How is a space station like a couch?
A: Both stop your muscles and bones using gravity.
The medical research on keeping astronauts healthy in space is also delivering new insights into how we can keep healthier back here on Earth. What they’re finding is that bouts of intense exercise aren’t enough – we also need to keep moving. (Read more here)
Not difficult, hard movement – but any movement that changes our body position, uses gravity and moves our muscles and organs a bit.
“The key to lifelong health is more than just traditional gym exercise once a day, three to five times a week… The answer is to rediscover a lifestyle of constant, natural low-intensity non-exercise movement ….”
– Dr. Joan Vernikos, author of “Sitting Kills”
Change your position
So whether it’s gardening, walking, cleaning or dancing, movement matters. If you’re an office worker in front of a computer, turn your “pause to think” into “a stand and stretch”. You don’t have to stop thinking, go anywhere, or do any more than stand up and stretch. Aim to change your position every 20 minutes.
Lack of movement is an independent risk factor in diabetes, heart disease and a range of Western health issues.
We’ve known this since kindergarten really. So even if you just join the Wiggles in standing up and sitting down, you’re doing your body a favour.
One finger one thumb keep moving
I run community table tennis in Monbulk on Friday nights at 7:30 (Details here) to help people connect, have fun and move.