You probably already know that the more time you send sitting down, the more problems you will have with vein disease. You may get some relief from swelling, itching, pain, and redness if you prop up your feet while you are sitting down…but we like to say that the road to wellness for vein disease is one you walk down.
Just how bad is sitting for your health?
Our bodies just weren't designed for sitting at a computer or at a machine all day and then relaxing for three hours in front of the TV. And if you have vein problems, too much sitting is guaranteed to make vein problems worse. A study called a meta-analysis conducted at the Mayo Clinics found that:
"An analysis of 13 studies of sitting time and activity levels found that those who sat for more than eight hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to the risks of dying posed by obesity and smoking."
If you already have vein disease, the effects of too much sitting are much more specific:
- Your legs will swell more.
- Your legs will itch more. You may have peeling, oozing skin.
- Your legs will hurt more.
- You will have more trouble walking.
And we all know the dangers of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), for people who sit for more than four hours on long car and plane rides.
But a sedentary lifestyle is bad for more than just your veins.
Walking is good for more than just your body.
A research study found that people who sit all day have more memory problems, make more bad judgments, and have less "brain maintenance" from hormonal factors than people who get up and walk. Fortunately, walking cancels out the ill effects of sitting too much.
In fact, your calf muscles have a profound effect on circulation all over your body. It's not unusual for them to be referred to as your "second heart." It's called the "calf muscle pump."
When you walk, your calf muscles help squeeze blood back up your veins to your heart and lungs so it can be re-oxygenated and recirculated all over your body. This cancels out the swelling, itching, and skin problems caused by venous insufficiency in your legs. But it also stimulates your brain.
An international team of researchers from Australia, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Hong Kong ran three different protocols to test the effects of walking on brainpower in adults over 60. They put volunteers in four groups:
- One group just sat all day.
- One group took a half-hour walk at the beginning of the day.
- One group took a half-hour walk in the middle of the day.
- One group got up and walked for three minutes every half hour during the day until they had walked for 30 minutes total.
The research team found that any way you get your walking in, it improves brain power. Walkers had better short-term memory, better "executive function" (judgment and critical thinking skills), and high levels of a brain-boosting chemical called brain-derived neurotrophic factor.
Walking is great exercise for everybody, but some people have problems with it. We realize that people who have vein disease are in a difficult position. An advanced vein condition makes it difficult if not impossible to walk. And the lack of exercise causes the vein condition to worsen. Typically, a lack of exercise also results in weight gain, which only worsens the symptoms of a vein condition.
It's Okay to Start Small...Just Start.
You may not be able to get 60 minutes of walking in every day, but any walking is better than none at all. Start small and work your way slowly into progressively longer increments. Set your phone alarm to go off every hour or so and get up and walk around the building, walk to the water cooler, take a trip or two up and down the stairs or step outside for a moment of fresh air and sunshine. Choose parking spaces that are further away from the entrance and avoid elevators and escalators. At home, you can set your alarm 30 minutes earlier in the morning and walk around the block before to start your day. It’s likely that your spouse, children or dog will love the opportunity to join you! Find a friend to walk with throughout the week, as walking is always better with a partner…plus you’re less likely to cancel if there is someone else waiting for you – a little accountability never hurt anyone. Find ways to make walking interesting. Check out our blog with 30 different ways to make walking more fun.
You owe it to yourself to take care of yourself. If your legs are bothering you to the point where walking is uncomfortable or even painful, schedule a free vein screening to find out if a vein condition is to blame. With warmer weather on the way, it's time to stand up for our health and get walking.
