I've been standing at my desk for many months now, and I must say, I'm loving it! I feel much better and no longer have pain in my right leg. Actually, sitting for an extended period of time feels less comfortable to me than standing! I'm that used to it, and you can be too.
So many articles about BPA discuss ways to avoid it, but what about the 91% of us that have been exposed? I'm glad to see there is hope. The formula seems to be, awareness of sources of BPA in order to reduce exposure and vigorous exercise. Apparently fat is where BPA is stored on the body.
Well, it's been about four months since I switched to a standing desk, and I must say, I'm really loving it! Of course, that wasn't the case for the first two months. My back hurt, my legs were constantly sore, and my feet hurt until I started wearing slippers or shoes without arch support, sometimes described as arch immobilizers (but that's a different story).
I no longer have terrible pain in my right leg from what might have been the beginnings of thrombosis, and I feel good at the end of the day when I do get to sit for a little while to watch TV or read, though even then, I still prefer a rocking chair.
Finally climbing into bed to sleep after a day spent moving about, I don't feel restless and typically fall asleep easily. It's become a nice daily pattern for me and I know I'm at much lower risk for the health conditions described in the following Times commentary.
It doesn’t matter if you go running every morning, or you’re a regular at the gym. If you spend most of the rest of the day sitting — in your car, your office chair, on your sofa at home — you are putting yourself at increased risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, a variety of cancers and an early death. In other words, irrespective of whether you exercise vigorously, sitting for long periods is bad for you.
Wow, a potential cure for all viruses! I really hope this takes off and doesn't get buried by big pharma.
Burgerville is a local fast food chain that my family has been going to for as long as I can remember. I love their high quality, tasty food that is locally sourced, fresh, and delicious. I admire their recycling and eco-friendly practices, and how they always offer seasonal selections from local farms.
Being Vegan, I don't eat their meat or dairy products. Fortunately they have several locally made vegetarian options that are really good. They also print calorie information on their receipts and drink cups so at least you can be aware of how many calories you are about to consume. Not that it would stop me, because their food is mouth-watering good, faster than a normal restaurant, and I know I'm supporting a sustainable business.
Burgerville was founded in 1961 by George Propstra in Vancouver, Washington. Burgerville is known for its progressive business practices and commitment to local resources. The chain uses 100% wind power for all of its restaurants and headquarters, and is the largest chain in America to do so. Burgerville uses only trans fat-free canola oil and sends 7,500 gallons per month to be transformed into biodiesel. In 2004, Burgerville switched to range-fed beef raised without hormones and antibiotics. In 2007, it began composting food waste which is expected to result in an 85% reduction in waste and $100,000 annual savings. In the summer of 2009, Burgerville gave use of the drive-thru window to bicyclists. The fast casual restaurant chain was named by Gourmet magazine as having the freshest fast food in the country in 2003, with offerings such as a salad with smoked salmon and Oregon hazelnuts. As of August 2007, their slogan is, "Choose Fresh, Local, Sustainable. Choose Burgerville." ~wikipedia.org
When the grocery store shelves are empty, how are you going to eat? If you can find one nearby, support your local CSA. Not to mention the food is typically better quality because it doesn't have to travel far, and that uses less of the black gold which costs more and more these days.
That's great! Maybe the fountain of youth is just around the corner?
During sporulation, a gene called NDT80 was expressed. What's more, switching on NDT80 in ageing cells doubled their lifespan (Science, DOI: 10.1126/science.1204349). The closest relative of NDT80 in mammals is p53, a gene that regulates cell cycles. "We may have found a way to rejuvenate cells and erase ageing markers," says Amon.
Buy organic! Otherwise, you know not what chemicals are going into your body.
I've been working to find the right healthy diet for about a year now. Everyone knows there are a dizzying array of suggestions about what to do, some good and most bad. Find a trustworthy source and listen to their advice. Sources I subscribe to:
Filling my body with empty calories only makes it want more. This is the junk food diet. It is certainly addictive. Similarly, filling my body with nutrient dense, raw foods provides what it needs. I don't feel hungry and am satisfied with fewer calories. I've found Boku Superfood yields the best results for me. It contains an incredible number of healthy, organic, raw plants that would take me days to find and prepare on my own:
http://bokusuperfood.com/ingredients/super-food/
For some this means losing weight, and for me it means gaining weight. Eating nutrient dense foods will have that effect. That plus the right exercise routine and the body will naturally go to it's optimal weight. What's important to understand? Focus on calorie restriction with optimal nutrition (CRON). I'm a big supporter of choosing a Vegan diet. It's important to feed the body just what it needs without much excess. This is the method for longevity.
Most diets do more harm than good by causing muscle wasting and malnutrition. Building muscle and getting proper nutrition is key to having a higher resting caloric burn rate and allow for more vigorous exercise too! It's a self supporting cycle where exercise, proper nutrition, and recovery time allows the body to build muscle, which burns more calories, which allows for a higher level of exercise and nutrition.
There's a reason body builders don't go hungry, their muscles require a lot of fuel. Though, that type of eating doesn't support longevity. There's a healthy middle ground. And don't neglect recovery time! Most people exercise too long or too frequently. It's the last set that counts, so make it a good one! For strength training, increase exercise intensity each time but not duration. Intensity can be measured as the weight times reps. It's the total work of the exercise in a period of time. How hard are you working the muscles? You must force them to grow stronger by increasing the intensity of each workout. This is good news because workouts are short, muscles grow bigger, results provide motivation, and health improvements will come.
Cardio is the same, try to run or bike farther in the same amount of exercise time, but don't attempt any increase in intensity until fully recovered from the last attempt. Recovery times vary per individual, but it can be a week between sessions when first starting out. Later it might be as short as two days if you're body heals quickly. Life is hard, we must expend energy and will power to get what we want. We also need to know when to take it easy to achieve optimal gains.
I don't take many supplements because the nutrient dense food already has most of what I need. However, I do supplement with 6,000 IU of vitamin D3 on days when I'm not going to be in the sunshine (here's why), a high qualtiy fish oil from Living Fuel, and an easy to absorb protein powder with all the essential ammino acids like hemp protein or Boku Super Protein.
I believe we should eat things that are not processed, pesticide-free, organic, and raw as much as possible. For Americans, it can be very difficult to find food without dairy or cheese in the ingredient list. If you're having trouble finding stuff, shop around the edges of the grocery store where it tends to be more raw and less processed. This is what nature intended. Salt and sugar can be difficult ingredients to reduce as well. Eating Vegan naturally accomplishes this, but watch out not to eat too much fruit. It's important to keep from exposing your body to unnecessary glycemic responses.
