Sitting Is Killing You Now

computer-15812_640Sitting is silently killing you – It is true. We wrote about this 18 months ago on this blog already. Would you like to read our article? Here is the link.

Just a few days ago The Washington Post published an awesome article summarizing the different ways sitting is becoming one of the most dangerous thing we do every single day. Who would have thought that an activity we engage in for hours at the workplace and then at home in front of the computer or TV can wreck our lives so efficiently.

The infographic in the article shows in detail which part of our bodies suffer the most from sitting way too much.

One of the most shocking finding we read is the way sitting might actually lead to an overproductive pancreas and then to diabetes. Here is the quote:

“The pancreas produces insulin, a hormone that carries glucose to cells for energy. But cells in idle muscles don’t respond as readily to insulin, so the pancreas produces more and more, which can lead to diabetes and other diseases. A 2011 study found a decline in insulin response after just one day of prolonged sitting.”

Please view the whole infographic here: http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/page/national/the-health-hazards-of-sitting/750/

You can also download it as a PDF. Print it out and keep it by your desk so you get a daily reminder why you must stand up and move to stay healthy!

For easy reminder we post here the part of The Washington Post infographic which gives you advice on how to deal with the consequences of too much sitting.

sitting

Practicing yoga is mentioned as an effective way to counteract the damage sitting is causing. The simple fact that you decide to use 1 (or more) lunch break to be in movement, stretching and moving those muscles will benefit you tremendously. We like to focus on poses beneficial to the hip flexors in our classes.

You can practice yoga during work hours without sweating or messing your clothes and hair up. After 50 minutes of calm inducing practice you will bale to return to your desk without any extra prep.

Would you like to hear what long time corporate student have to say about St. Louis Corporate Yoga classes?  Pay attention to the wonderful benefits they enjoy as a result of yoga! Please watch our many testimonial videos!

What will you do today to cut back on sitting? Feel free to share in the Comments section!

Would you like to introduce yoga classes at your work place? Your solution is just one phone call away – call Michelle at 314-630-1677!

 

Diabetes and Yoga

Prevalence Of Diabetes And Pre-Diabetes In The United States, 2007
Prevalence Of Diabetes And Pre-Diabetes In The United States, 2007

Did you know that more than 8% of the total population of the US suffers now from diabetes? And this number is consistently growing: just in 2010 1,9 million people were newly diagnosed with this condition according to the American Diabetes Association’s  2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet (released Jan. 26, 2011 Source: http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/diabetes-statistics/). There are estimated 79 million people who are in the pre-stages of diabetes.

13679080_sHow many of your employees are suffering from this new epidemic or are in the pre-diabetes phase? And what is the impact on your organization as a result?

The costs of diabetes are horrendous for our society.  Not just the economic burden we suffer as a result if this disease. We should not forget about the consequences of loss in quality of life for all the sufferers and their families.

Some of the most serious complications as a result of diabetes are:

  • heart disease and stroke
  • high blood pressure
  • blindness
  • kidney disease
  • nervous system disease (Neuropathy)
  • and amputations.

Here are the shocking facts about the real cost of diabetes for the US economy:

“New research provides revised comprehensive estimates that suggest that the U.S. national economic burden of pre-diabetes and diabetes reached $218 billion in 2007. This estimate includes $153 billion in higher medical costs and $65 billion in reduced productivity. The average annual cost per case is $2,864 for undiagnosed diabetes, $9,975 for diagnosed diabetes ($9,677 for type 2 and $14,856 for type 1), and $443 for pre-diabetes (medical costs only). For each American, regardless of diabetes status, this burden represents a cost of approximately $700 annually.”

Source: http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/29/2/297.short

The above research results urge all of us to search for understanding of how to prevent and treat this new epidemic and reduce its economic toll.

Can yoga help in managing diabetes and decrease the debilitating health conditions as a result of diabetes?

We see growing evidence that yoga may positively influence the health of our yoga students with or without a diabetes condition. Some of our clients report lower blood sugar levels and a higher awareness for healthy lifestyle choices.

We found a research study critically reviewing published research around diabetes and yoga done by Kim E. Innes and Heather K. Vincent at the Center for the Study of Complementary and Alternative Therapies and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Virginia Health Systems, Charlottesville, VA, USA.

Here is the summary of this research:

“In summary, a growing number of studies suggest that yoga may improve indices of risk in adults with type 2 diabetes, including glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, lipid profiles, anthropometric characteristics and blood pressure. Limited data also indicate that yoga may reduce oxidative damage, improve coagulation profiles and pulmonary function, and decrease sympathetic activation in adults with diabetes and related chronic disorders. Yoga may also be useful in reducing medication requirements in patients with diabetes and could help prevent and manage cardiovascular complications in this population.”

Source: The influence of yoga-based programs on risk profiles in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review. http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2176136

Besides reporting very promising facts about the use of yoga in diabetes therapy, it also calls for more “rigorous studies … to clarify the effects of specific yoga therapies on measures of DM 2 risk and related clinical outcomes, especially in American and other Western populations that remain underrepresented in existing research.”

Our St. Louis Corporate Yoga program introduces a gentle Vinyasa yoga practice that emphasizes the importance of the body-mind connection. Offering on-site yoga classes once or twice a week for your employees will increase their health consciousness and can result in better diabetes management for those who suffer from this condition.

If this article piqued your interest, please call us at 314-630-1677 to get more information how we can help your employees stay healthier longer!

 

The graphics above “Prevalence Of Diabetes And Pre-Diabetes In The United States, 2007” are from: http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/29/2/297/F1.expansion.html

Content sources for this article:

www.Diabetes.org

http://content.healthaffairs.org/

http://europepmc.org

 

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