Peddling Your Way To Better Health

There are 1 billion people who ride a bicycle regularly around the world, with 100 million being made each year. Bicycles were invented in France in the 1860s and come from the French word “bicyclette”. They are the most eco-friendly form of transportation on the market today. This will save riders 238 million gallons of gasoline each year. They are 20 times cheaper to maintain when compared to a standard car. According to recent medical studies, cycling is very beneficial for your health. Here are the many perks that cycling regularly can do for your body.

Heart Health

Cycling is on the best pastimes you can have to reduce your risk of heart disease. It strengthens the heart muscles, reducing your risk of heart disease. It lowers your resting heart rate and the blood fat levels in your blood. Medical studies show that people who cycle regularly are 15% less likely to have a heart attack than non-cyclists. Since your heart is pumping better, your blood pressure will improve. Cycling boosts your HDL (good cholesterol) while lowering LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglyceride levels, allowing for your blood circulation to be enhanced, and increasing blood flow throughout the body. With more blood flowing, it’ll break up the arterial plaque build-up that is linked to heart disease.

Lung Health

Like the heart, cycling can strengthen your lungs, adding more oxygen to the bloodstream. With the increase of oxygen in the blood, the muscles will create new cells that will make them bigger and stronger than they were before. Not only does it strengthen your lungs, but the surrounding muscles, including the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, help you breathe much easier. This improvement in your pulmonary functions reduces your risk of asthma and COPD. People who cycle regularly have seen their lung capacity size increase by 15% than those who don’t. They also experience two to three times less exposure to air pollution.

Mental Health

Cycling can do wonders for your mental health. It can increase your endorphins, leading to a decrease in stress, depression, and anxiety. Cycling is primarily an outdoor activity, exposing you to the fresh air and scenic views that create a sense of calm and relaxation in oneself. Because of the increase in blood flow, your brain will get more nutrients it needs to support the cognitive functions that enhance your memory, reasoning, and planning. Your self-esteem and self-worth will boost, creating a glow of confidence within you. You’ll also raise in your serotonin and dopamine levels, which will have you feeling good all day, causing you to have a more restful night.

Weight Control

To be fit and healthy, you need to be physically active. Cycling is a low-impact exercise that doesn’t require a high level of skill to perform. This is why it is the perfect stepping stone for people just starting a weight loss program. It focuses on using your lower body, where fat tends to collect. You can burn 300 calories an hour by cycling since it helps your body break the calories down into usable energy, increasing your ability to peddle faster, and pushing yourself more and more each time. It raises your metabolic rate, meaning you’ll burn fat while building muscles. It improves your aerobic endurance, helping you with your short- and long-term weight loss goals.

Prevention Medicine

Cycling has been linked to lowering your ability to develop a variety of aliments that can affect your day-to-day activities. Researchers have seen that people who cycle regularly have a reduced risk of colon, breast, and bowel cancer. People who cycle thirty minutes a day have seen a decrease in their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 40%. Cycling improves your balance and coordination, decreasing the threat of fractures. It improves your joint mobility, helping to ease your arthritic pain. Your immune system will get stronger, lowering the possibility of catching airborne diseases like the Common Cold and Influenza.