Stand Up

I am an unfortunate devotee to all the various and assorted articles I read that promise me a happier, healthier, better life if I follow their sage advice.

I don't of course. 

Sir Clement Freud, a British humorist, restaurateur, gambler said, "if you resolve to give up smoking, drinking and loving, you don't actually live longer; it just seems longer." Except, Sir Freud, for the smoking part.

Others, simply see a way to cash in on the life wisdom of others. Robyn Okrant followed the advice of Oprah, the patron saint of living life, for one year. Nothing particularly revolutionary came out of that experiment I understand, not even a visit with Oprah. Okay, maybe one insight. Not everyone can get away with leopard flats. Plus, I am particularly suspect of the motives of people who substitute a y for an i in their names. 

So what's with my subject heading, stand up?

It is for your benefit. Because I care. Because I worry. Because I am demonstrating that I can actually remember what I read.

Here goes. It seems that couch potatoes live shorter lives. Each daily hour of television watching was associated with an 18 percent increase in deaths. Four hours or more and you were 80 percent more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than those who watched two hours or less. With me, still? What I wondered was how do these researchers find the people who are willing to admit to their being slugs. Want to avoid the drastic outcome of this couch potato habit? 

Here is the antidote. Watch your programs, but do so while standing up. Have weights in each of your hands, curling, lifting and curling some more, (this they caution is better for you than doing balance and toning exercises)...isn't lifting weights toning?, anyway...do this for at least 2 hours a week. Your cognition, your ability to make decisions and to resolve conflicts improves. 

I suspect the last benefit is because you have weights in your hands.

Alternatively, eat, drink and be merry...as you, no doubt, know the last line of that ditty.