The Hazards of Sedentary Life

The World Health Organization estimates that 3.2 million people worldwide die prematurely each year due to a sedentary lifestyle.  In contrast, an active lifestyle improves one′s general health and decreases the risk of chronic diseases.

Sitting long hours in many typical work scenarios increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and metabolic health risks. This sedentary time may have musculoskeletal and/or cognitive impacts on office workers. Sitting (with a relatively low energy expenditure) has the potential to result in a decline of cognitive function over time.  It is known that exercise improves cognitive function.1

Why You Should Avoid Prolonged Sitting

• Work performance. Prolonged sitting is linked to longer times needed to do a task which results in lower work performance.

• Musculoskeletal. Long hours at the computer increase the incidence of neck and upper limb musculoskeletal problems.

• Blood clots. Extended sitting increases the risk of deep vein thrombosis. These dangerous blood clots develop in the legs and can break loose and fatally lodge in the lungs.

• Pain. Prolonged sitting can result in knee and lower back pain, and even increase the risk of osteoporosis.

• Cancer. Sedentary occupations are associated with a higher risk of developing some types of cancers, such as colorectal, ovarian, prostate, and endometrial cancer.

• Metabolism. Prolonged sitting periods are associated with increases in waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), triglyceride levels, and two-hour plasma glucose levels.

• Vision. As most of the excess sitting is the result of long hours daily on the computer or smartphones, the effects on vision can include:

  • Glaucoma. An increase in fluctuations in intraocular pressure (related to possible open-angle glaucoma).

  • Chronic Dry Eyes. Studies have shown that computer users tend to blink less which can lead to excessive dry eyes.

  • Macular Degeneration. “Blue light” emitted by computers, cell phone display screens, and fluorescent and LED lights can contribute to the onset of macular degeneration. These shorter wavelengths of visible light have high energy and, as a result, high-absorption rates by the retina. As a further consequence, AMD is developing at earlier and earlier ages due to the heavy use of cellphones and other electronic media.

Lifestyle Recommendations

As modern work-life often requires long hours of sitting and retirement often leads to less activity, there are a number of ways to limit the health side effects: Here are just a few.

1. Try to exercise 5 days a week, including at least 20 minutes per session of some form of aerobic exercise.

2. Take regular breaks every 30 minutes from the computer to move your body. Do some neck and back rolls. Take a nice walk during your lunch break. Even 6 minutes of fast work is good.

3. Take classes such as Gyrotonic, Pilates or Qigong to learn other modalities to learn to keep energy moving (or unblocked).

4. Eat a healthy diet high in vegetables and fruit, particularly berries. Avoid refined carbohydrates and sugar. Eat locally grown and organic.

5. Take regular breaks from the computer and do eye exercises and massage the acupressure points around your eyes.

References:

Olanrewaju O, Stockwell S, Stubbs B, Smith L. (2020). Sedentary behaviors, cognitive function, and possible mechanism in older adults: a systematic review. Aging Clin Exp Res. Jun;32(6):969-984. ↩

1. Hasegawa T, Inoue K, Tsutsue O, Kumashiro M. (2001). Effects of a sit-stand schedule on a light repetitive task. Int J In. Ergon. 2001;28:219–224. ↩

2. Gerr F, Marcus M, Ensor C, Kleinbaum D, Cohen S, et al. (2002). A prospective study of computer users: I. Study design and incidence of musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders. Am J Ind Med. Apr; 41(4):221-35. ↩

3. Wedro BM, FACEP, FAAEM. (2021) Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT, Blood Clot in the Legs). MedicineNet. ↩

4. Waheed SM, Kudaravalli P, Hotwagner DT. (2021). Deep Vein Thrombosis. StatPearls. ↩

5. Katella K. (2019). Why is Sitting so Bad for Us? Retrieved Dec 28 2021 from https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/sitting-health-risks ↩

