I notice that there is a fitness related statement that is being circulating in the social media.  It says, “Sitting is the new smoking.”

Well, it’s surprising to know that few days ago I read about the same topic in Katy Bowman’s book titled Move Your DNA.  I am not suggesting that I didn’t realize this fact earlier, but the way it’s projected is eye-catching.  It was reported under the heading, “sitting is the new smoking that leads to cardiovascular diseases, even in those who regularly perform exercise do not erase the effect that sitting has on the physical body.”

Katy suggests that perhaps we can exchange sitting with standing as it is clearly said that sitting kills.  We should not forget that when workers during postindustrial era, in England and developed countries, were asked to sit and work, it was because of standing injuries which had escalated.  Standing already had several risk factors.  If you stood in your office for fifteen years, then you will end up with equal problems to those of the men who sat all day.

Katy rightly says, “I read that sitting kills, so now I’m afraid to stop standing.”  For load reasons, the transition from a chair to a standing work station is a step in the right direction, but standing the bulk of the day is a different version of the same problem.  The position of sitting isn’t problematic, it’s the repetitive use of single position that makes us ill.”

“Imagine if the SITTING KILLS headline were replaced with BEING STATIONERY SO MUCH OF THE TIME KILLS.”

She further states about an important sequence of events.  She says, “So.  The circulatory system works all of the time, whether your muscles help or not.  Taking your muscles out of the equation basically forces your heart to do all of the work, all of the day.  Then, when you’re ready to stand up, you ask your heart—which has had to pick up your muscular slack “(flabby body)” all day—to engage in an intense activity for the purpose of keeping it strong enough to, again, do all of the work.”

Not a right kind of story to tell.  This presumably leads to an overburdened heart heavily taxed by lack of muscle activity.  It can thus lead to premature death of the heart.  So, don’t assume that sitting is the culprit but not moving is what kills.

So, use your body or lose it.