CYCLING FOR DISEASE CONTROL: STAKEHOLDERS ADVOCATE FOR HEALTHIER LIVING

Mr. Siraj demonstrating his expertise in cycling during a blood donation session at OPM grounds. (PHOTO BY EREMA)

By Erema George

Arua City

In a move to promote healthier living, West Nile communities have been rallied to take up cycling as one of the cost-free proactive measures for fighting diseases that may result from dormant lifestyles.

Speaking at the annual blood donation drive Organized by the Indian Community in West Nile, stakeholders emphasized on the need to fight diseases like arthritis, blood pressure, diabetes as well as promote healthier hearts.

Dr.Amos Peret, the chairperson West Nile Cycling Club —Arua advised that communities should embrace voluntary cycling;

“It keeps your heart strong, you can be able to prevent non-communicable diseases such as arthritis, pressure, diabetes; diseases that come because of your lifestyle, you can be able to prevent them if you ride bicycles regularly so we are encouraging our community and friends especially the business community, don’t always sit in your office and be there because eventually gradually conditions like pressure, diabetes which you can avoid by active lifestyle like riding a bicycle may come up.” Peret said

“we encourage our community in arua to ride bicycles, not necessarily by coming to us but if you have your bicycle at home there, pick it up, ride it so that you can keep your health fit and good to prevent swallowing medicine.” he added.

His advice comes at a time West Nile is gearing up for a five days “Race the Nile” tour from August 23 to 27 aimed at covering the twelve districts in the region by bicycle Organized by a European based Vamos tour, in partnership with Wuza and the West Nile Cycling Club as a way of promoting tourism in the region.

Dr. Peret and Siraj after addressing blood donors on promotion of healthy lifestyle through cycling. (PHOTO BY EREMA)

Mr. Siraj, an Indian National and a sports lover equally advices that carrying out multiple sports activities helps promote health;

“When we plan for fitness, we need to practice multiple sports activities; playing football, walking, stretching cardiac and cycling. Cyclers have a good cardiac so it’s very good for the heart and also good for muscles. So when someone is planning for muscle building and a healthy activity, please you should practice bicycling.” Siraj noted

Cycling offers powerful physical and mental perks. It builds lower-body strength, burns calories for weight management, and protects heart health as a low-impact exercise that is easy on the joints. It also boosts brain function and relieves stress.

Written by newsroom-radiopacis