6. Simons CC, Hughes LA, van Engeland M, Goldbohm RA, van den Brandt PA, et al. (2013). Physical activity, occupational sitting time, and colorectal cancer risk in the Netherlands cohort study. Am J Epidemiol. Mar 15;177(6):514-30. ↩

7. Friedenreich CM, Cook LS, Magliocco AM, Duggan MA, Courneya KS. (2010). Case-control study of lifetime total physical activity and endometrial cancer risk. Cancer Causes Control. Jul; 21(7):1105-16. ↩

8. Healy GN, Dunstan DW, Salmon J, Cerin E, Shaw JE. (2008). Breaks in sedentary time: beneficial associations with metabolic risk. Diabetes Care. 2008 Apr; 31(4):661-6. ↩

9. Ha A, Kim YK, Park YJ, Jeoung JW, Park KH. (2018). Intraocular pressure change during reading or writing on smartphone. PLoS One. 2018; 13(10): e0206061. ↩

10. Mehra D, Divy G, Anat MD. (2020). Digital Screen Use and Dry Eye: A Review. Asia-Pac J Ophthal. Nov-Dec; 9(6):491-497. ↩

11. Mendelsohn. (2018). Macular degeneration is occurring earlier and the culprit may surprise you. Ophthal Times. Mar 18. Retrieved Dec 28 2021 from https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/view/modern-medicine-feature-macular-degeneration-occurring-earlier-and-culprit-may-surprise-you. ↩
    

Never drink COLD water.

While a glass of ice water can sound incredibly refreshing, it turns out that there are a number of reasons why drinking cold water could be harmful in some cases and warm water has great benefits.

Cold water tends to interfere with a number of healthy bodily processes and can be detrimental to your well-being in the following ways:

• Cold water steals nutrients: The body’s natural temperature is 37 degrees Celcius. When you drink cold liquid, your body has to spend a large amount of energy to regulate your core temperature. This takes away from energy that is needed to digest food and absorb nutrients.

• It may cause a sore throat: Extremely cold water may cause respiratory mucus to build up, resulting in increased chance of infection causing sore throat.

• Increase risk of headache: According to a 2001 study, women who had experienced a migraine in the last year were twice as likely to trigger a headache by drinking cold water because of vascular constriction.

• Cold water may contain dirty ice: We recently reported that ice is often coated with bacteria and fungus. This often is true of your ice at home.

On the bright side, here are some of the amazing health benefits of drinking warm water:



Warm water provides pain relief

Drinking warm water can help prevent constipation.

Drinking warm or hot water has a soothing effect on the muscles of the abdomen. It can provide relief from menstrual and abdominal cramping, as well as muscle spasms.

Boosts your weight loss

By drinking a cup of hot water first thing in the morning, you can jump-start your metabolism. Warm water increases body temperature and increases the rate at which your metabolism burns calories.

Prevents premature aging

Drinking warm water helps to flush compounds from the body that can accelerate aging. It also improves skin elasticity by aiding in cellular repair.

Clears nasal and throat congestion

Hot water is a wonderful natural treatment for colds. It can naturally dissolve phlegm and clear your airways. It not only clears out nasal congestion, but it also soothes sore throat symptoms.

Prevents constipation

Hot water can help to maintain bowel movement regularity. Dehydration is a frequent cause of recurring constipation problems. The movement of the bowel slows down as it fills up. Hot water can finish breaking down food remnants and flush them through the intestines.

Aids your digestive process

It is believed that drinking cold water during a meal might promote hardening of oils in the food and lead to a fat deposit in the intestine. As previously noted, warm water boosts metabolism and aids the digestive process.

Detoxifies your body

Drinking hot water naturally raises body temperature. As the body temperature rises it activates the process of sweating, which flushes toxins out of the body through the pores of the skin. The extra hydration also helps the function of the kidneys to flush waste material out of the body, along with toxins.

Improves your outlook

According to Dr. Michael Wald, the director of Nutritional Services at Integrated Medicine and Nutrition in Mount Kisco, New York, consuming hot water activates receptors found in the stomach, esophagus, intestines and mouth. This stimulates pleasure regions of the brain.

