The Nation's Health: "Simple exercise counteracts effects of inactivity on health"

Andy · Mar 2, 2018

This article highlights how, for patients with illnesses that don't trigger PEM, even relatively small amounts of activity is beneficial. In my opinion, for patients with ME, this should be turned about, even relatively small amounts of seemingly innocuous activity are potentially harmful.

Everyday activities such as simple household chores may help counteract the negative health effects of long sedentary periods, according to new findings from the American Council on Exercise released in December.

The council commissioned a research team from Western State Colorado University’s High Altitude Exercise Physiology Program to identify the optimal frequency, intensity and length of time spent moving to improve cardiometabolic health among middle-age and older adults.

After a week spending just five minutes each hour on low-to-moderate standing activities, such as folding laundry, washing dishes or standing while reading, research participants saw increases in HDL and triglycerides as well as a reduction in blood sugar. Similar results were also identified after more intense 10-minute bouts of activitiy every two hours.

Other activities that participants performed, also while standing, included getting dressed, working at a desk and even singing.

Thirteen adults who each had one or more cardiometabolic disorders, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar, participated in the research. They took part in exercise programs with a one-week break in between each program, during which participants resumed their normal lifestyles.

Similar results were also identified after the more intense ten-minute bouts of activity.
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http://thenationshealth.aphapublications.org/content/48/1/E1.full

Little Bluestem · Mar 3, 2018

After a week spending just five minutes each hour on low-to-moderate standing activities, such as folding laundry, washing dishes or standing while reading, research participants saw increases in HDL and triglycerides as well as a reduction in blood sugar.
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I wonder how long it would take to fold all of the cloths or wash all of the dishes working on it five minutes/hour.

Ravn · Mar 3, 2018

A case of the good, the bad and the ugly.

The good:
For those of us capable of being upright for a few minutes at a time this is actually reassuring. We don't need to worry about doing 'proper' exercise (so stop pushing us or making us feel guilty). As long as we space (pace) out our normal activities of daily living through the day, that's just fine.

The bad:
Inevitably there'll be generalisations drawn from this along the lines of whatever is good for one group of people is good for all.

The ugly:
There's no comfort here at all for very severe ME patients.

Incidentally, why do they present an increase in triglycerides as a positive?

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The Nation's Health: "Simple exercise counteracts effects of inactivity on health"

Andy Committee Member (& Outreach when energy allows)

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The Nation's Health: "Simple exercise counteracts effects of inactivity on health"

Andy Committee Member (& Outreach when energy allows)

Little Bluestem Senior Member (Voting Rights)

Ravn Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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