How Electric Bikes Are The Perfect Vehicle To Improve Your Health
Ebikes have many great health benefits which are backed up by scientific. These health benefits include exercise, improving cardiac health, lowering blood sugar levels, strengthening muscles, bones and joints.Doctors and scientists have always known that exercise helps prevent disease and there is no doubt that regular exercise can help people maintain a better quality of life.
The Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation affirms that exercise can help prevent heart disease and stroke, which are the No. 1 and No. 5 killers of Canadians. The Government of Canada recommends that we all get at least 2 to 3 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week.
The Public Health Agency of Canada has found that about 80% of Canadians fall short of this fairly modest goal. No wonder, given that most of us are so over-worked we don't even have time to get enough sleep! Also, many people have health limitations that make certain kinds of exercise difficult to do.
Cycling has the potential to help many people meet the suggested exercise goals, especially if they use it as part of their everyday life, such as commuting to work. However, not everyone can cycle, or cycle substantial distances, due to low levels of fitness, age-related limitations, steep hills, long distances, the need to transport children or groceries, and other issues. This is of course is where ebikes can help. Electric bikes make cycling possible for a much wider range of people, by providing assistance up hills, with heavy loads, over long distances. They make it possible for less fit people to bike long commutes and improve their fitness without overexerting themselves.
However, some diehard cyclists will object that cycling with assistance by definition does not provide exercise. Anyone who has ever done a challenging commute on an electric bike knows perfectly well that it provides a good workout, regardless of what setting you use. The important aspect to remember is that the rider can choose how much or how little assistance they need at any time. There is nothing to stop the cyclist from turning off all assistance on flat roads and downhills or completely relying on the battery for hills, for example.
Heath Benefit #1 of Electric Bikes: Improve Heart Rate
The first key finding was that the ebike cyclists' heart rates had averaged about 75% of their maximum. This level of exercise can be compared to brisk walking or to an easy jog. This shows that despite the electrical assist, the riders were getting precisely the kind of moderate workout that is recommended. Ebike riders are found to have significantly improved their aerobic fitness which also improved the blood sugar levels and blood pressure.
Health Benefit #2 of Electric Bikes: Riders Cycle More
It appears that people who have ebikes spend more time riding them, than do people who have regular bikes. Electric bikes make it possible for most people to cycle even if they have children or groceries to transport. In addition, nobody likes to come to work all sweaty and gross-looking – not every work place has a shower. Ebikes allow cyclists to get to work looking fresh
Health Benefit #3 of Electric Bikes: Strengthening Muscles, Bones, and Joints
Ebikes are usually heavier than normal bikes and because of their weight, steering, and balancing, electric bike provides slightly more strengthen exercise than a normal bike. This, in turn, promotes healthier and stronger muscles, bones, and joints. A rider's core strength will also increase noticeably as ebike cyclists regularly use core muscles to balance the electric bike.
Health Benefit #4 of Electric Bikes: Seniors and People with Health Problems can Keep Exercising
Canada is currently facing an aging crisis, as baby boomers are getting older with accompanying health problems. Many people get into a vicious cycle, as health limitations cause them to stop exercising, which in turn causes them to develop worse health problems related to lack of exercise, such as diabetes and heart disease. For this rapidly growing group of people, the massive benefits of electric bikes are only just beginning to be recognized as a way to easily control exercise. In addition, Seniors don't need to worry about risk of injury like they would with a run or lifting weights.
If you're thinking about buying an ebike or just want some information contact us at EbikeBC. We'll be happy to help.