Maintains balance in the body

Practitioners of Chinese Medicine believe that drinking warm water that is close to the temperature of the body maintains balance. They believe that extremes of either hot or cold throw off the body’s yin and yang. Imbalances are believed to be responsible for symptoms like chills, depression, thirst, “foggy” thinking, sleepiness, bloating and more.

Enhances blood circulation

Drinking warm water breaks down fat deposits that are present in the body and blood stream. The warmth increases the flow of blood circulation and promotes the removal of toxins. The increased circulation induces muscle relaxation, which can reduce pain.

Try warm lemon water

A great way to drink warm water is by adding a squeeze or two of fresh lemon juice. This is especially beneficial first thing in the morning. Lemons contain citric acid, magnesium, bioflavonoids, vitamin C, pectin, calcium and limonene, which supercharge our immune system to fight infection. They also help to lower the activity of free radicals and increase the breaking down of body fat, also known as adipose tissue.

How much water should you consume as an adult per day? It varies based on body composition, but a good measure is to try and drink 1 gallon of water per day., which is equal to 4 qts every two to three hrs. leaving at least 1 hour to stop drinking water before bed. NO PLASTIC MATERIALS, ONLY NON POROUS MATERIALS SUCH AS GLASS, CERAMIC, OR STAINLESS STEEL.

Heart health and what you can do.

Medical science hasn’t addressed the root causes. Why? Largely because most researchers and clinicians have normalized this issue that the human body has its flaws, the thinking goes, so it’s a good thing we have access to this “heroic” care to save us from our inherent brokenness.

There is good news however.

Scientific research since the 1990s has proven that heart disease is largely preventable by adopting a few simple, enjoyable, healthy behaviors.

You can take care of your heart and dramatically reduce your risk of developing this devastating disease.

1. What you eat

2. How you manage stress

3. How much you move, and

4. How much love and support you have

Instead of only addressing the effects of Cardiovascular Disease, We need to focus on the root cause.

Just as when you’re growing a seedling, a healthy plant requires taking a deeper look at what’s happening underneath the soil — and nurturing it.

There are 4 Pillars to heart health

1. Nutrition:

   Certain classes of foods harm the cardiovascular system, while others promote its health and vitality.

   What dietary pattern promotes a healthy heart ?

   • Eat mostly plants in their natural form. This means more local organic fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts and seeds. These foods are rich in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals that can prevent heart disease.

   • Reduce or eliminate animal products, especially red and processed meat products. Replace these with plant proteins,

   • Limit refined carbohydrates, including sugar, white flour, and white rice. They lack nutritional value, are known to spike blood sugar, and can lead to chronic inflammation.

   • Limit high-fat foods, and include small amounts of nuts.

   • Reduce sodium, instead flavoring meals with herbs and spices that don’t raise blood pressure.

   • If you drink caffeine, stick to a maximum of 2 cups per day of green tea or black coffee. These are rich in antioxidants and other compounds that have protective benefits for your heart.

   • Depending on your overall dietary pattern, you may want to consider supplementing with B12, Omega-3 fats, vitamin C, and turmeric.

2. Stress Management

   Take Yoga, Get a massage, explore nature, listen to music or play music, show affection.

3. Fitness

   Move your body regularly with walking, running, cross training etc..

4. Love and Support

   Modern science confirms what many of us learned in kindergarten: Having friends is good for you. Not having them, on the other hand, can be hazardous to your health.

   Researchers at Brigham Young University concluded that a lack of good friends and connections to others is as damaging to your health as being obese, or as smoking 15 cigarettes per day.

Our heart is working hard, day and night, to deliver oxygen and other nutrients to every cell in your body. It will most likely beat about two billion times before it’s through.

Show your heart some love by choosing nutrient dense foods, nourishing a strong support system, and practicing a lifestyle that minimizes unnecessary stress and enhances your physical fitness. By taking these steps, you can dramatically add years to your life.