Conference noted::bicycle

    I'd assume from the fact that exercise concentrates your blood in
    the working muscles moreso than other organs, such as the brain.
    It probably stays there a while after the workout. That and most
    likely being dehydrated will give you a lightheaded feel.
    
    John

     I remember reading something about this in BICYCLING either in
    last month's or the month prior.
    
     This "phenom" is found more prevalent in athletes that are engaged
    in sports that involve consistent aerobic/anaerobic activity...
    
     Don't know who they got the data from, but they defintely had an
    article on it. The bottom line was , don't sweat it uless the most
    physical activity endured is trips to the refrigerator...
    
      Chip 

    Rod,
    	This is real good news.  I had thought it was just me (!).  I had
    never made a link with cycling (obviously I don't cycle as hard as you)
    but on hindsight I would tie it into the day after a hard ride.
    
    rod
    
    PS it could of course just be an affliction of people called rod !

    It's blood pressure. If you do a decent amount of riding or other
    aerobic activity your resting blood pressure will be low. This is good,
    unless it goes really low, in which case you should see a doctor.
    Anyway, when you low blood pressure, suddently getting up causes a
    momentary loss of blood to your brain, so you feel a bit dizzy.
    
    As has been said, no reason to worry unless your blood pressure is
    really low. Ask the nurse at your facility to take your blood pressure
    if you are concerned.
    
    	Marty Sasaki

    I've heard this phenomenom explained as follows:
    In people who engage in activities resulting in higher level
    cardiovascular conditioning, the heart pumping ability increases
    to the point that a (much) lower than average heart rate is all that is
    necessary to meet the bodys demands when sitting/lying, etc.
    However, when suddenly standing/rising the heart rate and blood
    pressure is too low to "sustain normal operations", as it were,
    hence the momentary lightheadedness, until the heart rate/pressure
    ramps up to meet the new demand.
    
    I had a guy tell me once, "when you feel like that, it just shows
    you're in good shape."
    
    Or perhaps regretting the previous evening. ;^)
    
    Terry

This is good news!

I can concure on a couple of the previous notes.  I do have low blood pressure.
Not too low but a good low and I also have a low heart rate.  I certainly
do get the light headed stuff after cycling.

I'm also fighting dehydration a lot of the time. I have a bike bottle with
me of water even when I'm not cycling.  I also found that eating helps this
light headedness  remedy itself.

I have another question.  I can get cold after a bike ride even and sometimes
more easily on the HOT days.  It's like my body is trying to get ride of all 
this heat and when I stop it keeps radiating heat  until it's given away too 
much.  Any one got 2 cents on that one? Or should I just go buy a new heating
and cooling system?

Danielle

    I have fairly low blood pressure and a low resting pulse rate and
    notice the effect too.  Actually, it sometimes happens even if I'm sitting
    around and get up suddenly, like here at the office.

    Probably nothing to worry about.  As has been mentioned, articles
    have appeared about why it often happens after exercise.

    - Jim

    Rod, is your hair blonde??  Ooops, that was nasty!!  Well, you did ask
    for non-serious comments...
    
    I too get this from time to time.
    
    Another problem that I get when I ride real hard is that my jersey gets
    wet...  Water also comes pouring from my head.  Does that happen to
    other cyclists too?  What is it?  ;-)

    re. .6
    The feeling of coldness is usually caused by the fact that blood
    is drawn away from the skin in order to better serve the heart/lungs
    during the ride exertion, and to help regulate body core temperature.
    In extreme cases it's also a sign of incipient heat stroke, ie,
    body core temp. goes too high. 
    
    Terry

    re .8:  A dizzy blonde? You'd have to be charitable to call me blonde,
    I think.
    
    Thanks for the responses, all. Sounds like there's a lot of people on
    the verge of fainting out there.
    
    
    Rod

     I know exactly what you mean, Eric. That stuff happens to me all
    the time... Scary. Have you ever noticed that, at times, you're
    completely out of breath when hammering up a mountain? Man, I hate
    it when that happens... Anyone have suggestions on this?
    
     Boy, this note is becoming extremely helpful (medically speaking).
    
