Work Better. Live Healthier

Sitting for hours has become part of our modern lifestyle. The problem is our bodies aren’t designed to sit for hours. Our bodies are built for standing. During most of the last 2,000 years, we foraged for food, we tended crops, and we hunted – spending almost all of our time standing.  Now we work at computers for hours on end, we watch TV; we drive or ride in vehicles and web surf, all while sitting on our rear ends. When sitting the electrical activity in your legs shuts off and the enzyme known as Lipase that helps break down the fat in your blood drops by 90%. Fat is left to re-circulate in the bloodstream. Fat accumulates in your heart, liver, brain and other organs. More than 47 million adults in the United States have metabolic syndrome. 25.8 million people are struggling with diabetes.

Researchers recommend that people get out of their chair and move as often as possible to preserve their health.

James Levine conducted a study on a group of office workers. They all added 1,000 calories to their daily intake and were asked not to change any exercise or movement habits. Some of the workers gained weight while others did not. Curious as to what was making the difference, Levine and his team sewed sensors into the undergarments of the workers to track daily movement. What they found was that the group not gaining weight actually sat much less than the other workers. Even if they were just standing to stretch or walk to the bathroom, the group that did not experience weight gain sat 2.25 hours less than their peers.

Evidence suggests that the negative effects of extended sitting can’t be countered by brief bouts of strenuous exercise. Instead they have discovered that once you’re up, you do tend to move. The answer is incorporating standing, pacing and other forms of activity into your normal day—and standing at your desk for part of it is the easiest way of doing so.Benefits of standing desks are: Reduced Risk of Obesity, Reduced Risk of Cardiovascular Disease, Reduced Risk of Cancer & Lower Long-Term Mortality Risk. Read more here