HEALTH/RESEARCH
Haven’t you Heard, ‘Sitting is the New Smoking
Dr. James Levine a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic coined this phrase, so here’s the latest research
I have to admit I’m like everyone else when it comes to information like this. I may read it, but then I want to ignore it. But since I want to maintain my health, if not improve it, I have to face the fact that I’m just like most people as I spend many hours a day sitting. Because of this, I’ve decided I must crawl out of my comfortable state of denial and face the facts.
Did you know that we all have a couple of tendencies. 1st, we want to be affirmed and NOT informed. 2nd, when we stumble over an inconvenient, uncomfortable truth, we tend to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and act like it never happened. Okay now you’ve been forewarned…(Provided by Mr. Pam)
Over 25% of American adults sit for more than 8 hours everyday. 44% of these people get little to no exercise. (I’m in this category)
The average American watches approximately 3 hours of tv everyday. (Totally me)
The average American is active less than 20 minutes everyday. (I’m working on changing this).
60–75 minutes of moderate activity (steady walking) can counter the effects of too much sitting. — “BINGO.”
Isn’t this is the worst time of year to have to face these statistics?
It’s dark at 5 o’clock, it’s gray and dreary, and cold and windy most of the time. There’s nothing about our Fall’ weather that can entice me to go outside for a walk. So, what may happen if I don’t get off my keister which is parked in front of my laptop most of the day? Not to mention how I transfer it over to my recliner every evening after dinner for several hours of tv and cuddling with my buddy, Tucker. (I’m so bad)
A Mayo study documented 800K people and their sitting habits. The study found that people who sit the most have a greater risk of disease and death. They have:
112% increased risk of diabetes. (Ouch)
147% increased risk of cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes. (No thank you)
49% increased risk of death from any cause. (Say What)?
Well sh*t — This is grim! So I think I’ll get up and reheat my tea in the microwave. I hope this counts!
THE SCIENCE:
Here’s what happens when we spend too much time sitting:
Blood flow slows down. This allows fatty acids to build up in our blood vessels, leading to heart disease.
Sitting for extended periods of time regularly leads to insulin resistance which can cause type 2 diabetes and obesity — 2 major factors for heart disease.
A 2018' study found that 82% of people who suffer from blood clots, sat for a significantly greater amount of time than the remaining 18%.
Your body’s ability to process fats is slowed. *When we sit, our body’s production of lipoprotein (an enzyme essential for breaking down fat) drops by 90%. When our body cannot break down fat, it is stored instead.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
Set a time: Get up every hour and MOVE — Stand, walk around, stretch. There are phone apps we can download to help remind us.
Watch our posture: Poor posture leads to bone damage, decreased blood flow, fatigue, and loss of muscle strength. SO sit up straight, shoulders back, chin tucked, and your stomach pulled towards your spine in order to keep muscles engaged, bones aligned, and circulation flowing.
Take a stand: Try opting for a standing desk. These have been proven to increase brain function, creativity, and productivity. I don’t know how many seniors can do this, but I’m sure it’s worth a try.
Work it out: Commit to exercising every. single. day. Sign up for a fitness class or take a walk on your lunch break. Choose a parking spot further away because every minute of physical activity counts. (I’m hitting the treadmill at least 4 days a week for 15–20 minutes at present).
Although researches say it’s really not a good comparable to pit sitting against smoking, they report they are both extremely unhealthy habits, which lead to almost the same bad outcomes.
Thank you for reading and thoughtful writing everyone!