FitLinks: Study Shows Correlation Between Hours Sitting And Chronic Disease

FitLinks: Study Shows Correlation Between Hours Sitting And Chronic Disease

We all know sitting at a desk all day isn’t the greatest for staying healthy and keeping fit. But, new studies show just how much sitting for hours each day hurts our bodies. Just 4 hours a day can put you at risk for developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Since [...]

The post FitLinks: Study Shows Correlation Between Hours Sitting And Chronic Disease appeared first on BuiltLean.com.

We all know sitting at a desk all day isn’t the greatest for staying healthy and keeping fit. But, new studies show just how much sitting for hours each day hurts our bodies. Just 4 hours a day can put you at risk for developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Since most of us spend far more than 4 hours a day working, and probably sitting down, this study makes taking a few more walks over to the water cooler pretty appealing.

We also have an very interesting article that discusses the merits of HIIT training in short bursts vs longer duration exercise, a couple of nutrition articles that deal with healthy oils and new findings on the Mediterranean diet, and a cool image-based article that contrasts what 200 calories of a wide variety of foods looks like.

Please Note: The articles and videos listed below are informative, popular, newsworthy, or a combination of all three. Just because we have included an article within FitLinks does not necessarily mean that BuiltLean supports, or agrees with its contents or views. If you have a question about our position on any article, please leave a comment and we will be happy to respond!

TRENDING NEWS

1. Link Between Hours Sitting And Chronic Disease (Medical News Today)

2. Smart Jocks? Fitness Means Better Test Scores (TODAY)

3. More Calories Than Listed On The Label? Yes. (Gizmodo)

4. Can Olive Oil & Nuts Really Prevent Heart Attacks? (Medical News Today)

5. Can 3 Minutes Of Exercise A Week Change Your Life? (Mail Online)

TRENDING ARTICLES

1. 7 Nutrition Bars Worse Than Candy (MNN)

2. 11 Lies Of Mainstream Nutrition (Authority Nutrition)

3. When Diet Meets Delicious (NY Times)

4. Fight Unhealthy Food – Not Fat People (Guardian)

5. What 200 Calories Looks Like (imgur)

TRENDING VIDEOS

Since we have a few articles all about olive oil and what it can do for you, we’ve got a video as well on its benefits and how using olive oil more often can improve your diet:

And, of course, if you’re looking for some new ways to workout, here are 44 cool bodyweight exercises you might want to give a try:

The post FitLinks: Study Shows Correlation Between Hours Sitting And Chronic Disease appeared first on BuiltLean.com.

Featured Interview: “Speciesism The Movie” Ready to Hit the Mainstream

Featured Interview: “Speciesism The Movie” Ready to Hit the Mainstream
Specisism The Movie is set to hit the mainstream this summer (2013). Pre-screenings are changing people's world views, and making them question their assumption that humans are a superior species to all others. It's based on the idea of the term "speciesism", coined by Peter Singer in the 1970s. Vegan Mainstream was very happy to have the chance to chat with director Mark Devries recently about the movie and its evolution. Read on, and you'll be convinced that this movie is one to put on your "must-see" list

Specisism The Movie is set to hit the mainstream this summer (2013). Pre-screenings are changing people’s world views, and making them question their assumption that humans are a superior species to all others. It’s based on the idea of the term “speciesism”, coined by Peter Singer in the 1970s. Vegan Mainstream was very happy to have the chance to chat with director Mark Devries recently about the movie and its evolution. Read on, and you’ll be convinced that this movie is one to put on your “must-see” list.

Vegan Mainstream: Can you talk about how you got started on this journey? Why did you decide to make this film?

Mark Devries: Honestly, I had no idea what I was getting into.  I never expected to learn (and record) the things I did.  It all started when I came across some PETA demonstrations, and decided to investigate factory farming as a result.  Then I looked deeper and deeper, which took me everywhere, from sneaking through bushes onto factory farm property, to commissioning airplanes to fly overhead and take pictures from the sky.  Of course, in a sense, all of that was only the beginning – because then I learned about speciesism itself.

VM: The horrors of factory farming are becoming known to an increasing number of people, and many are beginning to speak out against the cruelties that take place, but this film’s message goes farther than exposing the cruelty, and asks the question, why do some humans feel they are superior to animals, and therefore have the right to treat them this way? Can you talk about what it took for you to start asking that question?

MD: I met and spoke with many of the scientists, lawyers, and academics who have been arguing that our assumption against taking the interests of non-human animals seriously reflects a form of prejudice, similar to prejudices like racism and sexism, which they have termed speciesism.  That got me thinking: if they are right, and we cannot justify a sharp ethical distinction between humans and members of other species, then the treatment of animals on factory farms would be one of the most important ethical issues of our time.

VM: What response have you been getting to the idea of the film? Positive and negative – and what have the responses meant to you?

MD: The main purpose of the film is to reach broad audiences, especially consisting of people who are not already familiar with or interested in the subject, so as to help bring the issues into the broader public discussion.  As far as I know, this is the first movie to really make that attempt.  So far, the response has been very, very encouraging.  We have seen a great deal of interest from people with no background whatsoever in the subject.  Most excitingly, though, a good number of people who attended sneak preview screenings have told me weeks later that the movie changed their lives.

