NO BUTTS ABOUT IT – WE’RE SITTING OURSELVES TO DEATH

THE HEALTH HAZARDS OF SITTING

Hello Everyone! Welcome to WELLNESS WEDNESDAY and a discussion about the dangers of extended sitting.

We log long hours in the driver’s seat traveling from one place to another. We spend our days on computers, laptops and tablets. We binge and stream hours of television shows and movies. We play games, text and email until the wee hours of the morning.  Let’s face it. Between commuting, working and relaxing at home, we’ve gone way beyond the original “couch potato” of the last century to become a new millennia culture of professional butt sitters.

In fact, according to recent research, Americans are spending more time sitting than ever before. The last 50 years have seen an enormous increase in “sedentary lifestyles” and for that we have technology to thank.

You see, technology has introduced us to new modes of inactive transit, created an increase in sedentary jobs and has developed a plethora of activities that can all be done while sitting. It’s estimated that the sedentary job market has increased by a whopping 83 percent since the 1950s while physically active jobs have decreased 50 percent. Let’s also not forget the fact that the American work week is longer now with the typical American working about 47 hours each week, or 164 hours more each year than 20 years ago.

And, this all adds up to a lot of sitting and a sedentary lifestyle, which is defined as a “lifestyle where an individual does not receive regular amounts of physical activity.”

Now, the Center for Disease Control or the CDC considers proper “physical activity” to consist of a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 60 to 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each day. Along with most health professionals, the CDC also agrees that an ideal goal for fighting inactivity is to walk approximately 10,000 steps a day, which is the equivalent of 5 miles. Even 30 minutes of mild exercise split into mini “workouts” throughout the day will do wonders for our health.

And, this is good news indeed, because physical inactivity due to sitting has been shown to contribute to:

• An increase in certain cancers, including breast, endometrial and colon cancer.
• Anxiety and depression.
• A decrease in skeletal muscle mass and an increase in osteoporosis.
• Elevated cholesterol levels and high blood pressure.
• An increase in coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
• An elevated risk for developing obesity.

Yet, the most surprising and troubling thing about long-term physical inactivity due to sitting is that the resulting damage may not be reversible.

It appears that sitting is similar to smoking. Once the harm is done, it may be permanent. According to Dr. James A. Levine, an obesity expert at the Mayo Clinic, exercising properly each day and adopting a healthy diet may not be enough to counteract the harmful effects created by too much sitting. In fact, Dr. Levine has referred to sitting as the “new smoking” and that sitting behind a desk, commuting or relaxing on the couch at the end of the day is creating “the disease of our time.”

Yet, recognizing the problem is only part of our job. Now, we need to find ways to solve or alleviate the problem. And, here are 8 GREAT SUGGESTIONS for doing just that.

• Stand up during certain activities like talking on the phone or texting.
• Every thirty minutes take a break from sitting and stand up.
• Place your work surface, computer and keyboard above a treadmill and walk while you work.
• Engage in simple stretches or exercises while sitting at your desk or taking a conference call.
• Walk in place while watching television commercials at home.
• If possible, use the stairs instead of the elevator wherever you go.
• Stand up while doing household chores like folding laundry.
• Replace the horizontal desk at your home or office with a vertical desk.

Yes, this all sounds very simple. But, sometimes it’s the simple things we do in life that make the greatest difference.

Moreover, even leisurely movement throughout our day will help us burn more calories, increase our energy, maintain our muscle tone and keep our minds agile and sharp.

So, try a few of these tips over the next week. Sit just a little bit less, move just a little bit more and improve your overall health immensely!

Thanks again for joining me everyone. Until next time, stay in GOOD HEALTH and . . .

TAKE THE COURSE AND TAKE CHARGE!