The maximum number of hours sitting at work during a 24-hour period and the maximum number of hours sitting at work without getting up, were both linked to an increased risk for the development of blood clots in the legs…a condition known as VTE (venous thromboembolism). For every additional hour seated, the risk increased by 10%, and for every additional hour seated at work without getting up, the risk increased by 20%.
The study’s co-author, Professor Richard Beasley at the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand concluded that, “measures to reduce both of these factors may be important from an occupational health perspective.”
Here are their recommendations:
• Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water and avoid over-consumption of alcohol and caffeine.
• Wear loose clothing that does not restrict the waist or legs.
• Flex and extend the ankles regularly while sitting to encourage blood in the veins of the lower legs to continue flowing.
• Stand up and move around at least once every hour, and try to restrict total sitting to less than eight hours per day.
BOTTOM LINE: According to the Ethnicity and Disease study cited above, “exercise, as part of a comprehensive lifestyle-modification program including weight loss, low-salt diet, diets rich in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fats, has beneficial effects on blood pressure. This is what we’ve been saying for years…the cause and solution to most health problems is more related to lifestyle than to treatment. Why wait for a problem, change to a healthier lifestyle now!
(This post is comes from Dr. Austin Cohen's blog. CohenChiropractiCentre.com)