        Chip

>     I know exactly what you mean, Eric. That stuff happens to me all
>    the time... Scary. Have you ever noticed that, at times, you're
>    completely out of breath when hammering up a mountain? Man, I hate
>    it when that happens... Anyone have suggestions on this?

        Yeah, and there's that soreness thing, too --- But there seems to
        be a pattern.    Every  time  I  work hard, my jersey gets wet, I
        breath rapidly, and my muscles get sore. What's the scoop?
        
        BTW, it never seems to happen here at work...8^)
        
        John

    Yeah, I had the old kind of heart monitor.  It was this pendulum
    mounted to my top tube.  Whenever it started pointing toward my saddle
    it indicated I was breathing hard.  Never saw it fail.  Could get on
    for a buck or two.  Nowadays you gotta pay hundreds for that kind of
    info.  I guess accuracy is the key nowadays.
    
    :-)
    
    ed

    Chip et al,
    
    You think that you have problems...  After 15 years of cycling, I'm
    afraid that my legs are loosing all that mushy tissue and being
    replaced my a much harder substance.  Eric Heiden had that problem too. 
    I wonder if it's just a problem that afflicts the Erics of the world? 
    I'm afraid that the kids at school will call me names like
    "Tyrannosaurus Rex"!!
    
    Eric

IDEFIX::HEMMINGS writes:
> ....  Last time he measured my blood pressure at 8/11.

Ummm what are the units?  PSI? atm? mmHg? kilopascals?

    As far as I can remember you multiply by the french numbers by 10 to
    get numbers we understand, so 8/11 is 80 over 110 (or is it vice-versa)
    
    I wish I had an RP of 40 and a blood pressure of 80/110
    
    Rod.

>    As far as I can remember you multiply by the french numbers by 10 to
>    get numbers we understand, so 8/11 is 80 over 110 (or is it vice-versa)

So it must be in  centimeters of mercury.

Thanks,
-Jeff

	What about almost blacking out when you stand up?  That happens
	to me occasionally if I get up from my desk quickly, or I'm bent
	over putting paper in the printer, say, then stand up straight.
	Things just start to fade out and I have to grab something/someone
	to keep from tipping over.  It's over in maybe 5 seconds.

	I do have low bp, usually something like 100/60.  I think my resting
	heart rate is somewhere around 50.

	Sue

    Occasional dizziness is probably okay, but if it happens all of the
    time, go see a doctor.

     Boy, I'm gald I'm not the only one afflicted with all these maladies!
    
     Anyone have problems with oil on the chains?
    
     Sweating top tubes and stems?
    
     I get dizzy before I get up. Does anyone understand what that means?
    
     How about an occasional lapse in consciousness?
    
       (Who said that?)
    
             Chip 

>     I get dizzy before I get up. Does anyone understand what that means?

    It means that you have precognitive abilities.

    Have you ever experimented with thiotimeline?

    -Jeff

     Re; .23... Nope, I'm Catholic (not practicing though so that can't
                be the problem.
    
                It could be residual effects from the 60's & 70's
                however... ;-)
    
          Chip

    Many times while riding my MTB in the woods I fall in large mud bogs
    and puddles. The result is large amounts of mud up my *** and other
    places.  
                HELP!!! IS THERE A CURE???
    
    P.S. Not dizzy before fall but sometimes am after...
    

	From the replies to this note, I conclude I am average in terms of RP
and blood pressure, but no one has bitten on cholesterol.  I looked at the 
result again last night, it says 2,30 gm/litre (or was it mg/litre??) and this
was at the top of the "average" given (1,7 - 2,3).  I wonder whether this is
"average average", "average for age" or what?  Anyone else had the measurements
done?

	Interesting too is that when you see the Quack here in France, he always
checks blood pressure and pulse, never temperature - in the UK, the first
reaction is to stick a thermometer in you and maybe take the pulse, but rarely
blood pressure.  They are also very keen in France on analysis of blood for most
"illnesses".  I wonder why their "preventative maintenance" is only done on
people and never on their cars, but that's a rat-hole.......

