Cycling reduces health risks

Discussion in 'Health Care' started by (original)late, May 28, 2020.

  1. (original)late

    (original)late Banned

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    Serious cyclists have a dramatically lower risk of prostate cancer, and a number of other problems that cycling mistakenly gets blamed for.

    A study of 8,000 cyclists turned up some really good news.

    You can see it in the video, but there's more.

    If you look at the popular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and a few dozen others; they are all strongly linked to the side effects of the Western diet. And the primary problem is chronic inflammation.

    Serious cyclists are skinny. Meaning they are burning what they eat, which is going to dramatically lower the things that cause inflammation. Exercise also helps reduce inflammation.

    I usually ride a fair bit in the summer, when I do my weight drops, my BP drops, my blood sugar drops. I feel better, a lot better.

     
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  2. An Taibhse

    An Taibhse Well-Known Member

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    I started to cycle in my late 50’s. I fortunately live in an area with a few hundred miles of both paved bike paths and unpaved trail, and even more miles of designated bike paths on public roads. Lot of the area is hilly.
    When I started I had joint pain High BP, high cholesterol, lots weight, etc. At first, I would feel like I was close to a heart attack on some hills. But, I kept at it, doing 20-25 miles three rides a week in good weather which gradually increased over time. At a certain point, I began to develop an addiction.
    By Last year, I was up to doing 6-7,000 miles a year with daily rides (3-4 times a week) averaging between 40-60 and sometimes 70 mi.
    I lost a bit of weight, but am not skinny. My legs, etc. are rock hard, Much of my fat turned to muscle. All my stats, such as BP are stabilized in the excellent range. No joint or any other pain. In climbing hills, my heart rate barely changes, but more important, I recover in seconds. It’s still an addiction. I now have three bikes, each for different uses.
    In December, I came down with pneumonia... which rapidly progressed, caused a massive pleural effusion, and required hospitalization. I was in the ICU for a week, hospitalized for six...the symptom were identical to the worst cases of Covid19. Talking to my Doc team after, they said on seeing the initial X-rays and my O2 levels (4%), they figured I wouldn’t make it. They attributed my survival to my physical condition.
    Despite, lung scaring and losing considerable muscle tone from being bed ridden for so long, I engaged in a self disciplined program to rebuild my physical condition. I have been beck riding, now at about 90%+...goal... 100%+.
    It’s anecdotal, but I will go with that. It likely saved my life.
    My slogan over the past couple years... keep moving to live...if you stop, you start dying.

    Just an aside for newbies... get a bike that fits you and pay to be professionally fitted ($50-100), it will make a huge difference in whether you stick to it or give it up because of the discomfort. Why a professional fit; every body is different, but the optimum riding angles aren’t.
     

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