101 Benefits Of Cycling That Will Make You Love It More
Daniel Atlas from Rydoze, a site dedicated to biking, recently put together 101 cycling benefits packed full of information spending tons of time thoroughly researching the topic. He shared that taking up cycling can be one of the best decisions you’ll make in life. Whether you choose to hop on a bike for health reasons, to help the environment, try a new activity, or even to supplement another sport, cycling is a ton of fun. After some time on the bike, you may find that the only downside to cycling is that it can be addictive!
And you won’t be riding alone. Globally, more people own bikes than own cars – about 42% of the world’s population – and that number is growing every year.
FOR EXAMPLE, in the US, the number of people biking to work has grown by 60% over the past 10 years and the number of cyclists has grown by 15 million people overall.
If you’re still on the fence about joining the global community of cyclists, Here Are 101 Amazing Benefits to cycling that span all aspects of life.
The best part is, you only need to choose one to start cycling – but as soon as you start, all the other benefits will follow!
HEALTH BENEFITS
Exercise Is A Critical Component Of Staying Healthy. But The Type Of Exercise You Do – Strength Or Cardio, Sprinting Or Endurance – Also Matters. Cycling Is A Great Way To Capture The Health Benefits Of These Different Styles Of Fitness Since It Blends The Line Between Lower Body Strength, Aerobic Training, Intervals, And Long Rides In The Saddle.
How to Avoid Food Poisoning and Traveler’s Diarrhea
Benedette Cuffari, Scientific Writer & Researcher at https://sibosurvivor.com/team/ shared with Healthy Lombard that every year, millions of people that live in developed countries like the United States will travel to developing countries that may not have the same hygiene standards that you are accustomed to.
During their travels, up to 50% of people will at some point suffer from at least one bout of diarrhea, which is otherwise referred to as traveler’s diarrhea. While traveler’s diarrhea can be mild and pass quickly, it can also be extremely debilitating for people affected by this condition.
While traveler’s diarrhea and food poisoning are not completely avoidable, there are several ways in which you can stay informed on the origin and mechanisms of these conditions, as well as any precautions you can take that might protect you in the future.
What is Traveler’s Diarrhea?
Traveler’s diarrhea is one of the most common medical conditions that will occur to international travelers every year. By definition, traveler’s diarrhea must first be characterized as either mild, moderate or classical in nature.
- Mild Diarrhea
- 1-2 loose stools each day
- No other gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms present
- Moderate Diarrhea
- 1-2 loose stools each day with at least 1 other GI symptom is present
- Can also involve at least 3 loose stools each day without the presence of other GI symptoms
- Classical Diarrhea
- Three or more loose stools each day
- Accompanied by at least 1 other GI symptom
- Possible GI Symptoms to Accompany Traveler’s Diarrhea:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pains
- Cramps
- Fever
- Blood in the stool (melena) 1
10 ailments/injuries to avoid this summer
Dr. McNulty, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Edward Hospital shared in the Edward-Elmhurst Healthy Driven Blog that summertime is all about being outside and enjoying the warm weather as much as possible. Parents and kids alike hit the playgrounds, parks, bike paths, hiking trails, pools, and beaches. And it’s all fun and games — until someone gets hurt.
As your kids enjoy these carefree summer days, keep these 10 common summer ailments/injuries top of mind:
- Water safety – Drowning is the number two cause of accidental death in children ages 15 and under. Keep your eyes on your child at all times while they’re in and around water. Use proper safety devices and designate a pool watcher during parties. Teach your child not to run near a pool and to always ask permission before going in the water. Learn how to keep your kids safe in the water.
- Heat exhaustion/heat stroke – A heat index at or above 90°F can put your health at risk. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) offers steps to protect children from heat-related illness. Minimize time in the heat, take regular cool-off breaks and stay hydrated! Encourage your child to drink water regularly — even before she/he asks for it. Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these symptoms.
Is sugar sabotaging your health?
Alanna Elliott, an outpatient dietitian shared in the Edwards-Elmhurst Healthy Driven blog that there’s sugar in cookies, there’s sugar in candy bars. There’s sugar in caramel lattes, chocolate-covered raisins and popsicles.
There’s also sugar in jars of pasta sauce, loaves of bread and peanut butter.
There’s so much sugar added into our food, it’s almost impossible to keep up with it. There are 61 names for sugar blanketing nutrition labels. Do you know them all?
You can probably guess exactly which foods have the most added sugar: things like candy, soda, ice cream, cookies, and cake. But did you realize a 20-ounce bottle of Lemon-Lime Gatorade contains 34 grams of sugar? That’s more sugar than a Snickers candy bar!
Big deal, you may think. So I eat a little more sugar than I should. What’s the harm?
Research has found that excess sugar actually causes more problems than we ever imagined.
