Lifestyle effects
Clearly, American adults aren’t in very good health, especially as they get
older. And
people in other countries, both developed and developing ones,
are following a similar storyline. How did we find ourselves in a global
epidemic of chronic disease?
As we examined in the last chapter, most chronic
illnesses affecting people
today are actually lifestyle illnesses. In other words, these diseases are
rooted in our daily activities, in the choices we make each and every day.
And these daily choices contribute to
widespread changes in the body, such
as chronic inflammation, which eventually take their toll. What are some of
these pro-inflammatory activities?
More sitting
Sitting has become prevalent in American society. Many
people work in front of
a computer at a desk all day, then come home and
relax on the couch while watching TV. They may spend 10, 11, or even 12
or more hours a day sitting.
Why is sitting bad for us? Because our bodies are programmed to move
frequently (every hour or so) throughout the day. Low physical activity
encourages inflammation.
This sedentary lifestyle has become a true health problem.
Research has
linked sitting for long periods with a number of health problems, including
cardiovascular disease, obesity, high blood pressure,
abnormal cholesterol
levels, high blood sugar and cancer — all secondary to underlying
inflammation.
