The characteristics of today's contemporary society include a sedentary lifestyle and high levels of stress, and a growing number of people are spending more time indoors and in front of screens.
The sedentary lifestyle is steadily elevating to the forefront of modern man's issues.
A sedentary lifestyle, according to studies, is the root cause of several health issues, including obesity, cardiovascular illnesses, type 2 diabetes, and several cancers. The effects that such a lifestyle has on the physical body are generally well understood, but the effects on mental capacity, or more specifically, mental efficiency, are less well acknowledged and much too frequently overlooked. I'll talk about this subject in my future blog, and in this one, I'll concentrate on the physical side of things.
We all know that we spend too much time sitting down, but those whose jobs require them to use computers frequently are particularly conscious of this. Do we understand how leading a sedentary lifestyle impacts our health?
Impact on health
Muscles
Reduced mobility or activity results in a loss of volume and strength, which weakens the function of the bones.
The emergence of compensations and the well-known "wrong posture" are unavoidable when it comes to the muscles that keep the spine in ideal and stable postures while preserving the postural stability of the surrounding segments, or the muscles that make up our "anti-gravity suit."
Feet
We all know that being still for extended periods of time mostly results in the buildup of additional weight, which is linked to several health issues.
All these issues, including diabetes, hypertension, and poor circulation, also have an impact on the health of our feet.
Being overweight forces the body to deal with an overburden, which weakens the joints. The most frequent issues brought on by a sedentary lifestyle are discomfort in the back and leg joints, collapse of the foot arch, and the foot's inability to absorb stress.
Diabetes causes diabetic foot syndrome, a disorder that makes this area of the body more sensitive to pain and wounds (difficult healing and prone to infections). Diabetes can be inherited or directly linked to excessive consumption of sugar-rich items.
Finally, poor blood circulation from venous insufficiency can result in heavy legs, edema, and varicose veins in the feet and ankles, as well as tingling and an uncontrollable need to move the legs.
How might the effects of a sedentary lifestyle be lessened?
Walking
These mini movements throughout the day, whether you take the time to walk a mile, climb and descend stairs, or walk a few laps around the kitchen while on the phone, help to improve circulation.
Exercise
Between walking breaks, stretching exercises such as:
Rotating your ankle or wrist 360 degrees is a very efficient way to improve blood flow to your hands and feet.
Ankle exercises are a great technique to stretch your calves and improve circulation in your feet and toes. They may be performed sitting or standing (heel/toe lift).
If you have adequate room in front of you, knee flexion and extension exercises are an excellent approach to improve circulation in the lower extremities.
Proper nutrition
Some items, many of which are undoubtedly already in your kitchen, can support good vascular function.
Citrus fruits come first. They encourage a healthy inflammatory response, boost nitric oxide, which enhances blood flow, and contain antioxidants, particularly flavonoids, which have considerable antioxidant advantages. Additionally demonstrated to increase blood flow efficiency are the comparable intrinsic anti-inflammatory effects of garlic and onion.
More fatty fish on your plate may be beneficial if you are not a vegetarian or vegan. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish like salmon, mackerel, anchovies, and sardines, may strengthen blood vessel function and enhance cardiovascular health, according to research. Add additional sources of omega-3 fatty acids to your diet and take high-quality supplements like fish oil if you don't consume fish at least twice a week, which, let's face it, most people don't.
L.F.
26.10.2022.