Is Sitting the New Smoking

by Tina Sprinkle, posted in Health and Wellness


Many thanks to my friends Michelle Davidson and Joel Nichols for welcoming me every other Thursday morning to discuss what we can do each day to be proactive, healthy,  and happy!   I am so grateful for the opportunity to share!

 

Is Sitting the New Smoking?

This caption was coined by research scientist Dr. James Levine at the Mayo Clinic.  He found the health risks of sitting to be so devastating you might want to stand up while you read this post!

 

The average American is sitting 60% of their waking day (or 9.5 hours) between work and TV time.  But at what cost?

 


Health Risks of Sitting too much

Increases your risk for cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke by a staggering  90% to 125%! This is because sitting suppresses enzymes on the body that utilize fat for energy and reduces LLP1 a key gene that prevents blood clotting and reduces inflammation.  This results in more fat circulating in the blood and less activity to manage it.  And it begins the moment you sit down.

 

Doubles your risk for developing diabetes.
People who sit too much have enzyme changes in the muscles that increase sugar levels and interrupt healthy insulin response.  Over time, prolonged sitting interrupts healthy metabolic processes and may lead to insulin insensitivity, weight gain and type two diabetes.

 

Increases your risk for cancer.
Research shows that sitting more than 6 hours per day significantly increases your risk for developing breast, colon, lung and prostate cancer.
Overall mortality increases by nearly 50% 
Studies show that chronic sitters die earlier than those who don’t sit as much.  And don’t get smug about exercising away all those health risks at the end of the day.  Researchers say the same enzymes and genes that are so sensitive to sitting, are simultaneously resistant to exercise.  Studies show that even the highest level of exercise has no effect on reversing the damage of sitting.  So what do we do?  The only cure is to get up and move every 30 minutes.

 

Helpful tips to avoid sitting too long 

  • Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to get up and move every 30 minutes
  • Walk while you are talking on the phone.
  • Invite your clients to walking meetings.
  • Sit less when you get home.  Don’t just plop down on the couch.
  • Invest in a standing or treadmill desk
  • Sit on a stability ball at work so you can bounce or move at your desk.  The ball provides enough instability that your body is constantly having to make small movement adjustments and use your core muscles to sit up straight.
  • Do some of the exercises recommended in this video.
Movement is a critical component of your optimal health so become mindful today of how much you really are sitting.  Then take it a step further and think about what you are eating and how much you are (or are not) sleeping.
 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *