“Sitting Is the New Smoking!”

• Is your sofa a health risk?
• What is the fourth biggest risk factor?

Is your sofa a health risk?

Many of us spend a large portion of our day sitting at our desks. Then after work or school, we go home and sit on our sofas. The fact is we move 90 percent less than our ancestors did a hundred years ago. All that sitting isn't good.

Muscles need regular movement to stay healthy. When we spend too much time sitting, our muscles lock into one position. Then we feel stiff when we stand up.

Studies done in Britain, Canada and the U.S. have similar findings. One finding shows that sitting too long increases our risk of diabetes and high blood pressure.

It also increases our risk of heart disease, obesity and cancer. The World Health Organization names the lack of activity as the fourth biggest risk factor for death. Growing evidence shows that exercising won’t protect us if we sit too much. The solution is less sitting and moreactivity throughout the day. Use a standing desk. Take frequent breaks, stretch or walk around every 90 minutes. Get moving for a longer, healthier life.

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: What is Britain? 

I know there’s much confusion over what exactly Britain is. So let’s settle this right here, right now, starting with England.

Okay, yes. England is its own country. Add to it Wales and Scotland and we get Great Britain.

Add to Great Britain, Northern Ireland, and we get yet another designation , the United Kingdom. In this context,Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are considered countries within a country.

Right, okay, next label is more geographical than political,the British Isles. They include all of Great Britain, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, and Ireland the island.

Now, before we go any further, let’s offer some friendly advice. First, don’t call somebody from Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, English.

Right, although these people are part of the UK politically, they’re still very interested in maintaining their distinctive cultural identities.

Second saying Ireland is a British Isle can be very controversial especially in Ireland. So avoid saying that too.

Okay, finally there’s the British Commonwealth. Simply put, the Commonwealth includes the United Kingdom plus former British Colonies that are now sovereign nations, like Canada, India, and Australia, to name just a few.

Language Lab
portion n.
a part of something larger, especially a part that is different from the other parts
- Ellen used a small portion of her salary to buy new clothes.
- Wesley spends a considerable portion of his leisure time on cars.
an amount of food for one person, especially when served in a restaurant [= serving, helping]:
- This restaurant serves smaller portions than other restaurants.

muscle n.
one of the pieces of flesh inside your body that you use in order to move, and that connect your bones together
- This aerobic series is aimed at strengthening abdominal muscles.
- Edward pulled a muscle in his back and couldn't go to work.
power or influence
- The company demonstrated their financial muscle when bidding for the project.

obesity n.
when someone is very fat in a way that is unhealthy
- People who suffer from obesity tend to have a lower self-esteem.
obese adj.
- That old lady is obese and suffers from various diseases.

evidence n.
[uncountable] facts or signs that show clearly that something exists or is true
- There's a lot of evidence that proves the connection between stress and depression.
information that is given in a court of law in order to prove that someone is guilty or not guilty:
- The new evidence was the key to the conviction of the defendant.

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