Mankind has evolved over millenia to
MOVE. Our ancesters found movement necessary in order to survive,
but modern technology has changed all that. . .but not our bodies.
Many, if not most, of us lead very
sedentary lives even though we consider ourselves energetic. Sitting
at a desk eight hours a day or more is detrimental to our health in
many ways. Here are some startling statistics.
Sitting for long periods of time is
killing us, literally. Inactivity may lead to heart disease,
obesity, diabetes and a miriad of other diseases.
When you sit for long periods of time,
your body begins to shut down. Your fat burners turn off, your
metabolism and circulation slow down. You also may breath more
shallowly bringing in less oxygen (key to the function of the entire
body including the brain).
Exercise is key to avoiding these
symptoms, but 30 minutes to an hour 3 times a week may not be enough.
Many doctors today are suggesting that
you get up from your desk or chair every 30 minutes or so, stretch
and walk around for one to five minutes. This restores circulation,
improves the oxygen content of the blood and keeps muscles from
getting stiff. At my age, I guess I'm lucky. I'd like to sit for hours with my bead mat in my lap and not move, but my hip and back remind me often to get up! I've noticed that I haven't gained any weight over the winter this year as I used to to in the past when I could sit for hours.
Dr. Oz has even suggested removing the
chair from your desk and doing all your work standing. His office
doesn't have a chair in it. Of course depending on the positioning
of computer etc. this may not be feasable for you, but DO get up
often and MOVE.
Some of the information here was taken
from Womens
Health Magazine. There is much more information on the website.
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