Sitting is the new smoking

OUR ADDICTION to our chairs and sofas isn't just hurting us, it's literally killing us. The problem is so profound that it has spawned the meme, "sitting is the new smoking." It's a meme that the National Institutes of Health does not recommend as it promulgates direct comparisons of the health consequences of sitting and smoking. But  the threat of prolonged sitting  to our health and survival does exist and  the more so because it's able to hide in plain sight. Sitting passively on the chair or on the sofa is assumed to be our normal resting position and until results of  these research studies came out, we were in the dark about the harmful health consequences of our "addiction."

A great number of research studies by Mayo Clinic, Harvard Health and other prestigious research centers has linked prolonged sitting or other sedentary behavior to diabetes, poor heart health, weight gain, depression, dementia, and multiple cancers.

These studies show that the body has all kinds of negative reactions to sitting long periods. Prolonged sitting distorts human biochemistry so profoundly as it alters the normal function of blood vessels: blood flow to the legs is decreased and the body's sugar regulation and blood pressure are greatly impacted. A sedentary lifestyle that has been dubbed the "sitting disease" can lead to diabetes, heart attacks and several forms of cancer. One explanation is that prolonged sitting relaxes the largest muscles and when these muscles relax, they take up very little sugar ( glucose) from the blood, raising the body's risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Studies have examined whether the  health effects of sitting can be attenuated by physical activity.

As far as our biochemistry is concerned, moving is the opposite of sitting.  Thus, you can lower your risk of these conditions simply by standing and moving more, even if you already exercise.  That's because routine movement during the day adds on to those benefits. The importance of movement for health is so well-established that some doctors advise their patients to use sitting "in moderation,"  (aka, don't sit too much). Researchers analyzed thirteen studies of sitting time and activity levels. They found that those who sat for more than 8 hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to that posed by obesity and smoking. However, unlike some other studies, the analysis of data from more than a million people found that 60 to 75 minutes of moderately intense physical activity a day countered the effects of too much sitting. Other studies have found that for people who are most active, sitting time contribute little to their risk of death.

Overall, research seems to point the fact that less sitting and more moving contribute to better health. Everyday movement not only reduces your risk of major ailments, but also help burn more calories. The Mayo Clinic coined the term "non-exercise activity thermogenesis" to refer to the energy you burn through ordinary activities that you don't think of as exercise. These are activities such as fidgeting, carrying the laundry upstairs or to the yard to hang them up, dancing around the house to your favorite tune, or even standing while you talk on the phone. There's no need to work out like an Olympic athlete. A 15 to 20-minute walk accomplishes a lot when done regularly.

The impact of movement—even leisurely movement—can be profound: weight loss, increased energy, better muscle tone, improved mental health, in addition to dodging the harmful effects of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, non-alcoholic liver disease and some forms of cancer.

So... stand up and move around.

 

Noralyn Onto Dudt found out so many years ago that cleaning her 3 level-house, gardening, and an hour-daily walk can have a great impact on both the body and the mind.