whether it’s at a desk or in front of a television,” Reynolds says. “The human body was not meant to be sedentary.” More than three-quarters of Americans are not meeting exercise recommen- dations, with one-quarter remaining completely sedentary, the CDC reports. Breaking this cycle does not need to be difficult, Reynolds notes. “You get the benefits from just moving. Start by standing up more and moving around in your office.” Reynolds, who hops on one foot
while brushing her teeth and reads standing up using a music stand, says studies have shown that bad things happen to bodies that sit for long stints, even those that start each day with an hour of exercise, and good things happen to bodies that stand often, even if it’s just for two minutes every half-hour. “For instance, when you stand, the big muscles in your legs and back contract, releasing enzymes that stabilize blood sugar,” Reynolds says, echoing findings of a study of more than 120,000 men and women published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. The researchers found that the combination of both sitting more and being less physically ac- tive was associated with a significant increase in accelerated death rate, particularly in women, at 94 percent, as well as men, at 48 percent. As Reynolds’ book title suggests, the majority of health benefits are derived from the first 20 minutes of exercise and begin to flatten out after 30 minutes or so. Dr. Carl Lavie, medi- cal director of cardiac rehabilitation and prevention at the Ochsner Medi- cal Center, in New Orleans, points out that this timeframe supports general health. He and Reynolds agree that to reach specific goals, such as increased running speed or dramatic weight loss, moderate levels won’t do the trick, so do more, if possible. The most vital message, experts agree, is to do something every day, consistently. Willis observes that, “The effects can quickly reverse if you stop.”
Freelance journalist Debra Melani writes about health care and fitness from Lyons, CO. Connect at Debra
Melani.com or
DMelani@msn.com.
natural awakenings January 2013 37
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