VM: Do you think this is a message that mainstream America is ready and willing to hear? Why?

MD: Wow, that is an interesting question, and I think the answer depends on what “ready” means in this context.  Now, undoubtedly, attitudes and practices are changing fast.  Taking non-human animals seriously is a mainstream issue, being discussed on CNN and written about in the New York Times.  At the same time, the idea that speciesism is a prejudice runs counter to the intuitions most of us have developed throughout our lives.  As a result, this may be just the right time to start a broader public discussion about these ideas, but with the understanding that the development of such a discussion is a process that will take place over a course of years.

VM: When is the movie coming out, and how can people see it?

MD: The movie will be doing a tour of theaters in major US cities, and elsewhere, this summer.  After that, it will be available worldwide on Amazon, Netflix, and more.  Please make sure to add your email address under “Release Notification” at SpeciesismTheMovie.com, so that you will automatically receive an alert when the release begins.  You can also like us on Facebook, at facebook.com/speciesism, and follow us on Twitter, at twitter.com/speciesism.

Watch the trailer:

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Dead Sea Salt and The Benefits For Your Skin

Dead Sea Salt and The Benefits For Your Skin
Our skin takes a beating all year long. We're always looking for new products to soften, nourish, and replenish our skin.
Source: EzineArticles.com

Healthy Airport Choices for Weight Loss

Healthy Airport Choices for Weight Loss

This week I’m doing something I never thought I’d ever do. I’m taking on a challenge from Princess Cruises http://www.princess.com/ - a seven-day sail aboard the Crown Princess in the Western Caribbean (hello sunshine!) and not gain, or better yet, lose weight. I’ve been gathering tips from friends, family and readers on twitter and have a pretty good plan but what will also be challenging is the journey to the ship.

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Why Backyard Farming Is Not An Answer To Factory Farming

Why Backyard Farming Is Not An Answer To Factory Farming
My Japanese quail, Trevor, joined our family after we found him wandering our backyard in St. Paul, Minnesota. Trevor, like so many other “poultry species", is a victim of the interest in backyard farming. He likely is an escapee from a farmer intending him for the dinner plate, or was dumped when recognized as a “worthless” rooster

© Melissa Swanson

My Japanese quail, Trevor, joined our family after we found him wandering our backyard in St. Paul, Minnesota. Trevor, like so many other “poultry species”, is a victim of the interest in backyard farming. He likely is an escapee from a farmer intending him for the dinner plate, or was dumped when recognized as a “worthless” rooster.

Chicken Run Rescue (CRR) in Minneapolis sees many abandoned roosters. Most are wandering the streets, some in very busy areas, until they are found by Animal Control or Good Samaritans. Often these birds are in rough shape: some have signs of ropes around their feet or necks; many are injured or ill. Untold numbers are never found and succumb to weather, predation or starvation.

Roosters in urban farming, as in commercial farming, are considered “useless”. Most will not keep them as companions or, as in St. Paul, cannot keep them due to bans on roosters. The average layer produces until about only 2 years of age. After that, her production decreases or ceases. She can no longer pay for her feed by feeding humans. These unwanted birds place a burden on groups like CRR, Animal Place and Farm Sanctuary as the number of displaced birds continues to increase.

In backyard farms quite a few animals are kept in pens that are unsafe, too small or inadequately fulfilling the animals’ basic needs. Most coops offer hens bare minimum square footage to keep costs lower and to work within as small a footprint as possible. While they are offered more room than the average battery or free range bird, the hens are still unnaturally cramped. Most coops are made with the ease of the farmer in mind rather than the comfort of the birds.

For example, in our home, Trevor (who is about 1/8 the size of a hen) has nearly 8 square feet to himself and he can run, flap his wings, dust bathe and perform other natural behaviors. For hens, coop size per bird was suggested at 4 square feet with a 8-to-10 square-foot run where they’d spend most of their time. One hen in Trevor’s pen could barely spread her wings and could take only a few steps in any direction. While better than the tight spaces in commercial farming, it’s still inadequate for an active, intelligent bird.

If we respect and love these animals, as backyard farmers profess to, then we wouldn’t abandon or kill them when they cease to give us more than they take. All birds deserve a home where we ask nothing from them except the chance to share their lives and enjoy them as individuals*.

*I also have also on occasion asked Trevor to stop crowing at 4 am so mommy and daddy can sleep. Results vary.

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Improve Your Skin With The Benefits Of Unrefined Shea Butter

Improve Your Skin With The Benefits Of Unrefined Shea Butter
Unrefined shea butter is a natural moisturizer with amazing skin care benefits. Learn about the benefits of shea butter and the differences between unrefined and refined shea.
Source: EzineArticles.com

Change a Bad Habit in 28 Days

Change a Bad Habit in 28 Days

We all have habits we'd like to change.  But it seems nearly impossible to reprogram our daily routines, even when our well-being is at stake.  For many of us, weight loss is essential to improve our blood pressure, prevent diabetes or save a relationship.  According to one author, changing a single bad habit to lose weight takes just 28 days.

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