Sitting is killing me
Donald Trafton, 81, strolled into his 80th year feeling as alive and vital as ever. It wasn’t a fluke, nor the luck of having good genes. He planned for it, developing a very healthy lifestyle that he’s always fine-tuning. He shares his tips for healthy and happy ageing at Being 80.
When I read this article “Is Sitting Really The New Smoking?”, I didn’t want to believe it. But the evidence is undeniable.
“As soon as our backsides hit the chair, several metabolic and physical changes start to occur:
Our resting metabolic rate plummets, which means that your body burns minimal calories. This helps to explain why increased sitting is associated with higher rates of obesity. The electrical activity in our leg muscles drops right off. Blood circulation in our legs becomes sluggish. (Hello, varicose veins!) Prolonged sitting also shortens, tightens and weakens our hip flexors. It also makes our glut muscles ‘switch off’. Our bodies produce higher levels of triglycerides and C-reactive protein (which is indicative of inflammation).”
Other studies have also shown that women who sit six hours per day or more experience a drop in bone density of one per cent each year, as reported by a 2016 Food Matters article.
Taking into account time at the computer, driving, eating and watching TV, I know I’m spending more than nine hours per day sitting. That’s a lethal formula (according to the researchers), and I don’t see how I can shorten the sitting time and still do all that I want to do. What would you do?
I’m not willing to shorten my productive life just because I’m sitting too much.
The Food Matters article lists no less than 14 ideas for reducing our sitting, but really? We couldn’t use most of them.
I am, however, using one suggestion: I’m using the timer on my iPhone to get me up from my desk every 15 minutes. This is a huge inconvenience, but it’s worth it. When I’m up, I walk around, maybe doing a task that can be done standing. I’m also doing some standing yoga poses, designed to strengthen the low back, build core body strength, and lengthen the spine.
Here are two of my favourite poses that you can easily do:
I hope you’ll follow my lead and add some healthy, productive years to your life. Let me hear from you in the comments below.
Find more from Donald at his website, www.being80.com.
Related links:
Why a healthy gut is important in older age
How to not let asthma ruin your summer
3 outdoor summer exercises to get you moving