Sitting is the New Smoking? What Nonsense…
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted November 10, 2017
Dear Living Well Daily Reader,
It’s become the new rallying cry for so-called health “experts” everywhere.
Sitting is the new smoking.
They’ll tell you that there’s all this “research” now proving that sitting will destroy your health and shave years off your life.
And while I’m a big fan of exercise and moving around, there’s something about this research you’re not being told.
It’s junk science… and you’ll never believe the mega-corporation that’s REALLY behind it.
Maybe you saw all the recent headlines about a study claiming that sitting can be dangerous to your health.
I normally love studies like this… but this one is bull.
Why?
Well, the first reason is the company that sponsored the research: The Coca-Cola Corporation.
Strange, right? Why would Big Soda sponsor a study like this?
Because nutritional research is finally catching on that the sugar in soda is deadly poison.
So companies like Coca-Cola are trying to change the conversation away from what we eat to our daily activities.
And it works — almost every news outlet wrote about the so-called “Sitting Study.”
I could probably overlook the fact that the study was sponsored by Coca-Cola if it weren’t for another problem: the study is junk science.
Why? Because the study didn’t actually measure sitting.
The study used accelerometers and watched people’s activity levels for a week. Sounds like that would measure sitting, but it doesn’t.
What they ended up measuring is inactivity: which could be sitting, laying down, standing still, or even light movement.
To make matters worse, some people admitted to not putting the accelerometers on every day. Others only wore them for a few days.
There were so many problems with the study that the study authors wrote:
[The multiple problems with this study] render these finding inconclusive. Thus, caution is warranted when interpreting these results.
I wish the news outlets would read enough of the study to discover those words (they were near the end of the paper).
Don’t get me wrong — sitting and not exercising is bad for you.
An excellent study, called The London Bus Driver Study, found that sitting (as a driver) was much worse than moving around (as a ticket-taker) for long-term health.
There are plenty of other good studies that show exercise to have many health benefits including a stronger brain, better heart, and better blood sugar control.
But don’t let Coca-Cola convince you that sitting in the only cause of illness. If you have to sit a lot for work or for a volunteer activity, just make sure you get up and move every half an hour or so.
You’ll be just fine… trust me.
Health and Happiness,
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Ed. Note: Please send your feedback: feedback@livingwelldaily.com – and click here to like us on Facebook.
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.
View More Free Articles
This Sleep Mistake Is Doubling Your Disease Risk
Think your inconsistent bedtime is just a harmless habit? Think again. New research reveals that going to bed at different times each night isn’t just making you tired—it could be dramatically increasing your risk of serious diseases. But the key to making sure poor sleep doesn’t derail your health goals likely isn’t what you think…....
Stop Obsessing Over Diet Trends
Can we stop with the endless diet debates already? Every other week there’s a new headline shouting about which diet is best for weight loss, heart health, or diabetes. Paleo, keto, low-carb, high-protein… it’s exhausting. And now, a new meta-analysis is out comparing the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet, and something called AHEI (that’s “Alternative...
A New Reason to Ditch Processed Junk
If you’ve ever walked the inside aisles of your local grocery store and thought, “This is all just junk,” your instincts were spot on. A new study published in the journal Thorax just added another red flag to the list of dangers linked to ultra-processed food—a 41 percent higher risk of lung cancer. That’s right....
When Being Winded on Stairs Is Serious (And When It Isn’t)
I had an athlete visit me recently because he experienced shortness of breath while climbing stairs. He is in great shape, so he was worried about what it might mean. “Doc,” he said, “I run five miles three times a week. Why am I huffing and puffing after two flights of stairs?” His concern is...
Study EXPOSES Hidden Danger Lurking in Your Car
We think of our homes and cars as safe havens. But according to a startling new study, they may be flooding your lungs with microscopic plastic particles—every single day. Researchers in France recently found that adults inhale an average of 68,000 microplastic particles daily from indoor air alone. To put that in perspective, that’s about...
Mailbag: Is Modern Food Making You Snore?
“What can cause snoring, and is there a way to correct this issue?” —Seeking Silence Hi Seeking, Snoring happens when the soft tissues in your throat relax and vibrate as air passes through during sleep. While several factors can cause snoring—from sleep position to nasal congestion—I want to share one trigger that might surprise you....
Simple Food Swap SLASHES Dementia Risk 28%
Let’s be honest… who would jump at the chance to cut their dementia risk by 28 percent. And no, you don’t need to run marathons, survive on broccoli, or learn to play the zither (whatever that is) to make it happen. All it takes is one easy swap—something that’s probably already in your refrigerator. Researchers...
This SMART Floss Exposes Hidden Health Danger
Scientists have created dental floss that doesn’t just clean between your teeth—it also tracks your stress while you’re flossing. Now, I know what you’re thinking… “Great—now even flossing is going to stress me out by telling me how stressed I am.” But this fascinating new tool from Tufts University could be a game-changer for understanding...
Is This "Safe" Sweetener Damaging Your Brain?
The headlines are alarming… “Popular Sugar Substitute Linked to Brain Cell Damage” and “Erythritol Could Damage Critical Brain Barrier” are just two of the dozens I’ve spotted recently. But before you toss every sugar-free product in your pantry, let’s take a closer look at what this study actually shows—and what it doesn’t. The latest research...
This Summer Threat Could SPIKE Your Blood Sugar
Picture this… It’s another scorching hot summer day. You crank up the air conditioning while watching the weather forecast, which predicts yet another “record-breaking” heat wave. It’s starting to feel like just another miserably uncomfortable summer. But what you might not realize is that—if you have diabetes—those rising temps could do far more damage to...