Will Your Chair Be the Death of You? Why Sitting Is More Than Just a Pain in the Neck
We have some bad news. You’re going to want to sit down for this. Odds are you’re already seated and have been sitting for quite some time. Or, you spent most of your day sitting at your work desk. That’s the bad news. More often, neck and lower back pain are a direct result of sitting for eight-plus hours every day. A lot of this pain comes from bad posture. Research into workplace ergonomics found the ideal sitting position is with the spine straight, both feet flat on the floor, forearms parallel to the ground when typing, and eyes pointed directly at the top third of the computer screen. That said, the best way to avoid pain isn’t to just sit up straight. We need to move around more. Our lives are literally depending on it. “We’re sitting ourselves to death,” warns Dr. James Levins of the National Institutes of Health. After 15 years of research,
Dr. Levine determined that sitting for prolonged hours leads to obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes, and can increase the likelihood of developing certain forms of cancer. However, just standing around isn’t the answer. While standing desks are better than sitting for eight hours a day, you might shift your pain from your back to your legs and feet. Furthermore, standing still is equally sedentary. Humans are meant to move! Even if your job requires you to stay at a desk all day, there are easy ways you can add much-needed movement into your life. Rather than send an IM, get up and walk over to a co-worker’s desk when you need to chat with them. If possible, make phone calls while walking around. Desk exercises are another great way to increase your movement and improve your health. You can find a whole list of easy “deskercises” at greatist.com/
fitness/deskercise-33-ways-exercise- work. At the very least, you need to step away from your desk once an hour and take a five-minute activity break. It could put an end to your neck and back pain and help you live longer, too.
One-Pan Harvest Pasta
Recipe courtesy of midwestliving.com.
5 -Minute Meditation Mudras are symbolic hand gestures that can be added into a meditation practice to help focus the mind and invite additional relaxation into your practice. Our mudra of choice this month is the Vajrapradama Mudra, which invites confidence, independence, and trust. Interlace your fingers at your heart and leave your thumbs open wide, parallel to each other. Complement a simple meditation with this Mudra or just enjoy it for a few deep breaths when you need it.
This easy, healthy, hearty recipe is a delicious way to employ the harvest from your vegetable garden.
beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained 1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 cup dried whole grain elbow macaroni 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
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2 tablespoons vegetable oil
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1 small eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces (4 cups) 1 medium zucchini, coarsely chopped (2 cups) 2 tomatoes or 4 Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
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Kosher salt
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1/3 cup chopped red onion
Ground black pepper (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Snipped fresh basil
1 (19-ounce) can cannellini
Grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions 1. In a very large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, red onion, and garlic. Cook, uncovered, 7–10 minutes or until vegetables are almost tender, stirring occasionally. 2. Add beans, broth, pasta, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer 7–10 minutes more or until vegetables and pasta are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper; top with basil and Parmesan cheese and serve.
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