Body Ballancer study reveals impact of lockdown on the state of the nation’s health
There’s no denying that for many of us, COVID and a year of lockdowns have taken a toll on both our mental and physical health and wellbeing. Body Ballancer recently carried out consumer research to understand the true impact on the health of the nation and the results were concerning. The research found that the state of the nation’s health is in significant decline, with many admitting to struggling with sleep, leading more sedentary lifestyles and consuming a poor diet and excessive alcohol.
The research suggests 69 percent of Britons are currently leading a completely sedentary lifestyle, spending an average of 11 hours and 12 mins of the waking day either sitting or lying down.
The study also reveals the average Brit currently walks just half the daily steps recommended by health professionals (5,229 on average) and spends less than three hours a day outside in the fresh air.
Almost half (43 percent) regularly drive to their local shop, with the longest distance most are prepared to walk before getting in the car, emerging as just two thirds of a mile (0.66 miles on average).
Over half (54 percent) of those who took part in the study of 2,000 British adults, claim they feel “stressed” or “extremely stressed” on a day-to-day basis, while 64 percent are suffering from extreme tiredness or fatigue.
42 percent said their current lifestyle is leaving them feeling exhausted, 39 percent are struggling with insomnia and 37 percent are struggling with anxiety.
When it comes to diet, more than half (59 percent) are consuming high sugar, processed or fried foods on a daily basis, with one in five (20 percent) claiming their diet is worse than it was a year ago.
One in ten do not drink any water in an average day, relying solely on tea, coffee, or carbonated drinks to keep them hydrated.
Furthermore, almost a quarter (22 percent) are drinking at least two alcoholic drinks a day, with the stress of lockdown the main reason cited (45 percent) and boredom coming second (36 percent).
The study also found that 33 percent of those interviewed currently suffer from regular headaches and migraines, while 25 percent are experiencing skin break outs.
When it comes to our major health concerns, 64 percent of Brits said obesity was the biggest threat to the nation’s health and 32 percent said they are more concerned about their general health than they were a year ago.
Jules Willcocks from Body Ballancer, comments on the research findings:
“With our general health and wellbeing now more important than ever, we wanted to take a deep dive into the state of the nation’s overall health.”
We were surprised to see how many people are suffering from symptoms such as tiredness and fatigue, headaches, bloating and discomfort, and even insomnia. It’s easy to write these ailments off as a side effect of the winter blues and the stress of juggling work, home schooling and the current health pandemic, but they’re all common signs of poor lymphatic health.”
Dr John Quinn of Quinn Clinics explains: “The lymphatic system forms part of our immune system and plays an important role in protecting our bodies. It is vital for maintaining fluid balance, removing toxins, waste products and abnormal cells, and absorbing fats and proteins from the intestines.”
Jules added:“If a healthy lymphatic system becomes compromised due to illness or poor lifestyle, this can lead to a range of issues, including tissue swelling, poor skin tone, excess weight, cellulite, headaches, joint pain, fatigue and greater susceptibility to illness.”
The study revealed that 43 percent of those surveyed have never even heard of the lymphatic system, with almost a quarter (23 percent) admitting to having no idea what it does.
A further 20 per cent guessed incorrectly that it is part of the body’s nervous system, 1 in ten (10 percent) claim it aids muscle movement, and 9 percent believing it controls the body’s senses.
Dr Quinn continues: “Stress, poor diet and excess alcohol all contribute towards poor lymphatic health but the biggest culprit by far is being too sedentary. Unlike our circulatory system which uses the heart to pump blood around our bodies, the lymphatic system relies solely on movement to keep it flowing.”
Talking about the link between Covid and the lymphatic system, the UKs leading expert on lymphatic health Professor Peter Mortimer recently said:
“For the vaccine to work against Covid a functional lymphatic system is essential. The Lymphatic system, and its lymph glands, houses much of our immune system.
“Lymph is the fluid which carries immune cells to our lymph glands, and the lymph glands is where all acquired immunity against infections and vaccinations occurs. Hence, without a working lymph system we would not succeed in overcoming infections such as Covid-19.”
Jules concludes: “Though we appreciate UK wide lockdown restrictions mean we’re missing out on the exercise we normally get from simple daily activities such as popping to the shops, daily commutes, and the school run, spending over 11 hours of our waking day sedentary is really bad for our health. We understand how hard it is for many to find motivation right now, but with the days drawing out and Spring on the horizon, if there’s simple lifestyle change I’d recommend it would be to get up and move more.”
“Even a quick five-minute stretch or few minutes of walking every hour is enough to get your lymph moving and will leave you feeling more energised and reduce the likelihood of headaches, bloating and feeling tired on a daily basis.”
The magic of lymphatic massage
The most effective way to guarantee a healthy lymphatic system is through massage. Clinically designed specifically to boost lymphatic flow, a course of Body Ballancer massages can help improve overall lymphatic health, by eliminating any build-up of cortisol caused by stress and anxiety and accelerating the removal of toxins that impact our immune system, helping fight off infections and speeding up healing and recovery from illness. It can also improve the appearance of cellulite and poor skin tone, reduce water retention, and aid faster muscle recovery post workout.
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