The surprising Revelation: How Childhood Habits Impact Our Health
Get up and stand for your Health
Did you know that childhood habits can unexpectedly impact our health?
Since childhood, I've led a sedentary lifestyle.
I was never inclined towards playing outdoor games with friends. Playing with car toys and watching cartoons was my life. With almost no physical activity.
But this habit of inactivity made a terrible impact on my health.
Unveiling the Impact of Childhood Habits:
In the last two years, I've experienced various health issues, such as heart pain, acidity problems, nerve pains, a sore throat, and headaches.
Even my sweat glands became weakened.
To make things worse, the toll on my physical well-being started to affect me emotionally, leading to bouts of depression.
Doctors told me to change my daily routine. Filled with physical activity and proper sleep.
But I wasn't able to make it happen. I'm lazy and don't like to play after-games. Not even I wanted to do intensive workouts.
Then I began a journey to find simple and practical ways to break the cycle of inactivity and regain my energy.
Breaking the cycle of prolonged sitting:
On average we sit for 7 hours A-day. Sitting all day has a significant effect on our health.
Studies have revealed a lack of muscle strength and endurance, a weakened immune system, and even increased stress levels.
You can read indepth article about sitting more here. From Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
Do you know?
Sitting more than 4 hours a day has detrimental effects on your well-being . Sitting for more than 20 minutes in a fixed position decreases the metabolism.
The power of walking:
The very first and most important lesson I learned in my quest.
It not only reduces stress levels by a remarkable 62% but also boosts metabolism and keeps our body active and energized.
Taking the five-minute walk every 30 minutes can do wonders for our health, ensuring we break in the cycle of prolonged sitting
The 20-8-2 Pattern: A Productivity Boost
Alan Hedge, a professor of ergonomics at Cornell University, unveiled a groundbreaking pattern.
Picture this: For every 30 minutes of sitting, spend 20 minutes sitting, 8 minutes standing up and stretching your legs, and even take a short walk. And as if that wasn't amazing enough you gave yourself an extra 2 minutes of brisk walk.
This pattern was very effective when I needed to sit for studies or do any seated work for long hours.
Setting Goals for an Active Lifestyle:
Dr. Tara Narula suggested setting a goal of 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week which is just 30 minutes a day and adding 10000 steps a day.
Make sure you don't walk too much:
Wiserword had a horrible experience. She Describes it in her medium article,
One of her aunts used to walk 20000 steps a day which damaged her knee and formed fluid accumulation.
Wiserword ensures that you take 7000 steps a day as the safest number of steps. Standing and working too much have prolonged negative effects despite your age group.
Correct Posture for Optimal Well-being:
Unlocking the correct posture was another essential aspect of my transformation. Roger Frampton, an expert in body movement provided a simple yet effective exercise. In his tedxtalk.
By standing with both legs together and pushing my heels towards each other for a minute, I improved my posture and activated my leg muscles and core.
This small change had a ripple effect on my well-being.
Infusing movement into daily tasks:
Lisa Mont-Ros writes in her medium article, how she used intentional inefficiency to add 10000 steps in her busy life.
I used the same method. It works like this;
By intentionally adding a touch of inefficiency to the chores. Instead of completing tasks mindlessly, challenge yourself to focus on precision and coordination.
For example, when emptying the dishwasher you would place one cup or a plate at a time. Turning a mundane task into a fun and engaging exercise.
Embracing an active and vibrant life:
The journey towards a more active and vibrant life wasn't without its challenges.
It required discipline, perseverance, and a mindset shift. But the rewards were worth it.
Not only did I regain my physical health but my emotional well-being soared as well.
Exercise improved my depression. Breaking free from a sedentary lifestyle gave me confidence, joy, and a sense of accomplishment.
In conclusion, the revelation of how childhood habits affect our health inspired me to begin a transformative journey.
By incorporating simple yet effective strategies such as
- Regular walking breaks,
- Adopting the 20-8-2 pattern,
- Setting achievable exercise goals,
- Maintaining proper posture,
- and Infusing moments into daily tasks.
I was able to escape the clutches of a sedentary lifestyle and reclaim my vitality
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