Benefits of Cycling

By Dr. Parth Guragain

These days, our life is slowly turning into a mere machine with no life in it. Just give a thought, how we start our day? We wake up late in the morning, sit in front of the television or a computer and thus our day begins. We ride our motor-bike or cars and go to our work and at our workplace, we sit in our chair and work for 6-8 hours. Further, in our workplace we eat all those unhygienic junk foods that can be blamed for increase in our weight. After a hectic day at work, we love eating out with our friends and families adding further energy which we rarely use. At the end of the day, we either watch television or again sit in front of the computer, such a sedentary lifestyle we are living! 

Photo By: Rajan Kathet

We don’t have time to care for our own body and with this kind of sedentary lifestyle we are harming it even more. As seen from the findings, more and more people are suffering from hypertension, diabetics, hyperlipidemia, stress related illness, etc. The main reason for all these health problems is lack of exercise and physical recreation in our lives. So I believe the effort of Kathmandu Cycle City 2020 is a stepping stone to cultivate healthy lifestyle in people. Cycling is no doubt a very good form of exercise. Cycling for even half an hour to one hour daily can work wonders for improving our physical fitness and to some extent our mental health. It is not just the health that cycling improves, benefits of cycling is large and wide. It is rather a chain effect, reduction in pollution due to increase number of cycling followed by

decrease in number of fossil powered vehicles thus decrease the number of pollution related respiratory diseases. As cycling also increases the fitness level of a person it will also reduce the occurrence of disease like diabetics, hypertension, hyperlipidemia which is mainly caused by inactive lifestyle. It has now been proved from many scientific studies that people who exercise daily are more healthier and fitter than those who don’t.

In Nepal, giving importance to health and caring for one’s body is seen rather as a last minute work. As for now, people still don’t follow the ‘Health is wealth’ mantra. As a doctor, I am happy with the youth initiatives like Cycle City 2020. Even I suggest my patients to cycle if they are suffering from diseases cause by inert lifestyles. Better to prevent occurrence of disease then taking medication afterwards. If cycling is incorporated in day to day life, it will surely improve the health of the person concerned. Besides, it also helps to keep our environment clean. To add more, this it will also be a step forward towards making Nepal an active nation. To sum up everyone, whether it be in policy making level or general people, should support initiatives such as making cycle friendly cities for long term environmental and health benefits.