Not long ago we told you that sitting causes major damage to your health. That’s because just two hours of it erases the benefits of 20 minutes of exercise. And it can raise your cancer risk by 10%.

It’s a simple way to sabotage your heart health… Without knowing it.

Now think about how much time you spend off your feet each day…

It’s a scary thought. But a new study reveals an easy—and effective—way to help prevent the damage.

Researchers at Indiana University Bloomington looked at how sitting affects healthy young adults. They found that it only took one hour of sitting around to cut off blood flow in major leg arteries by up to 50%.1 This damages arteries in your legs… It also prevents proper circulation to your heart.

The good news? Their solution doesn’t take much effort. In fact, it’s something you might be doing already. The problem is your approach could be completely wrong.

You can undo the damage of a full hour of sitting in just five minutes.

We’re talking about a simple stroll.

The team found that subjects who took a five-minute walk once an hour did not cut off circulation. And we don’t mean having less restriction… They didn’t have any.2

You don’t even have to break a sweat… The subjects’ walking pace was just 2 mph.3 This is probably the speed at which you walk around your house.

You know that high-intensity exercise can help save your heart and add years to your life. But let’s be realistic… You’re not going to run sprints once an hour.

With these short walks, there’s not even a need for a treadmill.

If you’re reading at home, leave your glass of water in another room. If you’re work in an office, try walking over to a colleague across the room to ask a question instead of shooting an e-mail.

These small changes come with very little inconvenience… But getting up and moving comes with major heart-protective benefits. And that’s not the only way to help protect your heart…

Making small changes to your diet can also have a major impact. Swap out “healthy” whole grains with high-fiber vegetables and fruits. Things like blackberries, raspberries, artichokes, and broccoli are easy places to start. It may help lower your stroke risk by over 30%.

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References:
1http://news.indiana.edu/releases/iu/2014/09/slow-walking-sitting-study.shtml
2http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2014/09/08/take-a-seat-you-may-be-able-to-reverse-the-damage-to-your-health/
3http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25137367