Sit at your Peril

I'm always suggesting to my patients that exercise and activity is necessary for better overall health and well being.  Little did I know that some new studies are showing that just standing instead of sitting is beneficial.  Gretchen Reynolds in a NY Times article sites  a study showing that even just breaking up long time sitting with a few minutes of light walking or exercise can lower glucose and insulin levels.  Another study shows that standing uses more caleries than sitting.  She also notes that a study from Australia correlates television watching to decreased life expectancy!.   She incorporates this into her work schedule, by setting an alarm and getting up every 20 minutes for 2 minutes. So once again I say just move, even a little, and good things can happen.