Is Sitting Killing You?

When the evolutionary march from the four legged species to the two legged ones took place, the human body was designed to be mobile and not sedentary. But, the kind of lifestyle that many people have today, they tend to lead a sedentary lifestyle. No matter where people go, there are more opportunities to sit down than to stand up. When you go to school, there are desks and chairs. The same is the case when you go to office. And then the car and the comfortable chair you have at home for watching TV. Because most of the job that humans do require them to sit, it is quite difficult to break the cycle.

According to a number of studies and researches, the sedentary lifestyle that you live is destructive to your overall well being. In fact, it is said that sitting has become the new smoking and anyone who sits for more than six hours a day is at an increased risk of suffering health problems and even death.

The truth about sitting

After the evolution to the two legged species, most of the lives of humans were spent hunting and farming. Humans were on their feet most of the time which enabled them to carry on with the day to day lives. But with the advent of the internet and television, people are sitting for more than ever. On average, humans are sitting for about 9.5 hours which is even more than sleeping. So how much time is really spent standing up or on the feet? Very little and this is a fact that is taking a toll on human’s modern life today. Read more

Tips To Keep Your Cholesterol under Control

Cholesterol is important to the body but this only happens if this cholesterol is kept at certain recommended levels. Excess cholesterol in the body is risky as this could easily lead to heart diseases. The good news is that it is easy to maintain or control your cholesterol levels. You will not have to incur a lot in trying to ensure that you live healthily by having the required cholesterol levels. Below are essential tips to keep in mind if you want to the control cholesterol in your system.

Consuming the good fats
There is a misconception that fats should totally be avoided when trying to maintain your cholesterol levels. This is not true considering the fact that there are those fats considered to be healthy to the body. The best forms of fats are those that are monounsaturated and contain fatty acids. If it is a problem avoiding the bad fats, try to reduce the intake to less than 10%.
So where do you get the good fats from? These fats are obtained from foods such as fish (salmon, sea bass and tuna). Fish is a natural source of omega 3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are essential to the body as they help in preventing blood clots that eventually lead to heart attacks, strokes etc. It is also important to note that LDL levels can be vastly reduced by eating unsaturated fats e.g. from fish and veggies.

Cut down on foods that contain cholesterol
While trying to maintain your cholesterol levels, it is very essential to choose your foods wisely. For example, foods that contain a lot of cholesterol should be avoided at all cost. Read more