Sedentary Behavior's Impact on Health
According to Gibson et al. (2017), the average American is sitting on average 9 and a half hours a day during their work week and 9 hours a day on their weekend! (para. 3). Now most people do not have amazing posture when sitting so this overtime can cause back and neck pain and stiffness, but if this is kept up it can escalate to herniated disks and a hunchback deformity in their spine. I know this sounds bad right? Well it also affects people with good posture as well! So if you thought that would save you it won't. Overtime you can also experience these mild to serious injuries.
Benefits of Exercise
CDC (2021) stated some positive impacts of physical exercise are…
- Improvement in mood state, self-esteem, lower stress, and anxiety levels,
- Reduction of blood pressure, enhanced cardiovascular fitness, and weight loss
- Prevention of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s.
All of these are great, but exercise can also help combat the discomfort and individual will face with sitting for extensive hours a week. Thank back and neck pain and the escalation to worse more serious issues can all be prevented with exercise. This is because as an individual you are strengthening your body making it able to withstand that pressure put on it overtime.
More about the Benefits of Exercise?
For information on the benefits of exercise,
check out the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Supplements
Lack of nutrients can lead to mental illnesses such as depression. It is the most common deficient nutrient found in mental disorder patients (Rao et al., 2008, para. 7).
Essential Fatty Acids: Omega-3 fatty acids
Vitamins: B-complex vitamins, Vitamin B12, Folate.
Minerals: Calcium, Chromium, Iodine, Iron, Lithium, Selenium, Zinc.
Note: We recommend that you consult with your doctor. If the cause of mental health is this nutritional deficit, supplements may be helpful for mental health.
What to eat?
Consumption of fruits and vegetables is not only at the level of psychological characteristics such as depression, but also improves levels of psychological well-being, such as satisfaction and positive mood.
Consumption of raw fruits and vegetables than canned and processed vegetables and fruits is rated for more effective mental health outcomes (Brookie et al., 2018, para. 4).
Bananas, apples, grapefruit, berries, kiwifruit, stone fruit (peaches, apricots), pear, frozen berries, and grapes help to improve positive mood and flourishing.
Recipe for Fresh Juice
Lizstan (2015) introduced 5 juice recipes for depression (para. 2 & para. 5).
Apple and Spinach Juice
Medium apple, Celery, Ginger root (1/4 thumb), Lemon (with rind) – 1/2 fruit, Orange (peeled), Spinach
Green Juice
Medium apple, Celery, Kale, Lemon (peeled), Spinach
References
Gibson, A., Muggeridge, D. J., Hughes, A. R., Kelly, L., & Kirk, A. (2017). An examination of objectively-measured sedentary behavior and mental well-being in adults across week days and weekends. PloS One, 12(9), e0185143. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0185143
de Rezende, Leandro Fornias Machado, Rey-López, J. P., Matsudo, V. K. R., & do Carmo Luiz, O. (2014). Sedentary behavior and health outcomes among older adults: A systematic review. BMC Public Health, 14(1), 333. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-14-333
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, April 5). Benefits of Physical Activity. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/pa-health/index.htm.
Rao, T S Sathyanarayana, Asha, M R, Ramesh, B N, & Rao, K S Jagannatha. (2008). Understanding nutrition, depression and mental illnesses. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 50(2), 77–82. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.42391
Brookie, Kate L, Best, Georgia I, & Conner, Tamlin S. (2018). Intake of Raw Fruits and Vegetables Is Associated With Better Mental Health Than Intake of Processed Fruits and Vegetables. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 487–487. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00487
Lizstan, A. (2015, September 27). 5 Juice Recipes For Depression. Spirit of Change Magazine. https://www.spiritofchange.org/5-juice-recipes-for-depression/.
Images retrieved from Pixabay