The dangers of inactivity are widely recognized by health professionals. Physical inactivity, best exemplified by prolonged sitting, encourages many chronic diseases–even if you are fit. “In fact, sitting for too long, too often, is an independent risk factor for ill health and reduced longevity,” writes Dr. Mercola.
(P)hysical inactivity raises your risk of general ill health by 114 percent, your risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 82 percent and your risk of depression by 150 percent.
Overall, chronic sitting has a mortality rate similar to smoking.5 It even increases your chances of lung cancer by more than 50 percent. Your risk for uterine and colon cancer also increases by 66 and 30 percent respectively.
What’s a body to do? Simple. Move. Avoid sitting and get more movement into your life. One book Dr. Mercola recommends is Deskbound: Standing Up to a Sitting World by Kelly Starrett.
It’s filled with helpful guidance that can improve your health and well-being, covering both tips to naturally increase your daily movement and proper body mechanics. It is one of the best books I read this year and I believe it’s an important resource for anyone that has a sitting job.
Dr. Kelly Starrett is a physical therapist who teaches movement and mobility courses to Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard forces and athletes from the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB, as well as to Olympic teams and universities.
As Dr. Mercola notes, most adult Americans spend over 10 hours a day sitting. And 10 hours of stillness, unfortunately, cannot be offset with one hour of exercise. “You ideally require near-continuous movement throughout the day, even if it’s just standing rather than sitting. So, strive to sit for less than three hours a day, and make it a point to walk more.”
From strength training to a stand-up desk to mobility training with a foam roller, read how you can stand up to physical inactivity and improve your neurological health.
Read more here.
Dr. Mercola and Kelly Starrett on New book, Deskbound
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