One of my favorite popular science writers, Olivia Judson, reports in today's NYTimes that a chair can be one's worst enemy, particularly for those whose work involves sitting for long periods of time. Part of the problem is low energy use, making it easier to gain weight (this, in a country where fully one third of the population is clinically obese, and another third is seriously overweight -- check out your Body/Mass Index or BMI to see where you fit in). Another part of the sitting problem is that our bodies become more prone to metabolic problems, heart disease, muscle degeneration, cardiovascular dysfunction, digestive difficulties, and diabetes.
Judson's suggestion? Simple -- get up to stretch and move around frequently. Take the stairs rather than the elevator. Work at a desk designed for standing. Wiggle and flex yourself even while sitting. Forget what your teacher told you in school -- fidget !!! Anything to keep your heart, lungs and other systems active. All this is above and beyond the regimen of eating well and regular dedicated exercise which we all should be practicing.
Good advice from "Dr. Tatiana".
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