Long Periods of Sitting Can be Harmful

While sitting can be restful and comfortable, sitting longer than you should can be harmful.  According to statistics, sitting kills more than 300,000 Americans annually.  It is the third leading cause of death in the United States, right after heart disease and cancer.  Being habitually sedentary can cause diabetes, depression and osteoporosis, as well as sexual dysfunction.  It affects adults and children  and is projected to cost the U.S. 1.5 trillion dollars over the next 10 years.  An organization known as “Researchers against Inactivity-Related Disorders (RID) is particularly engaged in sedentary lifestyles, advocating physical activity for the prevention of debilitating diseases.

Clerical employees in offices are advised to get up and walk around at intervals, rather than sitting continuously at their desks and counters, whenever the opportunity to do so arises.   Study shows that any kind of inactivity, one of which being seated at ones desk for long periods of time,  has the potential of being a killer, contributing to heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, breast, colon and pancreatic cancers, including arthritis pain, menopausal symptoms, physical frailty, osteoporosis, as well as digestive problems.

Inactivity can be compared to indulging in excessive smoking, only worse.  A particular study unfolded facts about being sedentary, causing your body to get out of shape that may be more hazardous than other risk factors, such as smoking, hypertension and heart disease.  By being physically fit, you can cut your risk of premature death in half.  Research shows that being merely moderately active, you can dramatically reduce your risk of disease, as well as benefit your health.  People can live longer, if they consistently do the right things in life, such as exercise and other activities, while at the same time, confining your diet to nutritious foods, as well as abstaining from excessive alcohol and smoking.

Nature has provided us with many things that can help us live a long and fruitful life, if only we take the time to seek and find them.