Water cooler: Reach out to good health as any movement makes up for hours of sitting

Although the world has come to a halt, health talk hasn’t.

Weight gain has become one of the most common jokes and topics of quarantine, subsequently prompting others to urge that we not body shame or guilt ourselves during an already stressful time.

So how do we approach health during a pandemic without making ourselves feel ashamed, frustrated or overwhelmed? Start with a celebration – celebrate that our bodies are built to move.

Understanding all the amazing functions that allow for and encourage movement may just leave you feeling more inspired to try them out.

The general consensus is that the adult human body has 206 bones, more than 650 skeletal muscles and 360 joints. Your skin is elastic to allow for mobility. The whole human body is structured in a way that allows for a wide range of movement.

A human’s international functions operate better with movement. More blood and oxygen is circulated when we move, allowing for our brain and other organs to stay more alert and active. This allows for clearer thinking and sustained concentration – the exact thing we have all been chasing after while staring into the void of our computer screens.

When you say “movement” in the context of health and wellness, most people would jump to the assumption that you mean “exercise.” Tapping into the natural benefits of movement does not always require high-intensity exertion, it’s simpler. It requires less sitting.

Sitting literally squashes and compresses some of your more delicate tissue including nerves, arteries and veins, which subsequently become partially or completely blocked. This is why you may experience numbness and swollen limbs after long periods of sitting.

Even if you consider yourself an ergonomics nerd, most of us inevitably end up in a slouched position.

Slouching puts uneven pressure on your spine, adding wear and tear to your spinal discs, as well as overworking certain joints and ligaments to compensate for your sustained, curved posture. It also limits space in your chest cavity, hindering your lungs from getting the most efficient and effective breaths possible.

So now when you think about your health during quarantine, first remember that your immune system is grateful. Secondly, remember that it’s not all about breaking a sweat for your looks – it’s about frequently moving to benefit every system of your body.

The typical recommendation is to move every 30 minutes. There are apps that can help remind you or go find grandma’s egg timer.

The movement could be going to your window and porch and taking some deep breaths. You could stretch, walk (yes, pacing will do), take out the trash, dance, jump rope, cartwheel, reenact your favorite “The Lord of the Rings” scenes, rile up your dog – anything. The advantage of quarantine is that nobody has to witness this, so be creative. You may be able to move a lot, only a little, or somewhere in between, but the important thing is that you do.

If you’re having a tough time, start with this rule: They can only be movements you enjoy, no matter how unconventional that forces you to get. Stick to that and you’ll be approaching health with a celebration.

Brain train

Test your knowledge with today’s trivia question

Which famous fitness coach is also known for his “Power Juicer” kitchen product?

Jack LaLanne

Billy Blanks

Richard Simmons

Thursday’s answer: Sous vide

Work from home

Quarantine brought our work to our homes, then Zoom brought all our co-workers with it.

In an ideal world, we would have had time to prepare, but instead we all kind of got stuck with the setup (or lack thereof) we had.

If you need help sprucing up your space for the haunting eye of your webcam, or if you need help creating an office space altogether, here are some tips.

• Be near a source of natural light if possible – ideally with light facing you instead of behind. This is both because it looks terrible when people are backlit during web conferences and because extra glare on your computer screen increases eye strain.
• A wall calendar will help you feel organized and is handy when you forget what day it is.
• Keep some scratch paper or pads near for jotting down ideas, especially when screaming kids or needy (although adorable) pets interrupt your train of thought.
• Repurpose furniture such as decorative or outdoor tables to expand your space and ensure everything you need is accessible and organized.
• Have your office in a room that you can leave once you are done, or organize your work space in a way that you can put away work-related items in your off-time. This will help in the struggle of turning off your work brain while you are at home.
• Bring positive things into the work space. These can be colors that calm or invigorate you, pictures or quotes that inspire you or your favorite scents.
• Carve out a space for your work that is away from the major traffic of your home if you are able.
• Headphones (especially noise canceling) are a great accessory when you need to tune out the exterior world and zone in to work.
• Plants add vitality to a space and can even improve the air quality of your home.
• Borrow decor from the rest of the house if you need to fill in your work space to make it feel established and intentional.

Way with words

Fun words about nature to make you smile and spur your imagination while you’re stuck inside.

Feetings (Suffolk)

Animal footprints as they appear in snow.

Hot-spong (East Anglia)

The sudden feeling of warmth as the sun reappears from behind a cloud.

Dringey (Lincolnshire)

A light rain that somehow still leaves you soaked.

Caitein (Gaelic)

The first small ruffle of water after being previously calm.

Bobbles (North Sea Coast)

Choppy waves brought about by wind.

Squatted (Kent)

Being splashed with mud from a passing vehicle.

Ungive (Northamptonshire)

To thaw.

Flinchin (Scots)

A misleading prediction of better weather to come.

Crizzle (Northamptonshire)

The freezing of water that elicits a sound of natural activity seemingly too slow for humans to hear.

More words like this can be found in Robert Macfarlane’s book, “Landscapes” which explores unusual words for natural phenomena and features throughout the dialects of different geographical areas and ecosystems.