If you want to reduce your risk of chronic disease and live longer, you might want to try behaving like a hunter-gatherer. Hunter-gatherers tended to engage in short bursts of physical activity followed by periods of rest, and health experts are agreeing that this may be a healthier way to live.
Hunter-gatherers probably expended between 800 and 1,200 calories per day in physical activity. The average American today, however, expends only a small fraction of this energy -- with the result being that stamina, muscle strength, and flexibility aren't maintained.
According to Yahoo Health:
"What's more, our inactive ways cause us to miss out on yet more healthful habits enjoyed by hunter-gatherers -- socializing and outdoor living ... Human beings lived for eons as hunter-gatherers, so it's not surprising that our bodies are built to thrive under physically demanding conditions outside."
Sources:
• Yahoo Health May 24, 2011
• Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases 53 (2011) 471–479 [PDF]
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