Episode 13: Biking and Bike Repair for a Wellness Boost with Dr. Lindsay Crowshoe
In this series of interviews Dr. Crowshoe talks about how biking, and learning how to build and repair bikes, helped him to calm his mind and connect with nature over the course of the pandemic.
Lynden (Lindsay) Crowshoe is a Blackfoot primary care physician and researcher, member of the Piikani First Nation, Associate Professor of Medicine and Assistant Dean of Indigenous Health at the University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine.
Dr. Lindsay Crowshoe
Lindsay shares what it was like working through the fear and uncertainty of the pandemic, as a physician and researcher, and how this helped to inspire the ‘Keeping it Together’ podcast. He shares how investing some time in learning a new skill — building/refurbishing e-bikes — helped him find calmness and connect with family during this chaotic time.
Part 1
In Part 2, Adam joins the conversation. Bridget talks a bit about the neurological mechanisms that make biking good for your mental wellness, and Lindsay shares the meditative benefits he experiences when working on bike repair. The team talk about how applying knowledge and finishing a task can boost self-esteem and self-efficacy.
Part 2
REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE:
Burke, K. (2022, December 20). A “Cyclist’s High”: What it is and how you get it. Cycling Weekly. Retrieved December 22, 2022, from
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/a-cyclists-high-what-it-is-and-how-you-get-it .
Why You Never Forget How to Ride a Bike. (2016, November 30). [Blog]. Retrieved from https://www.cybersmile.org/blog/why-you-never-forget-how-to-ride-a-bike#:~:text=It%20is%20the%20unconscious%20memory,body%20(such%20as%20typing) .
Marks, N. (2021). When the wheels come off: Actor‐network therapy for mentalhealthrecovery in the bicycle repair workshop.Sociology of Health & Illness,43(7), 1700-1719.