California Health Insurance: Are You Standing Up For This?
Often when a person has something important to say they tell you that you better sit down for what they are about to share with you. Next time, just to switch things up a bit, maybe you should say, “you better stand up for what I am about to tell you.” The trend has begun and are you ready to trade in your desk chair for a standing desk? Professional Choice Insurance tries to stay up to date with all the latest trends that are out there when it comes to your health. We consider California Health Insurance and California Life Insurance essential for every individual and California small business and the key along with great Health Insurance is real healthy living. If you are not quite convinced about the standing desk, or exercise ball chair, maybe you will be after reading this blog post. So, what is all the hype about these desks and exercise balls and how will they benefit your health? So why is sitting at work really all that bad if you go to the gym, or exercise frequently? Does sitting all day really make you more likely to die sooner?
Wall Street Journal wrote a very informative and persuasive article titled Standing Desks are on the Rise. I guess you can take that literally. The article stated, “A 2010 study by the American Cancer Society found that women who sat more than six hours a day were 37% more likely to die prematurely than women who sat for less than three hours, while the early-death rate for men was 18% higher.” The New York Times also wrote an article about standing desk titled Stand While You Read This. The article shared a study performed on a group of men who normally walk a lot (about 10,000 steps per day). These men “were asked to cut back (to about 1,350 steps per day) for two weeks, by using elevators instead of stairs, driving to work instead of walking and so on. By the end of the two weeks, all of them had become worse at metabolizing sugars and fats. Their distribution of body fat had also altered — they had become fatter around the middle. Such changes are among the first steps on the road to diabetes.”
Even if you are a regular at the gym, or you go jogging or walking often, sitting all day at the office can offset all your hard work. When you are sitting all day your muscles are at a level of complete inactivity. My husband is constantly fidgeting and moving around while he sits. I’ve always considered these habits to be on the annoying side, however he is burning more calories than I am as I sit lifeless to watch a movie. The New York Times article also states that, “Compared to sitting, standing in one place is hard work. To stand, you have to tense your leg muscles, and engage the muscles of your back and shoulders; while standing, you often shift from leg to leg. All of this burns energy.” Who would have thought being squirmy was actually healthy?
Professional Choice Insurance wants to make exercise a way of life. We know that providing our customers with a quality California Health Insurance policy is a huge step in the right direction, however, along with it, to really get across the importance of taking care of our bodies really makes everything complete. We get that not everyone has time, or can afford a luxurious gym pass. Try and park far from your work building when arriving at work. Take the steps instead of the elevator. This is a huge calorie burner actually. Sit on an exercise ball and bounce around a bit and improve your core while at work. There really are so many options that can be easily incorporated into your day. We also know that eating right is just as important as exercise. Yelp wrote a great article, Does Our Fat Make Us Look Fat?, about places you can eat out and not eat an entire days worth of calories in just one meal. We do not take health lightly, so call Professional Choice Insurance today for a free California Insurance quote. Whether you need California Health Insurance, or California Small Business Insurance for your group benefits, we can assist you.
