如果我們多照顧自己一點(diǎn)，患病概率就小一些。定期鍛煉已被證明對(duì)健康有益，科學(xué)家還發(fā)現(xiàn)，鍛煉可降低患癌癥和心臟病的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)，而最好的一種鍛煉是騎車(chē)上班。對(duì)我來(lái)說(shuō)真是個(gè)好消息！
一項(xiàng)針對(duì)25萬(wàn)英國(guó)上班族的研究表明，騎車(chē)上班的人患癌癥、心臟病的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)只有普通人的一半，步行上班的人比坐車(chē)上班的人更健康。
在全世界很多城市，騎行上班早就流行起來(lái)了。有遠(yuǎn)見(jiàn)的政府部門(mén)劃分出自行車(chē)道保障騎車(chē)人的安全，設(shè)立安全的停放的場(chǎng)地以免自行車(chē)被盜。有的公司為騎車(chē)員工提供了方便的設(shè)施，這樣員工到達(dá)公司可以更換衣服，做些簡(jiǎn)單清潔。這些舉措是極好的，根據(jù)研究反饋：經(jīng)常騎行可以降低41%無(wú)論什么原因?qū)е碌乃劳鲲L(fēng)險(xiǎn)，45%的患癌風(fēng)險(xiǎn)，46%心臟病風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。
對(duì)我而言，騎車(chē)上班更快，比其他交通工具更省錢(qián)，騎車(chē)也是我唯一的鍛煉。去健身房減減肥還得付出額外的努力和金錢(qián)，而騎車(chē)在上下班的路上就把身體鍛煉了。英國(guó)癌癥研究中心克萊爾·海德說(shuō)：“這項(xiàng)研究強(qiáng)調(diào)：將鍛煉融入到日常生活中具有潛在好處，不管什么活動(dòng)，只要能讓你感到一點(diǎn)身體發(fā)熱、氣喘吁吁，長(zhǎng)此以往便會(huì)大不同?！暗烤故鞘裁醋岒T車(chē)成為一個(gè)最優(yōu)選擇？這項(xiàng)刊登在英國(guó)醫(yī)學(xué)雜志的研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，并不是騎車(chē)能夠減肥從而降低患病風(fēng)險(xiǎn)，可能的原因是，騎車(chē)的人更苗條，體內(nèi)炎癥程度更低。
當(dāng)然啦，任何運(yùn)動(dòng)都有益處，但騎車(chē)比步行更好是因?yàn)轵T車(chē)能堅(jiān)持更長(zhǎng)時(shí)間，鍛煉強(qiáng)度也更大。格拉斯哥大學(xué)的詹森·吉爾博士說(shuō)：“我們每天都得上班，如果每天都騎車(chē)上班，就不需要多大毅力就能堅(jiān)持每天鍛煉?！庇谖遥T車(chē)是最好的鍛煉，也是我最?lèi)?ài)的鍛煉，我從不穿緊身的萊卡騎行服，我只戴個(gè)頭盔，因?yàn)轭^盔是重要的保護(hù)裝備。
譯自BBC隨身英語(yǔ)，原文鏈接
Cycling cuts cancer risk
Most of us know that the risk of getting ill is reduced when we look after ourselves. Taking regular exercise has proven to be good for our health and scientists have found that the risk of getting cancer and heart disease is reduced when we take part in physical activity – and now they've found cycling to work is one of the best activities to do this. Well, good news for me then!
The biggest study into the issue, linked using two wheels with a halving of the risk of cancer and heart disease. The five-year study of 250,000 UK commuters also showed walking had some benefits over sitting on public transport or taking the car.
Pedalling to work is already popular in many cities across the world. Some forward-thinking authorities have built cycle lanes to make the commute safer, as well as providing secure places to lock them up. Some companies also provide facilities for their employees to get changed and cleaned up when they arrive at work. It all makes good sense - according to people surveyed in this study, regular cycling cut the risk of death from any cause by 41%, the incidence of cancer by 45% and heart disease by 46%.
For me, cycling to work is quicker and cheaper than using public transport and it's my only form of exercise. And whereas going to the gym to lose a few pounds takes effort and commitment, cycling has just become part of the work routine. Clare Hyde from Cancer Research UK says "This study helps to highlight the potential benefits of building activity into your everyday life. Anything that gets you a bit hot and out of breath … can help make a difference."
But what exactly is it that is making cycling a much healthier option? The research, published in the British Medical Journal, found it wasn't the result of weight loss but it could be that cyclists are leaner and have lower levels of inflammation in the body.
Of course, any exercise is good for you but it's thought that cycling is better than walking because the activity is longer and more intense. Dr Jason Gill, from the University of Glasgow, told the BBC "You need to get to work every day so if you built cycling into the day it essentially takes willpower out of the equation."? For me, it's the best and most enjoyable workout I can have – and I don't need to wear skin-tight lycra clothes, as long as I wear the most important accessory, a helmet.
