Fidget a Little & Save Your Heart

I ran across this yesterday and normally don't put things like this in here, but it struck home and I wanted to share it. It seems they've figured out what is probably obvious to just about everybody that the longer you sit working at a desk, watching TV or driving, the higher your risk is for a heart attack. You probably already knew this, but did you realize that there’s actually something you can do while you sit that will help save your cardiovascular system.

Fidget. What a great word. While you sit, just move around a bit. Don’t use the remote control for the TV, get up to change channels. Stand up and stretch while you are at work. Shift positions. Pace.

A study at the University Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, shows that every moment you sit motionless increases the danger for your heart. “We also found that when sitting for prolonged periods of time, any movement is good movement, and was also associated with better fitness,” says researcher Jacquelyn Kulinski. “So if you are stuck at your desk for a while, shift positions frequently, get up and stretch in the middle of a thought, pace while on a phone call, or even fidget.”

I have this thing about the Mayo Clinic. There are some really good clinics and hospitals around the world, but to me the absolute best and the final authority about anything medical, I trust the Mayo Clinic above everybody else. To me, what they say is gospel. So the Mayo Clinic did some studies about this same thing, and their conclusion is, "sedentary behavior appears to have an inverse association with fitness. These findings suggest that the risk related to sedentary behavior might be mediated, in part, through lower fitness levels."

The scientists also recommend taking short walks during the day, climbing stairs instead of using an elevator or escalator, working at a treadmill desk and meeting with people while you walk instead of sitting down.

Pay attention to the experts. It all makes sense. Remember, it's your life.