“PPCC Communication”
November 2022
Hi all….Welcome to the November 2022 edition of the PPCC Communication.
What can we say about the weather since May? We have had all seasons, a little bit of warmth, cold, wet, windy but the weather hasn’t deterred riders from venturing out each week for rides. We have had our share of ‘illness’ whether it be COVID or a personal illness. Clem is still ‘fighting’ his own personal illness battle and our thoughts are with him.
We have a new rider with the group, another John and he too has had his share of ‘bad luck’. As most of us know, in mid-July his wife was involved in a serious car accident near Clements Gap that left her with some very serious injuries which have required a number of operations to put her ‘broken’ body back together. We are also thinking of John, his wife and his family during their challenging time.
A ‘hip replacement’ for another Jon….off the bike for a number of weeks but now back riding like nothing had happened. A testament to his fitness and new operating techniques by some very clever surgeons in Adelaide.
A number of birthdays over the last 5 months, a milestone 60, another 65 and a number going the other side of 70! Happy birthday to all but the biggest of them all and a cause for celebration, PPCC established 1897. Our club is 125 years old this year.
COVID has been amongst our club and the pandemic continues into 2022 but now with ‘relaxed’ isolation rules. There has been a number of conversations about club outings during this year but we also have an obligation to keep our members safe and this is why we have not contemplated such outings. It was said only this week that ‘we are a club of over 70 year olds’ (there are a few exceptions, lol) and these over 70’s and their families are the most vulnerable to this pandemic.
Let’s hope 2023 is a better year for our club and we can get back to these much loved group outings where we can ride and then enjoy the company of all members over a meal and a drink.
PPCC AGM:
It’s getting close to that time of the year again where we have our AGM. Generally in November as our ‘year’ finishes on the 1st November but for this year it will be on Saturday the 17th December due to the unavailability of our Secretary due to work commitments interstate.
You will be ‘officially’ informed of the date, time and venue as per the terms of our constitution in respect to time of notification.
Remember, all positions will be declared vacant so here is your opportunity to hold a position and be involved in the ‘running’ of the PPCC.
PPCC membership can be paid at the AGM.
PPCC Members Christmas Lunch:
The PPCC members Christmas lunch is to be held on Sunday 18th December at the Risdon Hotel at 12:00.
As per the AGM, the Christmas Lunch notification will be sent out to all members. All current financial members will be invited to attend.
Please note: There is a RSVP date for this event as we have to book only for the numbers intending to attend so as to allow the Risdon Hotel to utilise its seating capacity to the fullest on the day.
Cycling, Coffee & Sugar: (Diabetes SA, My Life Magazine, October 2022)
Coffee is the order of the day after each ride with coffee taken with either sugar, artificial sweetener or no sugar. So what is best?
There is a great article in the ‘Diabetes SA, My Life’ magazine titled:
‘Artificial Sweeteners Good or Bad?’
“It has been recognised for some time that sugar consumption is a risk factor for developing conditions like type 2 diabetes and obesity. Sugary drinks are an easy way to consume excessive sugar, and studies in large populations confirm that high consumers of sugary drinks are up to 50% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
Artificial sweeteners are chemicals that produce a sweet taste at very low concentrations. Plant-derived products, including stevia and monk fruit, also have this capacity. Together, these non-sugar sweeteners are known as “low-calorie sweeteners” or “non-nutritive sweeteners”. Some of the artificial sweeteners commonly found in “diet” drinks and foods include aspartame (“Equal”), acesulfame potassium (ace-K) (“Sweet One”), saccharin (“Sweet ‘n’ Low”), and sucralose (“Splenda”).
Concerns about the health risks of sugar have pushed up the consumption of artificial sweeteners. Yet remarkably, long term studies that have tracked the health of thousands of people in Europe, UK, and USA, have revealed that high consumers of artificially sweetened beverages also have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, at least as much as sugar. Why should this be the case?
