Cycling May Help Keep Your Mind in Gear

INTRODUCTION 

cycling’s many health benefits aren’t reserved for elite athletes.

Biking is one

of the most versatile forms of exercise, offering a workout for all fitness levels that’s gentle on your joints. You can cycle outdoors or inside on a stationary bike. Like other forms of aerobic activity, biking can strengthen your heart, lungs and muscles. Research suggests it also may benefit your brain.

One study recruited 100 people ages 50 to 83 who were not cyclists. Some cycled outdoors three times a week using either a regular bicycle or an e-bike (with an electric motor that can assist with pedaling), and others did not. The cyclers performed better on some measures of the brain’s executive function than those who didn’t cycle, researchers reported in PLoS ONE in 2019. Executive function includes mental skills such as organization, planning and flexible thinking.

Surprised that e-bikes and ordinary bikes showed similar benefits?

True, e-bikes can require less effort, but that doesn’t mean you’re cheating. In fact, on average, the e-bike riders in the study spent more time cycling during the week than their regular-bike counterparts. The e-bikes had five settings that corresponded to varying levels of electrical assistance, from “off” to “turbo,” so riders could adjust their level of exertion. The researchers theorized that this may have encouraged the e-bike riders to ride more. They also noted that both groups of riders may have benefited from being outdoors.

Biking is one of the most versatile forms of exercise, offering a workout for all fitness levels that’s gentle on your joints. You can cycle outdoors or inside on a stationary bike. Like other forms of aerobic activity, biking can strengthen your heart, lungs and muscles. Research suggests it also may benefit your brain.

One study recruited 100 people ages 50 to 83 who were not cyclists. Some cycled outdoors three times a week using either a regular bicycle or an e-bike (with an electric motor that can assist with pedaling), and others did not. The cyclers performed better on some measures of the brain’s executive function than those who didn’t cycle, researchers reported in PLoS ONE in 2019. Executive function includes mental skills such as organization, planning and flexible thinking.

Surprised that e-bikes and ordinary bikes showed similar benefits? True, e-bikes can require less effort, but that doesn’t mean you’re cheating. In fact, on average, the e-bike riders in the study spent more time cycling during the week than their regular-bike counterparts. The e-bikes had five settings that corresponded to varying levels of electrical assistance, from “off” to “turbo,” so riders could adjust their level of exertion. The researchers theorized that this may have encouraged the e-bike riders to ride more. They also noted that both groups of riders may have benefited from being outdoors.

Did you know

Indoor cycling on a stationary bike — at a gym or in the comfort of home — offers potential brain benefits too. After a single 30-minute workout on a stationary bike, 26 healthy adults ages 55 to 85 completed a cognitive quiz while undergoing a brain scan known as an fMRI. On another day, they were quizzed and scanned after spending 30 minutes resting. The post-cycling scans showed greater activity in the hippocampus, the brain’s key memory region, compared with the post-resting scans, according to a 2019 report in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society.

The study results suggest that exercise may improve semantic memory — the ability to recall common names and similar information — which is one of the first types of memory to dip as people age. “Over the years… the hippocampus eventually shrinks,” says study author J. Carson Smith, director of the Exercise for Brain Health Laboratory at the University of Maryland School of Public Health.

Like other forms of aerobic exercise, cycling may also increase the activity of chemical messengers like dopamine, involved in memory, mood and attention, as well as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which some scientists refer to as “fertilizer for the brain” because it promotes the growth and maintenance of brain cells. “These changes are going on within the hippocampus immediately after exercise, even with just one session,” Smith says.

To get cycling’s potential brain and other health benefits, make it a part of your weekly routine. National guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week. If you’ve been inactive, talk with your doctor first, and consider starting with 5 or 10 minutes, working up to 30 minutes.

“People should do whatever they’re able and willing to do,” Smith says. In other words, don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Just hop on your bike — inside or outside, manual or electric — and start spinning.

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10 Most Commonly Missed or Delayed Diagnoses by Medical Condition

INTRODUCTION-
 The 10 most commonly missed or delayed diagnoses in medical practice. These conditions can have significant implications for patients, so it’s crucial to raise awareness and improve diagnostic accuracy:

Colorectal Cancer: Often overlooked, colorectal cancer requires vigilance in screening and early detection.

Lung Cancer: Timely diagnosis is essential for effective treatment and improved outcomes.
Breast Cancer: Regular mammograms and clinical breast exams are vital for early detection.
Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack): Recognizing symptoms promptly can prevent serious complications.
Prostate Cancer: Regular prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing is crucial for early identification.
Stroke: Rapid assessment and intervention are critical to minimize brain damage.
Sepsis: Early recognition and aggressive management are essential to prevent septic shock.
Bladder Cancer: Symptoms like blood in urine should prompt further evaluation.

These conditions often present challenges due to various factors, including miscommunication between patients and doctors, incorrect test orders, and misinterpretation of test results. Diagnostic errors are more common than we realize, affecting millions of patients annually.
Improving diagnostic accuracy -READ MORE »

Q&A-OLD AGE BRAIN ?Physical strength declines in old ag

Slums, characterized by overcrowding, poor sanitation, and substandard housing, are hotbeds for a variety of health issues. The residents of these areas often struggle to access basic healthcare services, leading to a host of health problems.Let’s delve into this topic further:

Health Challenges in Slums:

Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases: Conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and rheumatic heart disease exist in slums due to late complications that the formal health sector deals with.

Communicable Diseases: Slums also face communicable diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV infection.

Injuries: Both intentional and unintentional injuries contribute to health challenges in slums.

Overcrowding and Poor Sanitation: These factors exacerbate health issues, making it difficult for residents to maintain well-being.

Limited Access to Clean Water: Lack of clean water availability affects hygiene and health.

Substandard Housing: Unhealthy living conditions in cramped spaces impact overall health.

Neglect and Late Detection:

Unlike refugee populations, the formal health sector becomes aware of slum residents’ health problems relatively late in the course of their illnesses.

Consequently, the formal health sector often deals with severe and end-stage complications, incurring higher costs compared to managing non-slum communities.

Little is known about the spectrum, burden, and determinants of illnesses in slums, especially chronic but preventable diseases2.

Economic Consequences:

Continued neglect of urban slum populations could lead to greater expenditure and diversion of health care resources toward managing preventable end-stage complications.

A fresh approach to health assessment and understanding social-cluster determinants of health in slums is urgently needed.

In summary, addressing health challenges in slums requires targeted interventions, improved access to healthcare, and a holistic understanding of the unique issues faced by these neglected populations.

HARD LABOUR UNDER SUN IN SLUM AREA KEEP THE BODY UNFIT AND UNHEALTHY-POLLUTED SURROUNDING--

Q&A-

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