Day 4: Do Your Know About Your "Blood Sugar Muscle?" 🍂

Welcome to Day 4 of the Colors of Change experience! Today, we’re going to talk about movement after meals, which is one of the best ways to support your overall health, especially for managing blood sugar. Most of the diseases and chronic conditions we all don't want can be connected to a breakdown of our metabolism and blood sugar control. So keeping our blood sugar balanced is a powerful goal. 

First and foremost, if you can take a walk after eating, that’s the best option for your body and brain health. Remember from Day 1, walking, especially when you swing your arms, creates a rhythmic movement that not only helps lower blood sugar but also engages your nervous system in a way that benefits your brain and calms your body. Walking is a full-body activity that helps your muscles absorb glucose more effectively, boosts circulation, and can even reduce stress. And there's really nothing quite like taking a walk through crunchy, colorful leaves!

If walking isn’t possible, doing a few squats is an amazing alternative.

Squats are a foundational movement that strengthens your lower body while helping regulate blood sugar. They engage large muscle groups and keep your legs, glutes, and core strong, supporting long-term mobility and metabolic health.

But if neither walking nor squats is available—don’t worry, you still have another powerful option that we are talking about today: calf raises!

Calf raises are incredibly discreet and can be done almost anywhere—whether you’re sitting in a car, standing in line, or at your desk. They’re an amazing tool to add to your wellness routine, helping you manage blood sugar while improving circulation and lymphatic drainage.

Two Major Benefits of Calf Raises

1. Lymphatic Health: Your lymphatic system clears waste and toxins from your body, and it relies on movement—particularly muscle contractions—to work effectively. Calf raises activate your leg muscles, which act like pumps to push lymph fluid through your body, supporting lymphatic drainage and boosting your immune system. It helps get the fluid from the bottom of your body back up to your heart. 

2. Blood Sugar Regulation: Not only do calf raises support your lymphatic system, but they also help to lower blood sugar levels. When muscles contract, they draw glucose from the bloodstream to use as energy, which can improve insulin sensitivity and help manage blood sugar spikes.  Recent research highlights the soleus pushup (calf raises) as a powerful tool for blood sugar control, as its contraction helps muscles absorb glucose from your blood without relying heavily on insulin, which is particularly important during prolonged sitting or inactivity. The study found that while using all of the body’s 600 muscles contributes to blood sugar regulation, the soleus, located in your calf, is uniquely effective in promoting glucose uptake and doesn't fatigue easily (there's some nerdy science behind what makes it special). 

This makes calf raises a perfect tool for blood sugar control when other strategies, like taking a walk or making a specific food choice, aren't possible.  So effective, in fact, that we think the soleus (or your calf) could be called your "blood sugar muscle" too. It's that effective!

By regularly activating the soleus with a calf raise even during when you are sitting, you can boost your circulation and improve glucose metabolism—making it a promising, newer discovery for managing blood sugar levels and overall cardiovascular health. This gives you an accessible and effective way to improve metabolic health during busy days when structured exercise isn’t possible.

It's such good news: life is crazy, but calf raises are something you can do practically ANYWHERE—whether you’re sitting on a train, standing in line, or waiting for an elevator, working at your desk, sitting in a meeting—seriously, practically anywhere! It’s a small movement with a big impact, and it can fit into your day without adding extra time or stress.

How to Do a Calf Raise

STANDING

1. Stand up straight with your feet about hip-width apart.
2. Slowly lift your heels high off the ground, rising onto the balls of your feet. (That's all the way up! No half raises on your calf raises ; ) 
3. Hold for a second, then slowly lower your heels back to the floor.
4. Repeat for as many repetitions as you have time for, making sure to keep your movement controlled and steady.

SITTING (on a train, at a desk, etc.):

1. Place your feet flat on the floor.
2. Press the balls of your feet into the ground and slowly lift your heels all the way up, letting your toes bend, fully engaging your calf muscles.
3. Hold briefly before lowering your heels back to the floor, repeating 10-15 times.

A FEW NOTES ON FORM:

1. Avoid rolling around in your ankles. You want to drive straight up through the center of your foot.
2. Your toes should be right under your knees, not out in front. 
3. Feel the calf muscle contracting (shortening) and doing the work, not another muscles. 

When Calf Raises Work Best: After Meals

While calf raises are great at any time, they’re most powerful after meals, especially when you know you’ll be sedentary or you had a high amount of carbs. Doing calf raises after eating helps manage post-meal blood sugar spikes, which is crucial for supporting your metabolism. If you can’t take a walk or do squats, calf raises offer you an easy, effective solution that you can never forget to bring with you! 

The Big Picture: This Changes Everything

Whether you're focusing on blood sugar control or improving circulation, the small movement of calf raises can do more than you think! They’re the perfect fallback when other activities like walking or squats aren’t possible. This small change can make a big impact on your long-term health, and it’s one of the many tools we’re giving you to make wellness accessible, even on your busiest days.

Take care, keep moving, and we’ll see you tomorrow for more simple changes that can make a big difference!

Be well,

Jennifer and Heather 

P.S. - Had you heard this? Does the research on the calf muscles mighty power surprise you? How did it feel when you tried it? 

P.S.S. - If you have any questions or feedback on Day 1 -4, hit reply and let us know! We're here to support you 🍂❤️