    Re: .26
    
    Maybe in the UK they want to make sure that you are alive before
    treating you (it's sometimes hard to tell... ;-)).
    
    Cholesterol:  I always thought that I had a relatively balanced diet
    (cheese instead of junk food, etc) until I had my cholesterol level
    checked.  A whopping 239 mg/dl.  The desirable range is 140-240.  I was
    told not to worry since I was within the range.  239 is too close not
    to worry.  My HDL (good) cholesterol level was at 51 (acceptable range
    23-68) which is normal for a physical active person.  This put my
    coronary risk factor at 4.7 (total/HDL) which says that I have 2 x
    average risk.  So for 3 months, I cut my fat intake to about 35
    gms/day, ate a lot of ruffage and read labels before buying.  Next
    test, my total dropped to 196 and HDL up to 53 giving me a risk factor
    of 3.7 (average).  Now a difference may be that the first time I gave a
    blood sample, I did not fast for 12 hours before (which is recommended)
    but I'm certainly more consious of what I eat.
    
    If you can find out what you HDL is and do the calculation (HDL/Total),
    you will get your risk factor.  Here is a rule of thumb range:
    
       MALE           FEMALE                RISK
    1.0 - 3.4       1.0 - 3.3           1/2 Average
    3.5 - 5.0       3.4 - 4.4               Average
    5.1 - 9.6       4.5 - 6.9           2 x Average
    9.7 - 23.4      7.0 - 11.0          3 x Average
    
    Average risk implies 20-25% chance of developing coronary heart rate by
    age 60.  Risk factor for coronary heart disease increases as the HDL
    decreases.  I'm 32 year old.  I don't know if the scale differs by age.
    
    Eric

    I was told that failure is fast results in an inaccurate triglyceride
    reading, which is not reflected in the numbers you presented.
    
    'course you can't believe everything, so I don't really know.
    
    ed

    Sue I sure hope your bp is 60/100 instead of vice versa.  If not GO 
    TO THE HOSPITAL!!

    
    	Sorry, is this note the hypocondriacs sign in?
    
    Graham.
    

	I thought that the "average" bp is 120/80.  Or is it 80/120? 
	Either way, the number that's normally 120 is 100, and the
	number that's normally 80 is 60.  Usually when the doctor or
	nurse takes my bp, they say that mine is good.

    Yup, it usually goes higher/lower ... the higher number being referred
    to as "systolic" and the lower "diastolic".  120/80 is typical ...
    100/60 is fairly good.  Athletes usually have lower b.p numbers than
    non-athletes.
    
    ... Bob
    

One thing I have not heard about in this discussion is Hypoglycemia.  Low blood
sugar.  One of its symptoms is lite headedness.  One method to control it is 
to eat many small meals insted of large ones and stay off the processed sugar to 
stop a yoyo effect.  If the dizziness comes and goes you might want to have it 
checked.  Endurance athletes are effected by this quite often.  Some other 
symptoms include cold sweats, blurred vision anxiety etc.  Most people don't 
have to worry but if the condition is there regardless of activity it might be 
looking into.  Try eating high carbotype foods in smaller amounts spaced out
evenly during the day but dont eat sugar (candy etc ) for a boostsince it 
brings on a surge of insulin and you peak and then fall back again.  

Jim

My understanding of the feeling of lightheadedness is a lack of glucose getting
to your brain. The other factors, low blood pressure, hypoglycemia, etc are
certainly contributing factors.

Someone back there mentioned cheese instead of junk food, many cheeses are 
high in fat and salt. One doctor my wife works with (she's a nurse but claims
to be ignorant of nutrition...) says the main reason people like cheese is the 
salt. So if you suffer from hypertension or high BP, it may not always be the
best food. Course, I still haven't been nominated for a Nobel in medicine yet,
so take my advice with a grain of, you know, sand or something. 8^)

Quack quack quack quack!

     Moderation in any eating habit is critical. The human body requires
    fats, salts, sugers, etc... as well as the vitamins and minerals to
    keep us going. Specific medical problems with individuals is another
    (many) stories.
    
