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It's in the news again after several months on the shelf. In today's world, you probably spend lots of time sitting. It may be the nature of your life. Unhappily, the world of science has discovered a world of hurt for those that spend lots of time sitting, especially as you age. You need to protect yourself so that you can enjoy the benefits of better health.
As you read this text, you are likely to be sitting now. Continually sitting is likely to be much riskier than previously considered. Researchers have discovered that sitting shuts down the circulation an enzyme called lipase, which is responsible for absorbing blood borne fat. Standing up engages muscles, while promoting the circulation of lipase. When you are standing, fat is absorbed into muscle tissues, ready for use. Otherwise, serum cholesterol and fats simply circulate in the blood, either stored as fat or creating disease. Standing prompts your body to process fat and cholesterol. The effect of standing is relevant regardless of the amount of time that you exercise.
What makes sitting a danger? Most people are unaware that sitting continually is a health hazard. Millions of people in modern society spend huge amounts of time sitting, which destroys the ability of millions of people to burn fat when they are sitting. Increasing numbers of adults in the United States have metabolic syndrome, which causes diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Modern society simply sits too much to maintain a reasonable level of health.
Choosing to stand instead of sitting is a wise choice, which can be applied broadly to your lifestyle. Try standing instead of sitting at a desk. The corporate lifestyle that so many have adopted has contributed heavily to huge health issues across the board. Limit sitting time by taking frequent breaks at work to stand and walk around. Stand up while talking on the phone, even when watching TV.
The act of standing helps to shrink your waistline, burning extra calories every hour. Standing strengthen muscles and because of the lipase effect, your HDL and "good cholesterol" levels can be improved by 22 percent. Standing helps to reduce blood sugar and the symptoms that go along with diabetes.
A major concern when sitting continually is blood circulation in your body, especially in your legs. Your arteries have an inner layer of muscle that can be damaged. Plaque forms, which eventually leads to bulges in the artery wall. The muscle wall can rupture, creating major artery damage, as well as the narrowing of blood vessels. All of this can be reduced or reversed through preventive measures with a natural diet like I discuss on this website as well as reasonable activity.
Another condition that results from sitting in front of a computer all the time is related to deep vein thrombosis, where blood clots form in deep veins, such as those in the legs. This condition is known as e-thrombosis. These clots can be fatal if they migrate to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism. Clots can form when blood supply slows or stops, such as in a period of prolonged immobility. In the same way, e-thrombosis is the development of clots in the deep veins of someone who spends long amounts of time in front of a computer without moving.
Although only a handful of e-thrombosis cases have been reported, millions of people who spend most of their time in front of a computer are at risk. Avoiding e-thrombosis is simple. Stand up and move around every hour, tap your toes while you work, put equipment and supplies in different parts of your work area so you have to move to get them, don't cross your legs while sitting at your desk, don't spend your lunch break at your desk and don't get too comfortable. When at work, go for a walk at lunch. When your workspace is too cozy, you won't want to get up. A comfortable seat, desk and office doesn't resolve the risk of thrombosis.
A lack of exercise, continually sitting, an unstructured daily schedule, and fewer responsibilities also leave older persons at increased risk for disease and live-changing insomnia. Additional risk factors are illnesses such as heart and lung diseases, depression and dementia, as well as chronic pain. All these are common among older adults. A lot of this can be avoided by doing more standing and weight-bearing exercise. What is a good start? It can as simple as standing for one to two hours daily while you are at your computer.
News on MSNBC dated July 23, 2010
