Brain health Archives -

It’s R U OK? Day but make sure you fit your own mask first

September 10, 2020 Nicola Brain health, Magic, Mental health, Mindfulness, Women cycling

Today is R U OK? Day which is a fantastic initiative to encourage us to pause for a moment and ask the people around us – R U OK? This is a topic that I’ve written about before because I feel really strongly about playing a role in making mental health a priority for everyone including our healthcare workers and Government decision-makers. The reason I’m writing about this topic within my cycling blog is that I know that cycling, and exercise in general, have so many positive benefits for mental health conditions. I’ve written about it several times before today so I’m

Here are 12 compelling reasons every woman should take up road cycling

May 15, 2020 Nicola Anti-ageing, Brain health, Cycling while pregnant, Heart health, Life purpose, Mental health, Women cycling, Women's health

Following on from my blog post a couple of weeks ago challenging women to take up road cycling, here are my 12 very compelling reasons every woman should take up road cycling. In truth, the posts should have been published the other way around, but better late than never. Here’s the motivation and you’ll have to skip back two weeks to read the practical stuff. Look younger Scientists at Stanford University have found that regular cycling protects your skin against the harmful effects of UV radiation and reduces the signs of ageing. Dermatologist Dr Christopher Rowland Payne explains: “Increased circulation

Here’s 12 reasons why you should take up road cycling

June 6, 2019 Nicola Brain health, Mental health, Women cycling, Women's health

I’m sure I could come up with a dozen more, but here’s my top 12 reasons why you should take up road cycling. I honestly believe that every woman could benefit from riding a bike, whether it be road, trail, transport, commuting or any other reason. You really have no excuse….. Fitness If you do enough kilometres (or miles) on your bike, no matter how fast or slow, you will improve your fitness. As a result of cycling I’m the fittest I’ve ever been in my life. Friendship I have met literally hundreds of great people through cycling and many

Doctors should be prescribing cycling for mental wellbeing

May 16, 2019 Nicola Brain health, Mental health, Women cycling, Women's health

One of the many reasons I ride a bike is for my mind health because cycling for mental wellbeing is so great. So why don’t more doctors send their patients away with a bike hire voucher instead of a prescription? That’s exactly what’s happening in Wales right now. The pilot program, the first such initiative in Britain, according to the health board that is leading it, reflects an effort by medical professionals around the world to give patients alternatives to drugs, in order to avoid side effects and improve cost efficiency. Patients at two medical centres in Cardiff are offered

Ten things I’ve learned about road cycling in ten years

November 27, 2018 Nicola Bike retail, Brain health, Heart health, Mental health, Women cycling

I recently celebrated my tenth anniversary of road cycling, so I thought I’d share the most important things I’ve learned about road cycling. Taking up road cycling was the second best decision I ever made. The first was when I chose my life partner, the gorgeous Phillip. Riding makes you fit The past ten years have been my fittest ever. Before I took up riding I tried various forms of exercise like gym membership, aerobics classes, jogging and power walking but it wasn’t until I started riding a road bike regularly that I could truly claim to be fit for

The endlessly fascinating topic of how cycling affects the brain

October 23, 2018 Nicola Brain health, Women cycling

If you’re a regular reader of this blog you’ll know that I have a fascination for brain science, so was intrigued to read an article recently about how cycling affects the brain. I’m not sure what fascinates me so much but I always enjoy reading about the connection between the brain and cycling. I found the article on a site called Duvine which runs cycling tours so I asked permission to republish the article written by Lindsey Hunt. How does bike riding impact our mental and emotional health on a scientific level? The Evolutionary Basis Anthropologists and psychologists suggest that

Cycling can improve brain health through neuroplasticity

May 1, 2018 Nicola Brain health, Women cycling

I’m a huge fan of research on brain health and was pleased to read recently that cycling can improve brain health through neuroplasticity. This is where brain cells can more easily respond to disease or injury. Of course it’s not just cycling that benefits your brain, but all aerobic exercise. I read about this in a recent article by Yen Ying Lim who is a Research Fellow at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health. I was so impressed by what I read that I actually signed up to be part of the study. Click through to the original