Surely, we have all heard or said at some time that “it is important that you move. Go for a walk every day”. And the truth is that today many people still do not give this small gesture the importance it should have.
It is no secret that being inactive for long periods of time can increase the risk of diabetes, cancer and other heart diseases. However, a large part of the population does not give up their sedentary lifestyle to focus on improving their health.
Practicing a little daily exercise can prevent diseases such as diabetes or obesity, as it promotes lower levels of serotonin and dopamine, which will also have a positive impact on our mental health.
Why should we set ourselves the goal of giving up our sedentary life?
Well, in addition to the reasons explained in the previous point, because in 2020 we were locked up and could hardly leave the house. It is true that some of us got out our willpower and replaced their cardio and strength exercises that they did in the gym or on the street with exercises that could be done at home, however, many others of us did not move except to go shopping or to throw out the garbage. And that needs to change.
In fact, studies indicate that walking 30 minutes a day can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by up to 50%. However, an alarming data revealed by the study of ‘Annals of Internal Medicine’ proved that only the first month of the pandemic there was a reduction of almost 30% in the steps we take at the end of the day.
Is there still time to correct this?
Of course, we always are. In addition, we should take the opportunity to get out of the house and walk now that the restrictions due to the coronavirus are less severe. Making this small change in our daily routines, going from practically not moving from the office chair to walking for half an hour daily will have great benefits for our organism. There are times when we believe that doing sports means long gym sessions and achieving rock-hard abs, but the reality is that the only thing our body needs is that we give it movement.
What could happen if we fail to move away from a sedentary lifestyle?
In the past year 2019, a study conducted by the European Society of Cardiology ruled that a sedentary life for 20 years or more can double the risk of death. Knowing this will we still choose not to get up and find a time of the day to go for a walk? I don’t think so. This small gesture, together with healthy lifestyle habits can significantly prolong our lives, helping us to avoid problems such as high blood pressure or cholesterol. Our heart needs pumping, so let’s not think twice and go for a walk.
What is the relationship between a sedentary lifestyle, cancer and type 2 diabetes?
First of all, it is important to remember that the word cancer scares us every time we hear it. However, if we have an active life we will have a lower risk of cancer. Yes, you heard right, cancer is not only caused by alcohol, tobacco or genetic predisposition, but can also be caused by lack of physical activity, especially breast cancer. Therefore, if you are a woman you will be interested to know that by doing some exercise you reduce by 25% the chances of developing this condition.
Secondly, another disease that we would all like to be able to avoid is diabetes and, therefore, we should walk for a while every day as well, as this would reduce by 50% the chances of suffering from it, according to research published in 2016 in ‘World Journal of Diabetes’. But that’s not all, since not doing so and leading an excessively sedentary life would increase the risk of suffering from type 2 diabetes by 112%, according to a study published in ‘Medicine and Sport Science’.
So if we were still at home watching the day go by sitting on our couch, by now we will have become aware of the supreme importance of practicing sport, even if it means going for a 30-minute walk. The first day will probably be difficult, but once we get into the habit, there will be no stopping us and we will feel alive!