Simple Sitting Fix REVERSES Damage

By Dr. Scott Olson, ND Posted January 29, 2024

If you’re a regular Living Well Daily reader, you know how I feel about sitting.

It’s one of the WORST things you can do for your health!

Sitting a lot sends your risk for developing illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes SOARING.

And, frankly, it will shorten your stay on this earth.

But you CAN counter this threat even IF work or other obligations have you taking a seat far too often. And it’s easier than you might imagine…

The remedy to sitting is to get off your seat and start moving. That’s obvious.

But it’s also far easier SAID than DONE.

You can turn to moderate-to-vigorous physical activities like running, brisk walking, cycling, swimming, or stair climbing. However, these activities can be hidden traps.

You see, many folks exercise once in the morning, working up a sweat and “feeling the burn.” But then they feel they can spend the rest of their day sitting.

However, that’s NOT how it works. And research proves it.

Studies show that folks who move around OFTEN are generally far healthier than those who run a few miles in the morning and then plop down in front of the TV or computer for the rest of the day.

Now, trust me, I get it. You can’t always avoid sitting. Sometimes, our jobs or commitments force us to sit more often than we’d like.

But there ARE some things you can do to combat its harmful effects…

• Start with a good night’s sleep: Restful sleep is essential for good health. In fact, a recent study found that replacing 30 minutes of sitting with 30 minutes of sleeping a day resulted in a decrease in overall body mass by about one pound and reduced waistlines by around two-thirds of an inch.
• Try standing and light activities: If you can replace 30 minutes of sitting with an equal period of standing or moderate exercise, like walking, you will improve heart health and lose weight.
• Count your steps: Try counting your steps for a week. It doesn’t matter if you use an old-fashioned step counter or a new-fangled activity watch, but once you know your average daily steps, make it a game to increase them.
• Try “activity snacks”: Another recent study found that walking for only TWO minutes after a meal positively affects blood sugar levels. You can make this “activity snacks” trick work in all kinds of ways in your own life. For example, try getting up and moving every time a TV commercial comes on, strolling around while making phone calls, or setting an alarm on your phone to get up and move more often.

You DON’T have to run marathons to get the benefits of exercise. Simply getting up and moving every half hour has incredible health benefits.

Small bursts of movement are beneficial for improving cardiovascular fitness. And science PROVES it.

In one study, even just one minute of walking every hour significantly decreased blood pressure in volunteers.

The more you get your heart rate up, the better, but you don’t have to be an athlete. Just sit LESS and move MORE.

P.S. Overlooked health measurement could SAVE your life.

Source:

Joanna M Blodgett, et al., “ProPASS Collaboration, Device-measured physical activity and cardiometabolic health: the Prospective Physical Activity, Sitting, and Sleep (ProPASS) consortium,” European Heart Journal, 2023, ehad717, doi. org / 10.1093 / eurheartj/ehad717

Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.

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