Phones are making our butts bigger!
Harvard biologist Jason Lieberman once said, “We evolved to crave sugar, starch and fat. We evolved to be physically active, but we also evolved to be lazy," I couldn’t agree more... When it comes to fighting for food and survival, the most efficient of species reign. Not the strongest. The success of humans has always been on instinct and our ability to adapt to surroundings, mimicking other animals and our amazing body’s ability to adapt quickly to new movement. Today, as modern-day cavemen, we inherited certain traits including our brains that are hardwired to want to save energy. Plus technological evolution has affected the way we humans use our minds. So what can we do about it? A lot, actually. For 60 seconds every hour:
Simply get up from your desk or couch and walk 20-30 steps.
Have at least one sip of water.
Stop looking down. Look up or out a window to the horizon.
Take deep breaths.
Try and listen to your heartbeat. Just be.
Think of a positive thought or memory of being outdoors.
It’s all about endorphins, reducing stress and positive feeling. Being physically self-aware like this, moving, hydrating, resetting your line of sight, breathe, hearing and a positive thought of nature, will give you a small dose of endorphins and can relax you and bring clarity to your thoughts.
Did you know scientific studies have shown that people who live near the coast suffer less from illness and that walking on grass gives us a grounding to the earth we are all lacking in our busy lives. So, once a week the body needs to be outdoors, preferably in nature to feed the soul and ground and reconnect with the real human in us all.
With the world at your fingertips, one forgets the world at your feet. We are all locked in this vicious cycle of obsession and the need for instant gratification from our handheld devices, waiting for the next like, tweet, tag or follow while neglecting the physical, beautiful life happening around us. Bottom line, pun intended, we spend more time on our butts and less on out feet. And we need to recalibrate our bodies and MOVE!