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Excessive sitting can be lethal.  It reduces healthy blood vessel widening, so-called flow-mediated vascular dilatation.  Even a 1% decrease in this vessel stretching is associated with a 13% increased risk for heart disease and stroke.

University of Birmingham rehabilitation researchers now publish a study in The Journal of Physiology demonstrating that flavanol-rich foods can prevent the temporary decline in blood vessel widening that follows an extended periods of sitting.  Forty healthy young men consumed either a high-flavanol, 695 mg., cocoa drink or a low-flavanol version prior to sitting for 2 hours.  The results? Those consuming the high-flav drink show no sitting-induced arterial widening decline.  Those receiving the low-flav drink experienced that decline as well as  blood pressure spikes and reduced leg muscle oxygenation.  Fitness offered no protection.

Besides cocoa, other flavonol-rich foods are black and green tea, apples, plums, berries, and nuts.  To keep your legs healthy, take a short stroll for 5-10 minutes each hour.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251124094325.htm

https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/JP289038

#sitting #flavanol #legs #bloodvessels #dilatation #heartdisease #stroke

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