Your eyes burn, knees hurt, you have a dry mouth with a sore hip-lower back. This is not the signs of a heart attack, or anxiety, its simply a sign of de-evolution if that is a word. Its interesting to me to see some of the new or old diets that come out, I am specifically thinking of the Paleo Diet or Paleo Solution. Before you try to strangle me with your gymnastic rings hear me out. They used the man that lived in the Paleolithic period as the model for the nutrition program, you missed one thing he hunted for his food. This went on sometimes for days, or weeks on a hunt constantly tracking, moving, and being the hunted. My point being the nutrition plan is not at its optimal level, point be we are sedentary beings for the most part. Its to the point now where sitting for up to eleven hours a day will shorten your life. Unfortunately sitting that long is not all that difficult, at work anywhere from 6-10 hours a day, then you add on TV time or vegging out on the weekends, sitting by the pool. We need to get up, get out, shake it off and get moving. We are not looking at the Paleo Solution, we are looking at sitting and its affects on us. PS I respect the Paleo Solution.
Vladimir Janda theorized that humans are designed to take over 20,000 steps a day on average we take 10,000 a day. They have looked at the Amish who take approximately 30,000 steps a day, leaving scientist to believe that is closer to the true number. We are sedentary due to TV watching, computer or internet usage, and driving. The cost is increased mortality according to a 2010 study on Sedentary behaviors increase risk of cardiovascular disease mortality in men published in Med Sci Sports Exerx. This study notes that it is among the top 5 of modifiable risk factors that shorten life span. The World Health Organization’s definition of physical activity is “Percentage of defined population attaining less than 5 times 30 minutes of moderate activity per week or less than 3 times 20 minutes of vigorous activity per week or equivalent. Data from the British Chiropractic Association says 32% of the population spends more than 10 ours a day seated, half do not leave their desks or lunch, and two-thirds sit when they get home.The following stat is very telling today physical inactivity is linked to approximately 5.3 million premature deaths worldwide each year more than tuberculosis, lung cancer, HIV/AIDS or traffic accidents. The surgeon general has reported only 22% of adults in the U.S. are active enough to derive benefits from activity. Inactive men 60 years of age who become active have a mortality rate of 50% less than their peers who remain inactive. This was confirmed by a Harvard University alumni study in 1993. A 2012 study of 222,497 Australians published in JAMA showed that prolonged sitting is a risk factor for all-cause mortality independent of physical activity. Public health programs should focus on reducing sitting time along with increasing physical activity levels.
A good friend sent me an article on the proper way to sit, this past week. In the article it noted that sitting straight was “bad for backs”, rather we should sit at and angle. The optimal angle is not 90 degrees as thought before, but 135 degrees is the proper number. The research was done at Woodend Hospital in Aberdeen, 22 volunteers with healthy backs were scanned using a positional MRI machine. This allows patients to move so they can sit and stand during the test. They were given three positions a slouching position, an upright 90 degree position, or a relaxed 135 degree position with their feet on the floor. Spinal disk movement was measured and found to be the most pronounced in the 90 degree position and the least in the 135 degree position. While the slouched position showed a reduction in disk height. It is of note that it is difficult to sit at 135 degrees and not slide down. So it would be better to sit at 120 degrees as you have less of a tendency to slide.
We are all pressed for time these days, more demands from all areas of our lives. The thing we need to look at is our level of inactivity, a half hour a day really is not enough there are another 23.5 hours for the rest of the day. This is not a call for you to run yourself ragged in two days and burn yourself out, start slow and build it up over time. Something as simple as walking built up to an hour a day would work wonders, look at the Amish. Its really simple get up, get out, shake it off and get moving. I have linked a video below with 7 yoga poses that open the hips. If you want further mobility information please read through the mobility series. This Thursday we will be looking at the benefits of complexes and circuit training, with a sample kettlebell-TRX circuit. The Friday list is going to be the six supplements for optimal health and performance. Please read and share this blog
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