Category Archives: health

Royal College of Physicians Calls For More Cycling To Reduce Air Pollution Deaths

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In a Royal College of Physicians report published this week, doctors have urged people to cycle to save deaths from motor-pollution.
The recommendations of the report include;
Government, employers and schools should encourage and facilitate the use of public transport and active travel options like walking and cycling. Active travel also increases physical activity, which will have major health benefits for everyone. Local transport plans, especially in deprived areas, should:

  • expand cycle networks
  • require cycle training at school
  • promote safe alternatives to the ‘school run’, based on walking, public transport and cycling instead of cars
  • encourage employers to support alternatives to commuting by car
  • promote leisure cycling
  • develop ‘islands’ of space away from traffic, for safer walking and cycling.

Read the report by following this link -> https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/…/every-breath-we-take-lifelong…

More evidence air pollution is bad for our health

Posted on by Posted in health

Air pollution from traffic hinders the heart’s ability to conduct electrical signals, a study has suggested.

– BBC News: Pollution ‘hinders heart pacing’

Judy O’Sullivan of the British Heart Foundation said: “It has been established for some time that exposure to high levels of air pollution can exacerbate symptoms in people with heart and circulatory disease.

“Our advice to heart patients is to avoid prolonged exposure to high levels of air pollution.”

I’m not really sure where they expect you to go however…

[via Car Free Tokyo]

Take To The Streets

Posted on by Posted in health, stories 1 Comment

DARLINGTON has become the first town in the country to sign up to a campaign to boost the health of the nation.

Darlington Partnership yesterday pledged to “Take to the Streets” with a revolutionary physical activity initiative led by sporting legend Brendan Foster.

Its board agreed unanimously to support the project, which aims to get two million people involved in regular exercise by 2012, with runners, walkers, dancers and cyclists covering 100 million miles for their health and charity.

Darlington will become a national case study, taking part in a host of mass participation events and be involved in a five- year scientific study to assess the impact of the project.

Lots more information at The Northern Echo: Darlington first to join national health improvement campaign and Nick Wallis announced this yesterday on his blog.

I hope this campaign is a success, however I worry when activity and exercise are linked to sport and to big, annual events, rather than simply to increasing day-to-day activity. I’m sure that we would see much bigger health benefits were cycling and walking to be a greater part of our everyday transportation, rather than increasing the perception that they are wholy separate parts of our lives.

I know that I’d be hopeless at training to ride something like the Hell O’ The North or the Great milk Stout Ride, but by cycling to work and back every day I am fit enough to complete occasional big rides like these.

I’d rather see more people cycling in high heels than cycling in lycra.