All that sugar will cause you to gain weight, which in turn can cause high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar. These symptoms can lead to chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Read more
Yoga Sayings That Will Inspire, Transform And Enhance Your Life
John from Relax Like A Boss, a site that helps people to deal with stress. shared with Healthy Lombard that there really are some beautiful, inspiring yoga sayings out there.
Yoga is one of the most powerful ways to relieve stress through physical exercise.
And it’s just as positive for your mind as your body.
So in this post, we’ll run through 15 of his favorite yoga sayings.
John’s feels that they will not only enhance your yoga practice – but also inspire, transform and improve your life too.
1. “Inhale the future. Exhale the past.”
– Eckhart Tolle
An important part of yoga is your breath.
When we perform a new stretch or try to hold our balance, it’s our breathe that we rely on.
It’s no wonder really – this is what brings us to the present.
And when we’re too busy feeling bad about the past or worrying about the future, our breath is always there to guide us through it.
So what I love about this quote is that it’s expressing that beautiful moment when you’re truly focused on your breathe.
…It’s that point when your thoughts and your mind become silenced and calm, and you’re totally absorbed by the moment.
These moments during can be rare – but they’re also totally inspiring!
Stretches To Help Your Sleep
Brigid Ludwig, Content Marketing Specialist for Siwgw Media shared that everyone agrees that exercising every day would be ideal. However, actually sticking to a fitness schedule that works no matter what comes your way is much easier said than done. In days filled with endless emails at the office or an ever-growing list of chores, getting in a workout is often the first to-do to be erased from your busy list.
Despite how unimportant people often feel their fitness is, studies continue to show how essential daily movement is for physical and mental health. If you’re not the kind of person to head out to the gym, try a nighttime routine that includes light exercise and stretching.
Here’s an example:
80 Eye-Opening Stats & Facts About Sleep
Besides doing thorough research into the factors that affect our sleep, Mira Rakicevicworks closely with other sleep experts and doctors to provide valuable information and helpful advice. Most recently she shared that along with proper nutrition and regular exercise, sleep plays a major role in our health. With this in mind, we shouldn’t neglect this aspect of our lives the way we do. That’s why we compiled this list of interesting statistics about sleep, hoping they’ll help you recognize the importance of sleep and realize that you shouldn’t take it for granted.
Eye-Opening Sleep Statistics About Sleep
- Between 50 and 70 million people in the US suffer from a chronic sleep disorder.
- Approximately 35% of US adults get less than the recommended 7 hours of sleep per night.
- 45% of Americans report that inadequate sleep affected their daily activities.
- Most healthy adults need at least 7 hours of sleep a night to feel rested.
- 10% of US adults have chronic insomnia.
- More than 25 million Americans suffer from obstructive sleep apnea.
- Approximately 4% of Americans used prescription sleeping pills in the previous month.
- 24.4% of surveyed parents often share their bed with their infants.
Making good choices in the protein bar and shake aisle
Toni Havala MS, RD a registered dietitian at Endeavor Health® Weight Management in Naperville shared in Edwards-Elmhurst Health’s Healthy Driven Blog that protein shakes and bars are growing in popularity as Americans try to squeeze healthy eating into their busy lives.
All dietitians would agree that whole, real foods are always the best choice. But on occasion, protein bars and shakes can be a decent option when pressed for time. Sticking a protein shake or bar in your purse, car or gym bag provides something convenient but healthier to eat rather than skipping a meal or resorting to fast food.
Shopping for the best options in the protein bar aisle can be overwhelming with the multitude of choices in tempting flavors, such as cookies and cream or birthday cake. Here’s how to sort through the marketing and hype to make good choices:
First: what type of protein is it?
The type of protein used to make the bar or shake is an important factor in deciding which product to select. Protein helps promote satiety, build muscle mass, improve blood sugar control, and reduce blood pressure.
The ability to keep us full and build muscle while we lose fat makes high-protein foods a great choice when we’re trying to lose weight. Protein bars and shakes typically contain whey, soy, pea protein, nuts, seeds, brown rice protein or a combination of these. Read more
6 Simple Ways Your Family Can Protect Honey Bees
The Whole Kids Foundation shared that honey bees pollinate more than 100 types of crops in the U.S., help maintain the diversity of plant life and ultimately, play a crucial role in our ecosystem — yet their population is dwindling. Because the future of food depends on healthy pollinators, it’s time for everyone — even the kids! — to make honey bees a priority.
Learn how your family also can support pollinators at home and how you can help kids understand the value of bees to our food system.
Q: Why Are Bees Important?
Honey bees are vital to our supply of healthy foods. Honey bees are pollinators, which means they travel from plant to plant to collect and deposit pollen – which makes it possible for many flowers, fruits, and vegetables to reproduce. Bees also pollinate the clover and alfalfa that cows eat. In fact, one in every three bites of food you eat depends on pollination, either directly or indirectly. So, if these hardworking bees and other pollinators disappear, many of our favorite foods like apples, almonds, strawberries, and tomatoes will be greatly affected.
