By Donna V. Scaglione
Recent research has found that sitting for long periods of time may be bad for your health — even if you regularly exercise. Scientists are discovering that sitting for extended times may put us at risk for diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity, even early death.
While they say more research is needed to pinpoint what’s at work biologically, some scientists point to lipoprotein lipase, or LPL, an enzyme important for breaking down fat in the body. A study of rats has shown those who underwent restrained muscle movement had one-tenth the LPL activity of those allowed to walk around.
This and other research has some medical experts calling for intermittent daily activities, like stair climbing, to be prescribed along with the traditional call for regular physical exercise. Here are some ways of fitting more movement into your day — no matter what you are doing.
1. Assess
First, consider whether you are sedentary for a large part of your day, recommends personal trainer Kim Fischer at ezinearticles.com. Do you sit all day at work and while commuting there? Do you sit for your meals and in the evening watching TV or reading? Considering we are no longer the agrarian society we once were, like a lot of people, you likely live a largely sedentary lifestyle.
