Stand Up and Stay Young, Part 2

Diet + Exercise will keep you healthy and happy

An article in the Washington Post on July 16, 2013, reported that researchers are looking into the link between sitting down and early death. And it’s not pretty.

Author Richard A. Lovett reports that researchers at Mayo Clinic were examining weight control when they noticed how those who stayed slim appeared to have an urge to move and keep moving. This in turn led them to take a look at inactivity research, which suggests that a steady diet of sitting down is not good for your health.

Without diving too deeply into the numbers, which are all included in Lovett’s excellent article, researchers found that people who spend six hours a day or more sitting had higher mortality rates than those who did not, and women had higher rates than men. It did not matter that these folks exercised at other points in the day–the long periods of sitting contributed to earlier deaths. Scientists discovered that short activity spurts reduced volunteers’ blood sugar and insulin spikes by approximately 25 percent, burning off some of the glucose in the bloodstream–a good thing.

So, what to do? Get up out of that chair and move around! Take breaks throughout the day, stroll down the hallway, take the stairs, go to the farthest rest room or water fountain in the building. Instead of calling a colleague on another floor, go see him. Move about the office while on a teleconference. Walk at lunch time rather than read the paper. Park farther from your building and walk in. If working at home, take frequent breaks and do chores. Any movement is better than none, and all of the tricks we’ve learned to increase our movement during the day come into play four-fold.

The message is just move whenever you can. Anything you can do will progress toward the goal of staying young and staying alive.

Balance–A Key to Aging?

This past Tuesday (June 25), the Washington Post published an informative series of articles on aging, and how to stay healthy. The one that caught my attention was on balance. Our balance often diminishes as we age; hence, the number of stories on how falls can take the elderly out of this world. However, I was shocked to read that falls are the top cause of injury death among folks 65 and older, according to the CDC.

So, what to do? The article’s author, Lenny Bernstein, goes on to suggest balancing on one foot, using a half-ball, and walking straight lines are good ways to work on your balance. But no mention of yoga. And that’s a crying shame, because yoga is a wonderful way to work on your balance while simultaneously improving your flexibility and increasing your strength. All while clearing your mind and focusing on your breath.

Yoga is such a perfect practice, it often gets overlooked when we discuss weight training or balance or strength. I remember one of my yoga instructors laughing when a student asked him if he lifted weights. “Yes, I do–I lift my own weight,” he replied, and then demonstrated a handstand. And so it is with so many other facets of exercise–flow classes improve cardio as well as work on flexibility and balance.

Yoga has helped me with my balance, queen klutz that I used to be (and still am, when I’m tired). So, when working on your cardio and weight training, don’t forget your balance. A yoga class a day may not keep the doctor away, but a yoga class a week may help to keep you out of a wheelchair–or a hospital bed.

Green, Green, It’s Green They Say

Morgan as The Gatekeeper at the entrance to the Emerald City (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Washington Post reported yesterday that Pantone Institute has declared Emerald to be THE color of 2013. Their website declares that Emerald is  “Lively. Radiant. Lush…” and equates the color with well-being, balance, and harmony. I think of gemstones, grass in spring, and where the Wizard of Oz lives.

In any event, Emerald is popping up in furniture, paint, home decor, cookware, linens–you name it, you’ll fine it. The word that comes to mind now, at least for me, is “edit.” I don’t want my home to be all over green–too much like the Emerald City. Instead, pick a few items to get your green on. Linens, for instance, or accent pillows, or a kettle for the stove. In that way, you freshen up your home without breaking the bank, AND have the ability to switch when Emerald is declared passe. In the meantime, say it along with me: “Who Rang That Bell?”