Death by Sitting

Book excerpt: Sitting for extended periods of time in an office chair day after day has never been part of our genomic imprint. The fact that this has become the status quo is wreaking havoc on our physical health and making us unhappy.The need for movement has been hardwired within our innate composition. Evolution has shaped humans into the ultimate predator, able to move quickly and efficiently in order to hunt and gather, covering substantial distances over time. It is only in recent history that physical effort and stamina have become pursuits of personal interest or leisure. Scientific findings over the past decade overwhelmingly echo a powerful message: sitting not only weakens the musculoskeletal system - causing chronic and sometimes debilitating pain - it heavily increases one's risk for diabetes, overweight, heart disease, stroke and cancer, while affecting our cognitive and mental health, and making us more susceptible to depression and dementia. And, contrary to popular belief, daily exercise is unable to counteract the ill effects of a sedentary lifestyle.Award-winning author and board-certified physician Dr. Eric Soehngen's professional journey through the universe of medical institutions and research laboratories has granted him personal insight into the fates of thousands of patients across cultures and continents. He believes that the battle against chronic disease will not be won with yet more medications, but by the acceptance of movement as a basic human right and sheer necessity for our very survival.In a comprehensible and accessible format, Death by Sitting explains with scientific accuracy exactly how sitting has become "the new smoking". We can no longer take this sitting down. It is time for a movement revolution. This book will explain why.