     Regarding the cheeses category; it's pretty ironic that there's such
    a "real cheese" campaign going with products when some medical groups
    actually advertise that synthetic cheeses are actually non-destructive.
    
     Candidate for the 1992 Nobel Medical Prize for Cycling

	"Synthetic" cheese !!!

	Zut, alors - I must inform L'Empereur immediately!!!

	- R(oquefort)obin

     The piece of information yet... It's primary ingredient is the same
    used in many glues... Yummmmmy!
    
       Chip

So if you don't eat it, you can always use it on your sew-ups...

>       <<< Note 2024.30 by MASALA::GGOODMAN "Number 1 in a field of 1" >>>
>    
>    	Sorry, is this note the hypocondriacs sign in?
                                ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
                               hypochondriacs'
    
    Yes, and it's the pedants' sign-in too.
    
    
    Rod

	I turned up Eric's answer to a note about Cholesterol (2024.27), I 
must admit I didn't understand it then.  However while having a clear-up I 
found my blood analysis - perhaps some medical wizard could translate for me.
			Me		Normal
			----------------------------
GLYCEMIE		0,85 g/l	(0,70 - 1,00)
CHOLESTEROL TOTAL	2,30 g/l	(1,70 - 2,30)
TRIGLYCERIDES		1,20 g/l	(0,50 - 1,50)
UREE			0,35 g/l	(0,25 - 0,50)
CREATININE		8   mg/l	(6 - 12)
ACIDE URIQUE		45  mg/l	(25 - 60)

Are any of these Eric's "good cholesterol"?

Note how boringly normal these are except for the Cholesterol, I have another 
page to do with Hematologie, (Hemoglobine etc..) - if anyone knows how to 
interpret them I would be interested.

PS I'm 49 - anyone want to predict my chances of getting the half-century?

     You'd think with the cost of medical "experiments" they'd provide
    a layman's explanation...
    
      Chip

>            <<< Note 2024.41 by IDEFIX::HEMMINGS "Lanterne Rouge" >>>
>
> PS I'm 49 - anyone want to predict my chances of getting the half-century?

    Well Robin, if you haven't cycled 50 miles by this time of year, you
    never will.
    
    
    Rod

re .-1
	Actually I've given up miles for good - I find them too long.....

	re. 41

	The "good" cholesterol is called HDL (high density lipoprotein).
	The typical range is 23-68 mg/dl although having more isn't bad. 
	I usually do.

	The "bad" cholesterol is called LDL (low density lipoprotein).
	The typical range is 50-210 mg/dl.

	I'm not sure how total cholesterol is calculated from these.

	-tom 

Re: .41

Robin,

Looks like you are borderline on your total cholesterol.  That's not good but if 
they did not give you a break down of HDL and LDL, it is harder to tell how bad 
(or good it is).

No matter what the breakdown it is, I would suggest that you modify your diet.
Eggs are an obvious no-no (and they are found in everything - especially
croissants).  I would suggest to get a book that gives you a cholesterol count
in foods in order to give you an idea what to avoid.  

To boost your HDL, exercise is highly recommended (chuckle).  My suggestion is
to go back to pedalling miles (preferably nautical ;-)).  Now the biggest pain
is that you may have little control of your cholesterol level if it is 
heredetary (sp?).  You can take medication to control (ie lower) it but I don't
think that your level warrants this measure.

On a brighter note, I was told that there is a direct correlation between high 
cholesterol level and high sex drive.  Wish to comment?

Dr_Eric

    Dear Preblem page,
    	I just went out for the first time in 4 weeks and I found that
    apart from the extreme pain and loss of breath, when I am on the drops the
    amount of upward motion that my legs have is more restricted by my torso
    than before, especially the lower abdominal area.  
    
    Is this usual ?
    
    Worried of Livingston

re .47

If you feel sick in the mornings as well, then your worries are over - you can
sell your story to the tabloid press and never work again........

Dear Problem Page,

I went out on my bike yesterday and felt nauseous, sore-headed and heavy
legged. Is this because I was cycling or because I went to a party on
Saturday night?

groaningly yours,
Rod

Dear Problem Page

I did 3 laps of the Cap d'Antibes yesterday and felt wonderful, superfast and
en plein forme.  Am I really the fittest bikie in the South of France or is it
just that my companion had had the lurgy for 3 days and could only just get the
pedals over?

