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Cycling Gear

Going on a regular bike ride can take your mind off the problems of everyday life. Doing something that you enjoy does that so taking up cycling is a great idea. You can see therefore that becoming a cyclist can have a great impact on your overall health, mental health, weight control, looking after your heart or diabetes. It’s a fun activity and we all need some of that in our lives. Make sure you have a chat with your doctor about the advantages of taking up cycling. Then, let the power of the bicycle help you improve your heath.


How Cycling can help your Health

If you want to keep fit and healthy, then taking up cycling is a great idea. Whether it is a short ride each day or long rides through the countryside, this aerobic activity can only do your heart, lungs and blood vessels the power of good. Far better than being sat in the back of a car or using public transport. When you are out cycling you will be breathing deeper (especially when going up a hill or two). You will be perspiring and see an increase in your body temperature.

All of this can only be beneficial to your health. The list of ways in which cycling can help your health is a rather long one. It’s not just limited to the increased cardiovascular fitness achieved. You will be increasing your muscle strength, improving your joint mobility, strengthening bones, decreasing fat levels, improving your posture and coordination and cutting down your body fat levels. If that list doesn’t get you out on a bicycle, then nothing will. Dealing with Weight problems Weight problems are an increasingly dangerous health crisis.

Taking up cycling is a great way to deal with health problems - Why else do gyms have so many cycling machines?

Move away from the gym though and buy your own bicycle and take to the roads. Cycling can certainly help bring down your weight.

How does it achieve this?

It will cause your metabolic rate to be increased.

This will see the double treat of muscles being built and your body fat being burnt. However, don’t think that cycling is the only answer. You do need to have a healthy eating plan. No point going on a long cycle ride and going home to a fry-up or meal full of sugar. Take it slow at first with the cycling regime. It’s like running or going for a walk, don’t start with long distances, do what you feel comfortable with. It’s good to begin with short rides and gradually increase your distance. You will feel comfortable doing that as your weight begins to fall and you feel fitter. Steady cycling, according to research burns about 300 calories an hour. That’s a good contribution to the calculated burning of 2000 calories a week.

Go out on a cycle ride twice a day and you will be making great progress. Research has shown that half an hour of cycling would over the next year burn around 5kg of fat. A lot of cycling but the end result will be so worthwhile for your health.

Diabetes

Diabetes, as already mentioned, going cycling can be of great help to you in terms of reducing your weight. That is so important in the fight against diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a major problem and can lead to all kinds of health problems. It can cause serious problems with your blood pressure, risk of heart disease and eyesight. Cycling can be a key weapon against developing diabetes. Research has shown that cycling for more than half an hour on a daily basis saw a 40 per cent reduction in the risk of becoming diabetic. Now that’s something that is well worth trying. Remember, type 2 diabetes can be reversed, so taking up cycling would be a way of achieving that.

The rate of type 2 diabetes is increasing and is a serious public health concern. Lack of physical activity is thought to be a major reason why people develop this condition. Large-scale research in Finland found that people who cycled for more than 30 minutes per day had a 40 per cent lower risk of developing diabetes. Cardiovascular disease This is another major area in which cycling can improve your health. We need to do all we can to prevent high blood pressure and avoid the possibility of suffering a stroke or a heart attack.

Going cycling on a regular basis is one way of doing this. You will be improving the health of your heart, circulation and lungs and that’s great news for your health. You will be strengthening your heart muscles and seeing your resting pulse decrease. All of this will help reduce your blood fat levels. Studies have shown that regularly going cycling will help you in your fight against heart disease, so time to buy that bike and get on the road.

Cancer The C-word is one that is always a scary one to read. There are many forms of cancer and taking up cycling can be of some assistance. Research has shown that cycling can be of assistance in reducing the chance of getting bowel or breast cancer.

Helping to deal with arthritis Going on regular rides will help you with your balance, coordination and strength. It is an advisable exercise if you have osteoarthritis because of the low impact that is involved.

Not taking part in an exercise that places a lot of stress on your joints is advisable. Mental Health We all get stressed at some time in our lives. The same applies to depression and anxiety and it is a problem that seems to be on the increase. It’s an invisible illness that has to be nipped in the bud or can go on to causing even more serious problems.