Tu Salud Si Cuenta (Your Health Matters!)

South Padre Island, our barrier island off the coast, attracts and supports unique wildlife and landscape that other people can only visit occasionally. It is easy to overlook how close the Island is and how many hours and weekends of family fun we can share there.

A few years ago the River Rockets Bicycle Club began a once a year celebration of our landscape with a bicycle ride to South Padre. The first year a handful of riders "pedaled to Padre." Each year since then the event has grown to attract bicycle riders from all over Texas, many other states, and several parts of Mexico. On May 4, I was thrilled to ride for the second time in the Pedal to Padre.

I arrived at the starting line to find kids, teens, young adults and even senior citizens on bicycles that were hand-me-downs, shiny and new, inexpensive, and very expensive. There were even differently-abled riders on adaptive bicycles. As I rode towards the island, the landscape I grew up around reached out to share life and community spirit with each and every rider. As a group we shared an active experience through a beautiful part of the world in our very own backyard.

The moment the peloton crossed over the causeway, the discomfort of the ride was forgotten, the smiles on each face widened, and the people cheering from their cars as we rode by were the guarantee of my return.

This year more than 850 riders joined together and among them were professors, lawyers, construction workers, teachers, homemakers, kids, doctors, grandparents, and even a pet on one rider's shoulders.

Bicycle riding is an activity that is underestimated. Studies report that the percentage of U.S. kids who walk or bike to school has dropped by 70 percent during a time that childhood obesity has tripled. Perhaps that is related to the growing number of cars on the roads. In addition, many cities and towns across the country forgot to encourage active living by creating and supporting bicycle and walking trails through their neighborhoods.

Active living and activities like bicycle riding depend on accessibility to parks and trails as well as our choices for ourselves and for our children. More than one study has proven that the presence of trails leads to more walking and bicycle riding. Further research has shown that the closer we live to a park, trail, or green space the more active we will be. Yet additional research confirms that property values are higher if the property is close to parks and trails.

Each of us who commute in a car during rush hour spend an average of 50 hours a year stuck in traffic according to the Texas Transportation Institute. This translates to more than $63 billion in wasted fuel and lost productivity. In fact, the U.S. could save 462 million gallons of gas a year by just increasing cycling from 1 percent to 1.5 percent of all trips.

Check out the Lower Rio Grande Valley and South Padre Island on a bicycle. I guarantee that you will see things you never saw through your car window. I guarantee that you will feel better both physically and mentally. Perhaps you are not ready to begin with a ride to the Island, but just three hours of bicycling a week (even in small segments of time) can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by 50 percent. Imagine how your health and outlook will improve as you move beyond those three hours. A ten mile bicycle ride burns 350 calories, which is bonus motivation for me.

Each time I drive to the Island I will look forward to the Pedal to Padre 2009. It looks like the number of riders may reach 1,000. One thousand people to enjoy and celebrate our backyard. One thousand people who will practice and be active to get ready for that ride. One thousand people who will feel better and live healthier lives. One thousand people who will set active living examples for their children. And hopefully one thousand people who will speak loudly to their civic leaders year around about including accessible, adequate, and safe parks and trails in the urban design and redesign of our community. You can improve your health and the health of those around you, and the Lower Rio Grande Valley will be there to help you because Tu Salud ¡Si Cuenta.

Tu Salud ¡Si Cuenta! (Your Health Matters!)

is produced by the University of Texas, School of Public Health, Brownsville Regional Campus. You can watch Tu Salud ¡Si Cuenta! segments on T.V. Channel 7 (Buenos Dias) every Thursday morning from 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. and listen on radio FM105.96:45 a.m.; AM1450 10:50 a.m.; and FM14905:45 a.m. weekdays.

School of Public Health