Movement: So simple. So basic. Yet vital to life and optimal health. However during the evolution of our advanced technology based society sedentary lifestyles have become commonplace. In today’s world we do not even need to leave our chairs to obtain our food. Instacart and Uber eats has seen to that, delivering fast food to our door that provides us with poor quality nutrients. Also due to Covid many people don’t even leave their houses to work anymore. This lifestyle is making us weak, deconditioned, and sick. It has lead to many types of pain syndromes and immune issues.
Without movement our bodies and minds deteriorate. Muscles atrophy (shrink) in just 3 days. Muscles become shortened and dysfunctional with prolonged sitting and repetitive postural strain. Ligaments become stretched with poor posture leading to degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs and spinal joints. Excessive sitting and sedentary lifestyles are also associated with many diseases including; obesity, Cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, lipid disorders, strokes, osteoporosis, colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, depression, and anxiety.
These conditions are epidemic in the US. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that sedentary lifestyles increase all causes of mortality, and double ones’ risk of all above mentioned diseases. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), one third of the US population age 15 and above engages in insufficient physical activity. What is sufficient activity, and why is it important?
The WHO 2021 recommendation for activity for 15 and above is 150-300 minutes of mild to moderate activity per week. This is the same as the American College of Sports Medicine’s minimum recommendation for adults of 30 minutes of activity daily. Engaging in regular activity and movement are important to avoid the previously discussed health issues and help us maintain healthy joints, strong bones, muscular strength, good circulation , improved learning and concentration, and mental well-being ie) Happiness.
Some of you may be thinking that you just don’t have the energy or motivation to start moving. Is your biochemistry balanced (nutrition giving you what you need)? Are you digesting your food properly so the nutrients are providing your body the necessary energy? Often this is an unrecognized impediment to exercise.
So how do we begin to change our sedentary lifestyle? We need to get out of that chair and move! Set a timer for every 20 minutes (time frame chosen referring to studies that show our brains can only hold optimal concentration for 20 minutes maximum), and perform a mobility or stretch, or simply take a short walk. Try to set aside 30 minutes a day to be active. Engage in an activity that you actually enjoy so that you are more likely to establish a good habit.
We need to make healthy food choices to increase our energy levels so that we feel like moving.
Our professionals at Nevy health are here to help you combat the effects of a sedentary lifestyle as well. Chiropractic adjustments restore motion in your joints and free the nervous system from interferences thereby improving muscular function. Massage therapy frees restricted muscle tissue and fascia so your movements are smooth and pain free.
Physiotherapy, stretches, exercises and mobilities help decrease inflammation and pain, prepare tissues for movement, and correct muscle imbalances and weaknesses. Our Naturopaths and Medical department also offer a wide variety of injections such as trigger point, Prolotherapy, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), and Stem Cell which can get you on a path to healing so that you can move again.
Is your nutrition holding you back? Heal your body from the inside out so you feel like moving again. We offer Live Blood Cell Analysis to determine if your biochemistry is imbalanced and may be holding you back from having the energy to engage in movement and exercise.
Don’t settle for life on your couch! Visit Nevy today and start moving again!
Ref:
- WWW.NIH.Gov. May 5, 2021. Sitting Disease.
- Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 8/10/2021; 18(1): J Miguels, I-Ming-Lee, CC Sanches, F Ortega, J Burning, E. Shiroma. The Association of Sedentary Behavior and Physical Activity with all causes of Mortality.
- Johns Hopkins Medicine.Org. 2/20/2021. E. Donnely, MD, MHS. How a Sedentary Lifestyle Affects Health.
