This groundbreaking new medical work demonstrates how modern sedentary lifestyles contribute to poor health, obesity, and diabetes, and how health can be dramatically improved by continuous, low-intensity, movement that challenges the force of gravity. Citing her original NASA research on how weightlessness weakens astronauts' muscles, bones, and overall health, the author presents a simple and effective plan for maintaining good health throughout life by developing new lifestyle habits of frequent gravity-challenging movement. Written for everyone who spends most of their lives sitting in chairs, at desks, and in cars, this practical, easy-to-follow action plan outlines simple gravity-challenging activities such as standing up frequently, stretching, walking, and dancing that are more healthful and effective than conventional diet and exercise regimens.

Science has proven that sitting too much is bad for your health, but what can you do about it if you're stuck at your desk all day? "Designed to Move" gives deskbound professionals a practical, easy-to-follow movement plan to fight the debilitating and life-shortening effects of sitting disease. Dr. Joan Vernikos, former director of NASA’s Life Sciences Division, draws on decades of scientific research on astronauts to show readers how to use gravity-based movement to counteract the effects of prolonged sitting and maintain lifelong good health. Written for everyone who spends most of their lives sitting in chairs, "Designed to Move" provides readers with a science-backed health program that helps people stay healthy while at work. Expanding upon her groundbreaking previous book, "Sitting Kills, Moving Heals," Dr. Vernikos shows how developing simple new lifestyle habits at the office can reverse the symptoms of sitting disease and even aging itself, and lead to a life of bountiful health.

The book tells the story of how we never evolved to exercise - to do voluntary physical activity for the sake of health. Using his own research and experiences throughout the world, the author recounts how and why humans evolved to walk, run, dig, and do other necessary and rewarding physical activities while avoiding needless exertion. Drawing on insights from biology and anthropology, the author suggests how we can make exercise more enjoyable, rather that shaming and blaming people for avoiding it

From the director of the Mayo Clinic and inventor of the treadmill desk, a fascinating wake-up call about our sedentary lifestyle

"Toni Yancey''s book is a terrific tool as we work together to promote healthy and active lifestyles."_Bill Clinton "Instant Recess is a call to all of us to get up and move. Part personal memoir, part public health manifesto, and part poetry, Yancey''s warmth and enthusiasm shine through this book. I''m betting that she can convince anyone that moving more is not only good for health, but easy and lots of fun to do."_Marion Nestle, author of What to Eat "In Instant Recess, Dr. Yancey provides the tools to get America moving, in a very accessible style with the scientific research to back it up. Her call to incorporate short exercise breaks into routine, daily activities is one step that can create a true wellness society."_Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman, Senate HELP Committee "Dr. Toni (Antronette) Yancey has influenced and impacted community health and fitness in a number of profound ways! Her book is a must read for anyone interested in living a longer, healthier, and more fulfilling life. Recently, at the First AME Church of Los Angeles, we incorporated a quick but effective fitness interlude into all three of our Sunday worship services. The enthusiastic response from our congregation was tremendous! Thank you, Dr. Yancey, for waking us up to the dangers of our sedentary lives and for awakening our desire to get into better physical shape."_Rev. Dr. John & Denise Hunter, Pastor and First Lady of First AME Church of Los Angeles, the White House-designated local lead agency for Michelle Obama''s Let''s Move LA "Instant Recess is a necessary part of a complex solution to our society''s epidemic of inactivity. It can work equally well in the corporate boardroom, school classroom, or for fans at a sporting event for that matter. It is a great place to start if we don''t want to leave anyone behind. I''m all for breaking our national inertia with a musical beat and a smile on our faces."_Dave Winfield, National Baseball Hall of Fame 2001, Executive Vice President and Senior Advisor, San Diego Padres "Dr. Yancey writes on a topic about which she is both passionate and knowledgeable. Doable in just about any setting, Instant Recess could get America moving again."_David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., 16th Surgeon General of the United States "Instant Recess is an excellent, easy to read, informative book describing how we must all change our lifestyle patterns and incorporate activity into our day. Yancey poignantly shows why ''instant recesses'' are needed by corporate Americans, educators, public health and medical professionals. This isn''t just a simple how-to book, but also a how-come."_Francine Kaufman, Head of the Center for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles "For the average person who continues to yo-yo between the hype of miracle weight loss gimmicks and the allure of fast food franchises, Instant Recess offers an easy and free solution to creating a healthier lifestyle."_Sharon Baucom, Medical Director of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services for the State of Maryland "A thoughtful and innovative approach to community-wide physical activity from a lay person''s perspective. This book is well grounded in scientific evidence that is also contextualized in simple examples and in real life experiences people will be able to relate to."_Adrian Bauman, University of Sydney "I''ve seen everyone from curmudgeonly researchers and uptight bureaucrats to former elite athletes to avowed non-exercisers sucked in by the warm, inclusive energy and ease of her approach to getting people physically active. Most are smiling, some outright laughing as they rediscover the joy of moving. Thankfully, Toni captures the essence of that joy in her book, along with the practical guidance necessary to help anyone start making physical activity a part of their life and their community again."_Mark Fenton, PBS television host and author of The Complete Guide to Walking for Health, Weight Loss, and Fitness "I read Instant Recess and couldn_t help but jump for joy. Dr. Yancey_s got the recipe for success to help turn around the epidemic of inactivity in our country. Finally we have a book that shows Americans how to build that strong base of fitness, 10 minutes of hip hopping at a time. Now, if you_ll excuse me. It_s time for me to take my Instant Recess."_Pam Peeke MD, MPH, FACP, author of Body for Life for Women, Chief Medical Correspondent for Nutrition and Fitness, Discovery Health TV "Through the San Diego Padres organization we''ve worked with Dr. Toni Yancey for nearly 4 years on various healthy eating and fitness related projects ... Dr. Yancey is an educated, dynamic, trusted and respected colleague who has a thorough knowledge of public health issues. Her knowledge, advocacy and connection to community service organizations across the country has been key. She''s recruited a great number of them to enter the fight against childhood obesity by offering a wide variety of active lifestyles options. Influencing America to move towards healthy eating, better nutrition, and into her activity routine called Instant Recess is a significant and continuous task _ It''s a pleasure working with this former collegiate athlete, Ph.D. and public servant. We need more people like Dr. Toni Yancey combatting this nationwide health crisis."_David Winfield, member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, and Co-Director at UCLA Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Equity

