https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1WWzaWb2RQ7YcG55BDnSo3QJGA0eIsu8jf6HVvTlWeTI/edit#slide=id.p
Eric and I did our presentation on sitting because we both have some experience with our Asian parents criticizing our long periods of sitting. I personally chose it and made the decision for us because my mom always has information from the internet to share with me about how detrimental sitting for long periods of time was. I knew that I was sitting around a lot, but this was only because of the work I have to do. With college apps, homework, and tests, I was pretty much constantly at my desk without much getting up. Hours go by as I just sit and try to concentrate, and I know there is something wrong with my situation. Fortunately, I was able to do some firsthand research through this project and personally learn what I was doing to myself every day. One of the most interesting things that I learned about was about how bad posture affects your circulatory system. I actually did not know much about this, as I thought posture only affected the skeletal system. When we found out that bad posture and minimal movement could actually slow your blood flow and increase the probability of atherosclerosis and other cardiac diseases, this was pretty shocking to me, as I realized that I could potentially have these increased risks and beginnings of heart unhealthiness. I feel like this definitely does not affect me only, as probably millions of others are out there just sitting around at work or in school or at home. I feel like this and sleep debt are probably the biggest issues we have in America currently because of how lucky we are. We can actually afford to be just sitting around, and therefore we also carelessly throw away our time to rest and regenerate. Both of these conditions are common and increase risks for diabetes and heart diseases, which are also coincidentally one of the highest causes of death in America. Orthopedics are definitely not the correct answer, and I think everybody needs to manage their time to fit in exercise and sleep, which are critical pillars of our health. With correct time management, everybody can be healthier and hopefully happier, while living longer.
Since Eric and I do live rather close, it wasn't cumbersome for me to go over to his house and work, but we definitely did not goof around. We spent quite a number of hours looking for information and finding solutions to this common unhealthy behavior. While we probably could have spent even more time to search for further details, we were both stacked with a lot of stuff. I say stuff because there are seriously so many things going on, from college counselors to interviews. I was actually absent on the Thursday before our Monday Wellness because I had to fly to Pennsylvania for an interview, and I feel like we really made the best of our situation. Fortunately, we spaced our time rather well so we didn't have to scramble at the last second, but it was still nerve-racking when I wasn't around to talk to you about our presentation. Thank you so much for just providing us with this opportunity and just teaching us so much about our own health and really just what needs change in our society and how we can help others and make a difference.