Please send response quickly - I need to decide whether to turn professional or
register for my pension.

yours hopefully

Robin

Dear Robin,

Start painting Z on all your vetements...

PP

PS Don't forget to pick up your Merlin on the way out!

     Hey Eric... I just ordered my discounted Z shirt from NASHBAR (already
    have the shorts and am working on my Suburu/Montgomery outfit - I have
    the sweatband). I got my MERLIN Racing Team jersey too. Talk about
    psychological lifts!
    
     BTW, there was a small article in the Oct. special issue of Business
    Week mag. (The Quality Imperative) on MERLIN and how good they are.
    They also quoted the price as being around $1900.00 YEEEEOOOOOWWWWW!
     
     I'm glad I got mine when I did. Don't they know there's a depression
    out there!!!!!
    
     Chip

Chip, 

Ya, I saw it the first day the issue was delivered.  Great to see that Merlin 
gets high marks in quality.

Eric

OK, outrageous theory time. I have a *little* bit of extra fat round the 
middle. I have noticed that after a hard bike ride it seems more prominent
(as I gaze at myself while showering), as if it has expanded. So my theory is
that I have been metabolizing fatty tissue, and this expansion is a temporary
thing while my blood carries the energy away, so really it's a good sign.

How bonkers do you think this theory is?


Rod

    Roddy, 
    
    After last weeks effort, I'd be suprised if you had an ounce of
    extra fat on you. 
    
    /r

ref: -.2

Gravity. As you spend most of the time leaning over in a "crouch position",
your stomach stretches to the ground due to gravity. Therefore your 
stomach seems (and is) bigger when you stop riding. :^)

    
    
    If you're not holding in your abdomen muscles while you're riding you
    could actually be developing your abdomen muscles outward.   That would
    account for you seeing the bigger "stomach".  
    
    As you ride you're working your abdomen muscles...they are going to get
    toned and firmed.  Since the muscle underneath the fat is toned and
    tight right after a workout, the fat on the outside is going to feel
    flabbier (looser -- since what's underneath is tighter).
    
    If you don't noticibly tense your abdomen muscles INWARD while you ride,
    you are most likely developing them outward.  
    
    Same goes with doing situps/crunches/whatever.  If you're not holding
    your abdomen IN while you're doing it, your stomach can actually
    develop OUTWARD.
    
    If people want a flat stomach, they should ALWAYs "suck it in" when
    doing physical activities, otherwise they could be doing exactly the
    reverse of what they want.
    
    kath
    
    Gravity?  I don't THINK so!  :-)

re .59

If you hold the abdominal muscles tight ("suck it in") while exercising you
make it difficult to use the diaphram for breathing.  The diaphram is the most
efficient muscle to use for breathing. Breathing from the diaphram removes
more stale (i.e. CO2 rich) air from the lungs than breathing from the chest.

Rich

    	I was going to make the same comment as Rick. Your diaphragm is
    	working correctly when you see the stomach moving in and out,
    	sometimes referred to as "belly breathing."
    
    	Scott

    RE: .60
    
    Well, it's a trade-off.  If someone's working hard-enough to go
    high-cardio, then they probably want to relax their abs to increase 
    their breathing capacity.  (The higher cardio workout someone does, the
    less fat-burning they are going to do anyway.)  
    
    If someone wants to relax their abs to increase breathing capacity,
    perhaps counterbalancing their riding with abs workouts might be an
    option (which also help the back, so that's a plus)?  Relaxing the abs
    during a high-intensity ride is probably why the "stomach pooch"
    happens, though--the abs are used a LOT while biking.  They are
    probably one of the easiest muscles to ignore/forget about too since it's
    really hard to strain them....we tend to forget they are even
    important.
    
