should not be counted. Some ask me how families could even live here.

And so I invite you to take a walk with me, as I did tonight around 9 PM. I ate late. We’ll just walk a mile and half together, far enough to make it to Independence Hall and back. How cool is that? But before we leave it’s important to get the medical discussion accomplished.

Walking, particularly 30 minutes after a meal, is good for our health. In fact, studies have shown that as few as 2 minutes of walking can be beneficial, while 15-30 minutes are better. Consider these benefits:

• Walking helps blood sugar regulation, improves digestion, reduces bloating, increases peristalsis, aids constipation, lowers blood pressure, burns calories, elevates mood, clears the mind, provides opportunities for socialization, and improves sleep.

There is truth in the saying: “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.” Research has shown that our cells become more insulin resistant as the day goes on, and our pancreases more sluggish. Less insulin sensitivity, combined with less circulating insulin, combined with dinner being the largest meal of the day can all add up to metabolic dysfunction and high blood sugars.

Fortunately, muscles are like big sinks for glucose. About 80% of the glucose that is taken up from the blood goes into muscle, especially when we are moving. That’s also why movement after eating is important. Brett McKay, founder and editor of the men’s health podcast/magazine called The Art of Manliness, shared this personal anecdote:

That an after-dinner walk also effectively blunts glucose for people without diabetes is something to which I can personally attest. I used a continuous glucose monitor a few months ago (while I don’t have diabetes, I was interested in tracking my blood sugar), and it was interesting to see the effect post-dinner movement had on my glucose. My blood sugar would usually start rising around 45 minutes after eating. If I did nothing, it would continue to rise and take two hours to return to normal. But if I took a walk after dinner, my glucose levels wouldn’t rise as high, and they’d get back to normal in just 45 minutes — less than half the typical time.

I don’t walk after most meals, but I wish I did.

Let’s do that now at least.

We walk past kids playing at 8:45 PM on a Tuesday night in South Philly, with a softball game in the background.

The sounds from kids playing on a playground are joyful, and just might be the true measure of a community’s potential for happiness.

See the barber’s pole, shining like a beacon? See the open door? It’s almost 9 PM, and we can walk in and get a hair cut. It’s not feeling like the war zone portrayed by the evening news, is it?

Here’s that softball game, with some of the Philadelphia skyline in the background. Our muscles are really loosening up now, and our brains are feeling inspired by the grandeur of the skyscrapers, and the team spirit.

There’s Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation’s first. That’s right, both Benjamins Franklin and Rush were big deals there. This building is old and historic. But inside the newer buildings some of the world’s best Ob-Gyn’s are delivering babies all day and night. Its grueling, exhilarating, necessary work.

Respect. Much respect.

Punch buggy yellow.

No punch backs.

Ouch.

Performing upper body swinging movements also promotes blood flow and better glucose uptake in the muscles of the arms and core.

We’re almost halfway through our walk. It’s only 3,000 steps total, but that’s still better than the couch, right? Here we have the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier of the American Revolution in Washington Square. The inscription reads:

Freedom is a light for which many men have died in darkness.

Freedom means your vote counting, your choice being respected, and your pursuit of happiness being what creates happiness… all while ideally bending the arc of the moral universe a bit more towards justice.

It’s good to see other people eating later than us. They are outside enjoying a beautiful night. They aren’t scared, and neither is that dog. It’s patiently waiting for a treat, or a chance to share an amusing vignette with the family.

Let’s step inside the Curtis Building real quick. This hidden masterpiece, a mosaic mural made of Tiffany glass pieces, was designed and created by Maxfield Parrish. The Dream Garden.

Incredible, right? We can just walk in at 9:08 PM and appreciate it for free. Art has to be good for our mental health.

Alright, I agree. Let’s pick up the pace now.

The Liberty Bell. It was in an underground bunker of sorts after 9/11/2001. Now it’s displayed proudly and without architectural signs of fear. Remember that.

Not a bad walk, right? Still feeling good? A few burps? Well, it happens, and might be one of the downsides of walking after dinner for some.

There’s Independence Hall across the street. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I really love this preamble: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

That ambulance is not coming for us. Not yet. Let’s turn around and head back, OK? Let’s pick up the pace a bit more.

Looks like the American Philosophical Society Museum is closed. It is 9:22 PM after all. But who knew that they are running a special exhibit celebrating 300 years of women in science? Let’s go soon! More inspiration!

People just walk right past this spot without knowing what it’s all about. I’ll just quote Visit Philadelphia for us:

Walk on hallowed ground at Mother Bethel AME Church, the mother church of the nation’s first black denomination.

Founded in 1787, the church rests upon the oldest parcel of land in the United States continuously owned by African-Americans.

The church memorializes Rev. Richard Allen, its founding pastor and first bishop.

A basement crypt serves as a museum, housing Allen’s tomb and other intriguing artifacts, including original pews, the original pulpit constructed and used by Rev. Allen, old ballot boxes used to elect church officers, and muskets from when Allen raised black troops during the War of 1812.

We’re walking past Philadelphia Magic Gardens, and home of Isaiah Zagar, famed mosaic mural artist. Not as spectacular as Maxfield Parrish in my opinion, but very Philly. During the daytime this place shimmers like a thousand pieces, with so many Instagram photos being snapped it’s practically a live feed.

This curly willow tree is practically hugging the cars parked beneath it! They say Philly is the city of brotherly love. Even the trees hug you back here, and despite what you see on the evening news, communities are thriving and the walking is good. Thanks for walking with me tonight!

It’s good for our bellies, hearts, minds, and other jawn. At least 181 studies have investigated this, with most finding health benefits.

So let’s consider taking a walk through all our neighborhoods more frequently, too. I hope you have more crickets and stars than here, but those are among the tradeoffs. And if walking is too difficult, painful, or tiresome, we can try to keep moving after meals somehow, someway.

It’s better than watching the evening news.