Many common health problems can be treated with simple remedies you can do at home. Even if the steps you take don't cure the problem, they can relieve symptoms and allow you to go about your daily life, or at least help you until you're able to see a doctor. Some remedies, such as changing your diet to deal with heartburn or adapting your home environment to cope with chronic pain, may seem like common sense. You may have questions about when to apply heat or cold to injuries, what helps relieve the itch of an insect bite, or whether certain herbs, vitamins or minerals are really effective against the common cold or insomnia. You'll find these answers and more in Mayo Clinic Book of Home Remedies. In situations involving your health or the health of your family, the same questions typically arise: What actions can I take that are immediate, safe and effective? When should I contact my doctor? What symptoms signal an emergency? Mayo Clinic Book of Home Remedies clearly defines these questions with regard to your health concerns and guides you to choose the appropriate and most effective response.

"Scared Sitless" offers an antidote to "sitting disease," that surprising new affliction which results when we plop down on our derrieres for hours on end. It may not actually be "the new smoking," as so many headlines claim, but the consequences of our sedentary ways are definitely catching up with us. Fortunately, the remedy is straightforward: Develop better office fitness habits to sit less and move more. This book sets out the science behind "sitting disease" and shows you how to fight it. It also helps you cope with the muscle aches and pains and other discomfort that can result from a poor ergonomics set-up and sub-optimal posture. Ergonomics is all too often an annual ritual visit from someone in HR, or a one-time intervention when you get a new desk. Taking charge of your own ergonomics situation can help keep you comfortable and productive every day, not just in the few days after you get your new keyboard. Likewise, cultivating a little more postural awareness at work can keep you from curling up into that pillbug posture that so often comes with desk work. Naturally, exercise and movement are an important component of office fitness. The book shows you how to add more routine movement to your work day and how to do "no-sweat workouts" right at your desk, as well as home and gym workouts tailored to your unique needs as an office worker. Ideally, you want your new office fitness behaviors to become automatic, so there's a whole chapter that shows you how to turn them into habits. Like all of the book, the habit chapter draws on the latest research and best practices to give you an evidence-based action plan for staying fit and healthy at work.

Physical inactivity is a key determinant of health across the lifespan. A lack of activity increases the risk of heart disease, colon and breast cancer, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, osteoporosis, anxiety and depression and others diseases. Emerging literature has suggested that in terms of mortality, the global population health burden of physical inactivity approaches that of cigarette smoking. The prevalence and substantial disease risk associated with physical inactivity has been described as a pandemic. The prevalence, health impact, and evidence of changeability all have resulted in calls for action to increase physical activity across the lifespan. In response to the need to find ways to make physical activity a health priority for youth, the Institute of Medicine's Committee on Physical Activity and Physical Education in the School Environment was formed. Its purpose was to review the current status of physical activity and physical education in the school environment, including before, during, and after school, and examine the influences of physical activity and physical education on the short and long term physical, cognitive and brain, and psychosocial health and development of children and adolescents. Educating the Student Body makes recommendations about approaches for strengthening and improving programs and policies for physical activity and physical education in the school environment. This report lays out a set of guiding principles to guide its work on these tasks. These included: recognizing the benefits of instilling life-long physical activity habits in children; the value of using systems thinking in improving physical activity and physical education in the school environment; the recognition of current disparities in opportunities and the need to achieve equity in physical activity and physical education; the importance of considering all types of school environments; the need to take into consideration the diversity of students as recommendations are developed. This report will be of interest to local and national policymakers, school officials, teachers, and the education community, researchers, professional organizations, and parents interested in physical activity, physical education, and health for school-aged children and adolescents.

This book addresses the origins, determinants and magnitude of the global problem of sedentary behaviour, along with concise yet in-depth solutions for tackling it. As a consequence of major technological advances in modern society, many people find themselves in environments characterized by prolonged sedentary behaviour. Although inadequate exercise has long been known to cause adverse health consequences, sedentary behaviour has recently emerged as a risk factor for the development of numerous chronic diseases and health conditions. Building on the contributions of leading experts in the field, this book presents current knowledge about sedentary behaviour, its medical and public health significance, its correlates and determinants, measurement techniques, and recommendations for addressing this behaviour at the individual, community, environmental, and policy level. Applying a cross-disciplinary methodology, the book avoids considering physical activity and sedentary behavior as a single continuum, which potentially hampers progress in confronting widespread levels of sedentariness. Rather, the book helps readers better understand how sedentary and physically active behavior co-occur and how the two behaviours have distinct contributing factors. Building on the contributions of distinguished international experts in the field, this thorough resource is a valuable asset and challenges professionals, researchers, students, and practitioners alike to adopt new strategies and expand their reach.