Image: Newscom

getting back in to it. Bicycling burns calories but according to a recent study that was featured in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, cyclist may not be consuming enough calories.

The study showed that cyclists were susceptible to lower bone density due to not consuming enough calories, even when calcium intake was higher than most athletes. The specific area where bone density was lower was in the spine of road cyclists, but cyclist of the mountain bike and rough terrain variety didn’t seem to have this problem. The problem is that cyclist’s weight  being distributed and supported by the bicycle didn’t allow for proper bone growth as out bodies are adaptive organisms. This is also a problem with swimmer and an issue that has been discussed for years about astronauts spending long periods of time in space.

Swimmer and cyclist often burn a lot more calories than the average athlete and this is also concern for bone loss due to lack of caloric consumption. Besides the obvious increase of healthy calorie intake, what can you do to prevent bone loss?

“Unfortunately, many people consider osteoporosis a disease that primarily concerns women and the elderly,” says Dr. Warren P. Levy, President, and CEO of Unigene Laboratories. “Of course, exercise is good for people, but in order to maintain healthy bones, avid cyclists and swimmers should be mindful of incorporating cross-training weight-bearing exercise into their routines. People do not achieve peak bone mass until their late twenties, so if cyclists or swimmers are in their early or mid twenties, and they’re not doing any exercise that’s going to load their spine and help them achieve peak bone mass, they may be putting themselves at risk for a fracture.”

Read more about cycling and osteoporosis at Newswise.com.

Post from: EveryJoe

Cycling May Lead To Lower Bone Density

That’s right.  Got the results from my physical last week, and they were awesome. I am never sure–at least not since my bout with breast cancer a few years back–how the test results are going to come out.  But I felt pretty good going in, and I have been working hard to change my diet, de-stress whenever possible, and just plain take care of myself.

After meeting with my doctor, one message came through loud and clear–my diet is doing amazing things for my health.  I grew up a die-hard, meat-eating carnivore.  In my late 20s I changed that up somewhat, my thirties, even more so.  Now in my mid-forties, I have all but wiped meat out of my diet.

I eliminated the meat at first because my family history is not so good on the cardiac side, but at first it was a half-hearted attempt.  And to this day, I still haven’t completely kicked Thanksgiving turkey off of my plate.  But for the most part, I am meat-free, and feeling very good.  The sluggish days where my diet and its high concentration of animal fats ruled are gone, along with the lingering side effects I used to feel.  

The best part–my doc told me I possess the physical fitness, blood pressure, cholesterol, flexibility, endurance and bone density (yea!) of someone half my age.  So it’s really paying off.  I never thought much about the longevity aspect of it–I just wanted to purify my little engine and feel better, but added longevity…wow, what a bonus!

I do owe a lot to meditation and yoga, too.  Especially the low blood pressure.  Training my mind and body to relax and be present has also made a huge difference.

Still on the fence? I hope not.  I know it isn’t for everyone, but at least give yourself the added edge of increasing the amount of vegetables and fruits in your diet.  That step alone can really help a lot.  And put down that sugar, too.  I’m living proof it is never too late.

Peace.  

Post from: EveryJoe

Living Proof–A Greener Diet Can Help Keep You Young