Can a hot bath beat a bike ride for good health?

Name: Hot baths.

Age: Ancient.

Appearance: Bubbly.

That’s nice. I love a long, hot bath with a book and a cup of tea. Who doesn’t?

Cats. But otherwise, sure. It’s like being back in the womb, but with a book and a cup of tea. And it’s good for you. Better than exercise!

Really? Well, in one narrow way, based on a single study with a small sample, perhaps.

I see. How do we know this? Some scientist called Dr Steve Faulkner did this experiment at Loughborough University where he fitted 10 unfit males with rectal thermometers and other devices, then got them to have long, hot, relaxing baths.

I think I’d be more relaxed without the thermometer. You get used to it. After the bath, the men got a meal, and on another day they did some vigorous cycling instead of the bath.

And? Much to everyone’s surprise, the bathers had peak blood sugar levels after eating that were 10% lower than the cyclists’. In short, the study suggests that hot baths might do a better job than exercise at lowering your blood sugar, which is the challenge in diabetes. The theory is that it is something to do with “heat shock proteins”.

Fantastic! When I develop diabetes, I’ll remember that. Controlling peak blood sugar may also prevent diabetes. Plus, having a long, hot bath was found to increase calorie burning by 80%. Nowhere near as much as cycling, but still useful. In an hour in a hot bath, the men each burned 126 calories, which is about the same as a half-hour walk.

So, quick recap: science says I can stop doing exercise and eat whatever I like as long as I have plenty of baths? No. Science says: “We would always encourage increased physical activity and exercise as the best way to maintain good health.” Faulkner does, anyway.

How about the risks, such as slipping over on the tiles or getting wrinkly toes? Don’t baths also poach your testicles and stop you having children? Some research suggests they may.

What if you’ve already got, arguably, too many children? Then I suppose the bath is the perfect place to hide.

Do say: “I like to arrange scented candles around the room to create my own peaceful sanctum. Bliss.”

Don’t say: “Until someone needs the toilet.”

Can a hot bath beat a bike ride for good health?

Sisi gets on his bike to tackle Egypt"s bulging fuel subsidies and waistlines

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, in white, prospects a mass cycle ride around Cairo in a push to minimize Egypt’s enormous fuel subsidies. Photograph: Reuters

“On your bike” is a phrase employed in British politics as a metaphor. But Egypt’s new president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, indicates it virtually: he desires more Egyptians to cycle – and to display he indicates organization he took hundreds of cyclists, which includes a group of public figures, on a rally by way of Cairo at five.30am on Friday .

A set of surreal pictures showed a helmetless Sisi straddling a Peugeot bicycle at the head of a huge swath of all-male bikers as he led them – like a puffing, peddling Pied Piper – by means of the streets of Cairo.

“This is the only way to build Egypt,” he explained in a speech ahead of the rally, claiming that cyclists would save Egypt funds. The common two-way bike trip fees the state about £1.30 significantly less than if the identical journey was by car, Sisi stated. Egypt spent E£170bn (£14bn), or about a fifth of its budget, on energy subsidies – a bill it can no longer afford.

Sisi’s move was met with some bemusement in Egypt, exactly where Cairo in distinct is seen as hell for those on bicycles and temperatures can attain 46C (116F). But he was naturally welcomed by a modest but growing band of cyclists.

“Of program it’s wonderful,” stated Ahmed El-Dorghamy, co-founder of Cairo Cycler’s Club, who says the capital’s flat terrain and sunny climate has the makings of a secure area to cycle. “We are often making an attempt to get celebrities to join us – and the ultimate purpose is to get ministers and even presidents.” Increased bike use, he said, could aid counter a growing weight problems difficulty – Egypt is the seventh fattest nation in the world – as well as chronic visitors jams and an unsustainable fuel subsidies bill.

Others had been much less convinced: in Egypt, driving a auto is usually harmful sufficient. In accordance to the Planet Wellness Organisation, there are 42 annual street deaths per 100,000 Egyptians – in contrast with just two.75 in Britain.

There are no cycle lanes, drivers hardly ever adhere to lane discipline or street markings, and pedestrians have to stage into the path of oncoming traffic to force autos to permit them to cross a street.

Deliverymen do use bikes for regional errands: bakers can be usually be noticed gliding via visitors jams on their bicycles, balancing vast trays of bread on their heads. And in two provincial cities close to Cairo, authorities want to encourage much more cycling along a few principal roads.

But in general, really number of commuters cycle, put off by the danger and the lack of infrastructure. Female cyclists also report regular harassment from passers-by.

El-Dorghamy, whose doctoral analysis centres on sustainable transport in Cairo, hopes Sisi’s photocall encourages a modify in culture. But he mentioned it needed to be followed by correct action: the renovation of Egypt’s potholed roads and the promotion of cycling as an acceptable action for each men and women. Pictures suggested Sisi had only males with him.

“But I truly hope that’s only a first phase,” El-Dorghamy stated. “It has to be clear that this is accepted socially for both guys and women.”

Sisi gets on his bike to tackle Egypt"s bulging fuel subsidies and waistlines

five Large Debts In The Bixi Bike Sharing Bankruptcy

There is arguably no greater title in North American bike sharing than Bixi of Montreal. So the word on Monday that Bixi had filed for Canada’s model of Chapter 11 bankruptcy sent some shudders across bike sharing cities.

Bixi, which combines bicycle and taxi, has filed for bankruptcy in its home town of Montreal. (Photograph credit: Wikipedia)

Fifteen cities, like London, New York and Chicago have adopted Bixi’s bike-sharing model, but it has not been a rewarding a single. Bixi has far more than $ 50 million in debt that will have to be restructured.

The Bixi bankruptcy itself wasn’t a shock. Bixi’s economic troubles have been properly documented, specifically by transportation reporter Andy Riga in the Montreal Gazette. The city of Montreal basically place Bixi into bankruptcy, in order to give the business a chance to revive its operations.

The Bixi bankruptcy comes at a time when experts have predicted the U.S. bike sharing fleet, which doubled in 2012, could double yet again in 2013. A lot of smaller sized cities are starting to consider installing bike sharing methods, as I wrote at our journalism project Curbing Cars.

Will the Bixi bankruptcy stall these efforts? The end result of this restructuring could impact for more cities than just Bixi’s home base on Montreal.

Bixi has some key liabilities, and it is owed money, too. A amount of cities have delayed payments to Bixi above complaints about its bike sharing software program programs.

Here, primarily based on Riga’s reporting, are 5 large debts from the Bixi bankruptcy.

New York and Chicago: They owe Bixi$ five.3 million, withheld by because of delays in implementing application across the Citibike and Divvy Bikes techniques respectively.

Damages: Alta Bike Share, which operates Citibike for New York, wants $ eleven million from Bixi because of individuals computer software delays.

Loans: Bixi owes Montreal and its taxpayers a minimum of $ 38 million. About $ 31.6 million is owed on a $ 37 million loan from the city. An additional $ six.4 million is owed on a line of credit score guaranteed by Montreal taxpayers.

Suppliers: They are owned $ 9 million by Bixi.

Montreal: Beyond the loan and line of credit score, it could value $ 1.five million more for Montreal to run the Bixi technique in 2014.

What takes place to cities with Bixi bike sharing plans? They could locate other operators, this kind of as Alta Bike Share, or run the techniques themselves. Bike sharing has grow to be a main tourism device in a number of places, so it is probably that cities will feel twice about shutting down the techniques and getting rid of bikes and kiosks.

five Large Debts In The Bixi Bike Sharing Bankruptcy