Pedal your way to well-being

Insufficient physical activity is one of the leading risk factors for death worldwide. WHO recommends that adults aged 18-64 years should indulge in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity throughout the week to stay healthy.

What many do not know is that a daily cycle ride of only 20 minutes is sufficient to achieve this target! Regular cycling helps in burning around 1,000 calories a week, and even cycling at a mild pace of 12 mph will burn you 563 calories per hour, according to a study.

While it is clinically proven that cycling regularly can keep various health issues at bay, in essence, it is a fun, low-impact exercise. This moderate-intensity physical activity perfectly fits into your daily routine as you ride short distances conve­niently to the neighbourhood shop, school, or work. While pedalling for long hours and steering with both hands, balancing your body weight helps in improving coordination.

Cycling also increases circulation to deliver oxygen to the skin cells which, in turn, helps in speeding up the healing mechanism of our body. Besides, it strengthens lower body muscles over time and regulates mobility in joints. Hence, it can be an effective exercise for people having joint pain and arthritis.

Cycling is an aerobic activity, meaning that your blood vessels and lungs get a beneficial workout as you ride this pollution-free vehicle. On the whole, it can be said with confidence that cycling boosts stamina and helps in managing and preventing a lot of diseases.

Being one of the most eco-fri-
endly modes of transport, it is un-
doubtedly a healthy option for
every citizen. Making it a regu-
lar habit, you are likely to exper-
ience surprising health benefits soon, as you perspire a lot through the day. If utilised wisely, cycling has the potential to be the next big revolution in the healthcare ecosystem of India — this is not an exaggeration.

A recent study by the University of South Australia states that people with type 2 diabetes will possibly be better off choosing cycling rather than walking as a part of their daily exercise routine. The same study also reveals that women aged 60 to 70 (having type 2 diabetes) who participated in a 12-week-long fitness activity cycling for 20 minutes twice a week, experienced an average of 19.2% drop in blood glucose levels.

Among the myriad physical and mental health benefits, here are some of the clinically proven ways cycling can help a person’s well-being:

• Keeping blood pressure under check

• Preventing type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis

• Improving joint mobility and flexibility

• Acting as a stress-buster and keeping you calm

Last but not the least, adopting cycling into your fitness regime is likely to be much more sustainable and convenient than conventional high-intensity gym workouts.

Unlike other forms of workout, most people who take to cycling tend to stick to it for a life-
time. Cycling doesn’t put a str­ain on knees, like running or
too much walking may after a point of time. On the other hand, you don’t need to get kitted like you would do if you were playing a sport or running.

In recent years, the culture of cycling has gained impetus in our country, and it is heartening to see a smart wave of new-generation riders embracing it not only as a sport but also into daily lives. By promoting the use of cycling to control air pollution in cities, it is the need of the hour to establish a breed of healthy young people who don’t sit on the couch all through the day.

The next time, before you rai-
se a complaint on the serious problem of road traffic in your city, make sure you hit the road with a bicycle at least for a few hours a week. Ride it inside your colony when you visit a friend, or participate in a cyclo-
thon. Pedal your way to a health-
ier lifestyle, starting today.

(The writer is president, All India Cycle Manufacturing Association)