Monday, September 24, 2018

The Exercise Paradox – Are We Designed to Sit on the Couch?

We all know that exercise is good for the body and brain, and yet we are becoming less active as work has become more sedentary.  If getting out for a walk, or taking a trip to the gym seems difficult, researchers at the University of British Columbia say that the problem is real, and it’s happening inside your brain. Research findings, published recently in the journal Neuropsycologia, say that we may be designed to prefer lying on the couch.  Matthieu Boisgontier, lead author of the paper, wrote “Conserving energy has been essential for human’s survival, as it allowed us to be more efficient in searching for food and shelter, competing for sexual partners, and avoiding predators. The failure of public policies to counteract the pandemic of physical inactivity may be due to brain processes that have been developed and reinforced across evolution.”
In their study, the researchers had young adults sit in front of a computer. They flashed sequential images of stick figures that depicted either physical activity such as running, biking and swimming, or inactivity, such as sitting or lying down. Subjects were told to move their markers as quickly as possible toward the pictures of physical activity and away from the pictures of inactivity.  Subsequently, the order was reversed.  Electrodes were recording their brain activity.  While participants were faster at moving towards the active pictures and away from the lazy pictures, brain results showed that this required their brains to work harder.  Avoidance of physical inactivity comes as a cost – namely increased involvement of brain resources.  Boisgontier said “These results show that our brain is innately attracted to sedentary behaviors.”   Researchers asked whether people’s brains can be retrained, adding that knowing what is happening is an important first step.  
I found this paper to be astounding.  What are its take-home messages?  I think it’s important to knowthat the lure of the chair, the hammock and the bed is innate and powerful.  If we want to stay strong and feel well, we have to find ways to balance resting and moving.  We are all aware that physical activity, including walking, is beneficial for the brain, bones, muscles, heart and most body organs.  It helps with weight control and diabetes prevention. Therefore, we have to plan to get movement into our lives. Do more work in your garden, or home.  Join a class, or a team. Take Pilates, dance classes, Qigong or Tai Chi. Form a group with friends to walk, talk and visit the gym. If you are a solitary person, you can find good exercise classes of all kinds on line.   Set an alarm to get you up from the chair hourly during the day.  We humans are endlessly inventive.  Knowledge is powerful.  Let’s go for it!
Sadja Greenwood  MD, MPH


1 comment:

  1. Hiv disease for the last 3 years and had pain hard to eat and cough are nightmares,especially the first year At this stage, the immune system is severely weakened, and the risk of contracting opportunistic infections is much greater. However, not everyone with HIV will go on to develop AIDS. The earlier you receive treatment, the better your outcome will be.I started taking ARV to avoid early death but I had faith in God that i would be healed someday.As a Hiv patent we are advise to be taking antiretroviral treatments to reduce our chance of transmitting the virus to others , few weeks ago i came on search on the internet if i could get any information on Hiv treatment with herbal medicine, on my search i saw a testimony of someone who has been healed from Hiv her name was Achima Abelard and other Herpes Virus patent Tasha Moore also giving testimony about this same man,Called Dr Itua Herbal Center.I was moved by the testimony and i contacted him by his Email.drituaherbalcenter@gmail.com We chatted and he send me a bottle of herbal medicine I drank it as he instructed me to.After drinking it he ask me to go for a test that how i ended my suffering life of Hiv patent,I'm cured and free of Arv Pills.I'm forever grateful to him Drituaherbalcenter.Here his contact Number +2348149277967...He assure me he can cure the following disease..Hiv,Cancer,Herpes Virus,Epilepsy, fibromyalgia ,ALS,Hepatitis,Copd,Parkinson disease.Genetic disease,Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva,Factor V Leiden Mutation ,Fatal Familial Insomnia ,Dupuytren's disease,Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva,Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Syndrome,Inflammatory bowel disease ,Huntington's disease ,Diabetes,Fibroid...

    ReplyDelete