    I have no problem breathing while holding my abs in tight.  But I tend 
    to want to ride as a lower-cardio pace (60-70% of max) to burn fat, 
    plus I want to tone muscle (including abs).
    
    kath
    
    

    No matter what your intent is (washboard abs or high-cardio), a few
    back was correct.  When you ride (or otherwise work your abs), the
    muscles become "pumped" (blood vessels expand to accomodate increased
    flow, etc.) and push the fat out.
    
    -Jesse

    
    Ok, so with all this talk about fat bulging out, astride these
    by-now-monumental abdominals, what does it take (Kath?) to get
    rid of said fat for the poor cyclist?  Do I hear liposuction? :-)
    
    -j

Ah, so my theory might even be correct, sort of. Well, I'm not going to
ride holding my stomach in. I'll save that for when I go out at night...

Next question. After last week (900km+, honest), I have a sore right achilles
tendon (above my heel). Is this what you'd call tendonitis? Is there anything
to be done about it, other than rest? As it happens, it's feeling a lot
better today, so maybe that's my question answered.


Rod

    You could sue for being made to ride such a distance in a week. Oh,
    I forgot, you did it of your own volition :-)
    
    ---Alan (Only 710k last week, aiming for a big 0 this)

    I'll publically congratulate all three of the worthies who managed to
    get the RAID-pyreneen done last week, this has been described elsewhere
    I think but I'll summarise it as 710km (about 450 miles) with 11,000m
    (37,000 feet) of climbing and a 100 hour deadline.  In the event 
    Alan (Paxton), Roddy (McF) and Rob (Rowlands) did it in 82 hours.
    
    I had the priviledge of seeing Alan 2 days later and he looked about 2
    kg lighter, 4 shades more tanned and at deaths door.  I now think that
    he will recover....

    I've also noticed that I look paunchier after a ride.  By contrast,
    after a run, I look leaner and meaner.  Since there's none of the
    shock on the body riding that there is running, these areas feel
    no need to tighten up.  It happens with muscles, too.  A rider's 
    thighs can become thick as tree trunks -- you'll never see a runner
    build up that kind of bulk, because the shock of running won't 
    let it happen. 

    >what does it take (Kath?) to get rid of said fat for the poor 
    >cyclist?  Do I hear liposuction? :-)
    
    Egads, no way, have you ever seen film footage of lipsuction??? 
    Wretch....
    
    There's only one way to lose fat:  eat right and get aerobic exercise.
    If you ride a lot, you're already getting aerobic exercise BUT...well,
    it's like this.  The higher you get your heart rate, the less fat and
    the more glycogen (?) you're burning.  
    
    A high heart rate (80%+/- of Max Heart Rate) gives a person an
    excellent cardio workout, but it really doesn't burn that much fat.  A
    lower heart rate (60-70% of Max) and a longer ride burns a lot more fat
    but doesn't work your heart as much.  
    
    When a person loses fat, they lose it from all over their body,
    there's no way to lose it just off, say, the abdomen without
    liposuction.  If there was another way, women would have found it years
    ago.  :-)
    
    But, I'm sure, with all the healthy people in this conference, ya'll
    know most of this.
    
    kath

Re: several previous replies

As far as looking paunchier (? Hey, I don't know what the right word is!) could
it be that you're taking a case of Twinkies (TM) along as an energy source?
Just wondering. ;-)

-Patrick

     There's also the little know and considered I.I.F. (Insect Intake
    Factor).
    
     This has a tendency to be worse in rural and farming areas :-)
    
        Chip

    
    To restart Rod's bulging midrif thread, again...
    
    I read in an article written by Allan Peiper that Indurain always had a
    bulging stomach. This is caused by his extra-large lung capacity
    pushing down, forcing all the bittys that should be there out in an
    effort to find space.
    
    Could it be that your stomach bulges after a hard run because you've
    stretched your lungs more than you normally would and creating the
    above effect short term until your lungs relax back to normal?
    
    Maybe not...
    
    Graham.

New season, new injuries. Currently I have an occasionally sore left ankle.
I wrenched it a couple of weeks ago and prolonged riding makes it sore.
Plus I have a new type of injury which I term "Ergo Hand". My right hand is 
slightly sore from all this pushing a lever sideways (that's my story anyway). 
I'll get used to it.


Rod