Our research group at The University of Adelaide and Royal Adelaide Hospital has long had an interest in studying how the function of the stomach and intestines (i.e. the gut) affects blood glucose management after meals. We know that there is a “sweet taste receptor” on the tongue – which detects the presence of all sugars and sweeteners – and that the same receptor is also found in the small intestine. We also know from studies in mice that activation of the intestinal sweet taste receptor can enhance the gut’s ability to absorb glucose when there is plenty of sugar, or other sweet substances, in the diet. Finally, we know that sweeteners can disrupt the balance of bacteria living in the gut, and that these bacteria (the “microbiota”) have a role in the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
With funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, we recruited 40 healthy volunteers who did not usually consume artificial sweeteners. We randomised them to receive 2 weeks supplementation with capsules containing a mixture of two sweeteners (sucralose and ace-K, equivalent to about 1.5 litres of diet soft drink per day), or a “placebo”, taken with each meal for 2 weeks. The volunteers came to the hospital before and after the supplementation period, and on each occasion we inserted a thin endoscope through the nose into the small intestine, through which we gave a standard dose of glucose over 30 minutes, while collecting blood samples. The volunteers also provided a faecal sample at each visit. We found that blood glucose levels after the standard dose of glucose increased by over 25% in the group who received artificial sweeteners, and this was accompanied by more rapid absorption of glucose from the gut.
We also found that two weeks of artificial sweetener was associated with changes in the gut bacteria which could be contributing to the abnormal glucose responses.
At present, it is difficult to give firm advice as to whether the use of artificial sweeteners is a good idea, including for people with type 2 diabetes. We hope to clarify this with further study, but for now, the best policy may simply be to drink water!” (Professor Chris Rayner, page 10, Diabetes SA, My Life Magazine, October 2022)
COVID Isolation Update: (Seniors Card, COVID 19 Isolation Changes, Information from SA Health, October 2022)
”Advice for people who test positive to COVID-19
From Friday 14 October, if you test positive to COVID-19 you will no longer be required to isolate but it’s recommended you take steps to protect our community. To reduce the risk to others, you should:
Stay home until your acute symptoms have cleared (usually 5 to 7 days)
wear a mask when in indoor places or on public transport if you must leave your home
Advise your employer you have tested positive and discuss when you can return to work. For people working in a health, disability or aged care setting, a longer period away from your workplace is necessary to protect other staff, patients, residents and clients.
Avoid large gatherings and crowded indoor places
Not visit people at high risk of severe illness, or anyone in a hospital, aged care or disability care facility for at least 7 days.
If you test positive to COVID-19, you may be infectious for up to 10 days but are most infectious in the two days before your symptoms start and while you have symptoms.
Advice for close contacts
Requirements for close contacts have also been lifted, but there are important things close contacts should do to protect others.
Monitor for symptoms. If you get sick you should get tested and stay at home until you are well.
Don’t visit people at high risk of severe illness, or anyone in a hospital, aged care or disability care facility. If you have to visit, do a rapid antigen test before you go.
Wear a mask when indoors and on public transport.
Frequent rapid antigen testing may help identify the infection early. This is particularly important if you are in contact with people at high risk of severe illness.
Following this close contact advice for at least 7 days will help to protect our community, in particular people at risk or with health vulnerabilities, while you are potentially infectious.
COVID-19 testing
If you have COVID-19 symptoms, it’s recommended you get a COVID-19 test and stay at home until you’re feeling well.
Continuing to get tested will help to protect our community, in particularly people at risk or with health vulnerabilities, while you are potentially infectious.
Getting tested when you have COVID-19 symptoms is especially important for people who are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and may be eligible for oral antiviral treatments.
COVID-19 PCR testing is available for people with COVID-19 symptoms at SA Health and SA Pathology testing sites.
If you test positive using a rapid antigen test, you must report your result using the online form on the SA Health website.
Stay at home while you have symptoms, even if you get a negative COVID-19 result, so you don’t infect other people.”
(Seniors Card, COVID 19 Isolation Changes, Information from SA Health, October 2022)
REMEMBER….if you are feeling unwell or have minor cold like symptoms, stay home, get a rapid antigen test done and follow the isolation instructions to be sure you do not have the virus before coming in contact with the group.
Continue to wear your mask, sanitise your hands and apply social distancing when out in the community. It’s your way to protect yourself and those closest to you.
BikeSA:
Please check your BikeSA memberships as it’s about this time of the year you may find it is up for renewal. Renewal can be completed on the BikeSA website, by phone or ‘snail mail’. As per previous years, forward your receipt to our Treasurer for reimbursement of the fees.
As a Bike SA member you can participate in their organised rides. Contact Bike SA or check their web site.
(08 8168 9999) (office@bikesa.asn.au)
Have your say:
This is your newsletter as well so email your article to me and I will add it to the monthly newsletters and our web site. Ie: Coming events, cycling news articles, items for sale/wanted etc. Please email me anything you would like to contribute’ J
Be safe, consider others and enjoy your riding.
Cheers,
Brenton
0417823057
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