Sit all day? You must read this!

You’ve probably heard that sitting a lot isn’t good for your health—but for many of us, work, family responsibilities or health woes keep us seated much of the time. Fortunately, a few diet and lifestyle tweaks can help make up for that “chair time,” cutt

1Supplement with curcumin

Taking 400 mg. daily of BCM-95, an easy-to-absorb form of the healing nutrient curcumin, could halve your risk of joint pain and risky blood clots, two health hassles linked with sitting, Canadian research shows. BCM-95 helps by switching off enzymes that produce damaging inflammation inside joints and arteries. One option: Life Extension Super Bio-curcumin ($28 for 60 capsules; Lef.com/ww).

Important: Check with a doctor before taking a new supplement.

2Snack on peanuts

If you’re often seated, keeping your diabetes risk low can be a challenge because moving your muscles burns a lot of blood sugar. Luckily, peanuts can help! According to the British Journal of Nutrition, the fats in peanuts slow sugar absorption in your digestive tract, plus boost insulin sensitivity and bloodsugar control. As a result, eating 1/3 cup of peanuts (or 3 Tbs. of natural peanut butter) daily can cut your risk of blood-sugar troubles as much as 33%, says study coauthor Daniela Ribeiro, PH.D.

3Take five-minute motion breaks

Recent research out of Indiana University proves that simply getting up and puttering around for five minutes or so each hour can help prevent high cholesterol, high triglycerides and heart disease as effectively as 60 minutes of vigorous exercise daily! The reason: Short motion breaks (if you do them hourly) turn on genes that help your liver keep blood fats in healthy balance.

4Enjoy more salmon and tuna

Frequent sitting tamps down your brain’s production of moodelevating (and appetite-taming) serotonin, making it tough to stay upbeat and slim. Rx: Tuna salmon or sardines! Research in the Journal of Aging and

Health reveals that eating 16 oz. of fatty fish weekly cuts your risk of blue moods and weight gain as much as 42%. Good-for-you omega-3 fats in fish activate the brain enzymes that produce serotonin, explains study coauthor Chris Lionis, M.D.

“I’ve lost more using this supplement than ever before—particularly in my midsection, where I gained after menopause,” shares North Carolina reader Linda Davis, 51, who lost 60 pounds taking 360 mg. of black currant oil twice daily. Though she favors healthy fare, she doesn’t hesitate to indulge. “I take four bites of anything I want, and I keep on losing!”