Our EverGreen Life

EverGreen Farm Fresh Salsa

Yum!

 

Introduction

Good ingredients make all the difference, and this dish, like most prepared with healthy veggies, is at its best when the produce is fresh and the tomatoes vine ripened.  Of course, I prefer to use food from our farm; this is why I eat a lot of my salsa in the late summer and fall.  From time to time, however, I crave it out of season, break down, buy my vegetables at the grocery store, and binge.  (It's still darn good.)  You will see EverGreen Salsa included as a component in or as a side to several meals I will post on this blog.  When made with fresh ingredients, it is super healthy.  Loaded with antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins, this food has only one problem-it goes extremely well with unhealthy chips.

Ingredients

•2-3 cloves of garlic

•1 green bell pepper

•1 Walla-Walla onion

•1/4 cup of pickled jalapenos

•4 vine ripe tomatoes

•cilantro

•juice from 1 lime

•1 tbsp chili powder

•1 tbsp cumin

•1 tbsp raw honey

•2 tbsp of Tapatio Sauce

•1-2 tsp of sea salt

 

Instructions

Mince the garlic, coarsely chop the bell pepper and onion into large blocks, add these ingredients to the food processor, and pulse 5 times.  Coarsely chop the tomatoes and cilantro, add them to the food processor, and pulse 5 times.  Add all other ingredients and pulse to desired consistency.  In my opinion, this salsa tastes best after its had time to marinate in the refrigerator for a day.  Enjoy with chips or as a savory addition to your favorite Mexican dish.

A Remarkable Day

 

Doubts filled my mind pedaling up the Old Teton Highway on the last ascent of the 2017 Around the Rock Ride.  With over 140 miles and around 6,000 feet of climbing already completed, my legs were on fire, the gears too big, and I just couldn’t turn the cranks.  Sensing possible cramping, I had to get off and push my bike up the sections registering between a ten and twelve percent incline on the Garmin.  It wasn’t how I imagined myself completing the ride, and it certainly won’t be remembered by the Fitzgerald’s crew as one of the best times.  However, this event was a personal victory for me. 

 

Gathering for the "Ride of Passage"

 

The whole affair began at 6:00 A.M.  This year around 40 participants registered to ride.  Most of the cyclists participating in this friendly competition had previously completed the loop around the Grand Tetons, were all more seasoned ultra-endurance cyclist’s than I, and had youth on their side.  In fact, this was my first “race” in twenty-six years.  Sponsored by Fitzgerald’s Bikes and attended by Salsa Cycles, this event is underrated, but when word gets out I’m sure it will go down as one of the premier mixed-surface gravel rides in America because of its level of difficulty and incredible scenery.  Fitzgerald’s dubs it, “An Annual Ride of Passage.”

 

Not a great photo (I was very focused on the ride) but a little hint of what you will see

 

Other facts about the ride are the following:  it begins and ends in Victor, Idaho at Fitzgerald’s Bike Shop; the loop is 154-miles long; if you should choose to participate, you will complete over 8,900 feet of climbing in a day; the loop goes around the Grand Tetons and through the park; the scenery is breathtaking; the event is entirely self-supported (you navigate, take all your own supplies, and are expected to be 100% responsible for all aspects of your well-being and safety); it takes between nine and twelve hours to complete depending on your level of fitness, experience, and skill; the only prizes for completing the ride are cheers from other participants when you finish and free beer.  (The cheers, heart-felt congratulations, high-fives, and knuckle bumps were all I took in.)

Here are a few insights I gained through this life-changing experience:

• What I’m doing, my 12-step challenge, works well for me; most of all, I enjoy an abundance of energy and seemingly  super-human recovery rates. Conventional wisdom is that you’re not supposed to be able to do this kind of crap at my age. I’m fifty, returned home at 11:00 P.M. from an ultra-endurance cycling event, was up at 6:00 A.M. the next morning for more than one hour of farm chores, do not hurt, and feel ready to start training again tomorrow. Is the balanced intake of nutrients from The Daily Dozen responsible?  Is it the absence of meat, dairy, and other highly refined foods in my diet?  Yoga?  What about my overall lifestyle?  The love and support of a dear friend and my immediate family?  All of the above?  It has been suggested to me that a low inflammation diet and lifestyle provide the energy and recovery rates I’m feebly attempting to describe.  My intuition tells me that although diet plays the biggest role in accounting for these phenomena, other factors (yoga, support, rest, etc.) certainly have a role in this too.

• Making a big commitment public and soliciting support from others helps you to accomplish ambitious goals. Originally, I announced my intentions to do this “ride of passage” to my wife and son. Then, I informed my students and coworkers at school of my plans.  Last but not least, I posted my goal on this blog.  Although I’m sure that people are inherently good and would not criticize me for failing to follow through with it all, I felt the weight of all that accountability.  This form of healthy peer pressure inspired me to finish the ride when I the thought of quitting briefly entered my mind.  Likewise, making your goals public will attract like-minded people who will support you.  One of my sources of inspiration and mentor, a long-time best friend, supported my dream.  An experienced endurance cyclist himself, he planned on completing the ride with me in order to provide encouragement and moral support.  After competing in the Rockwell Relays in Southern Utah, a grueling road cycling event in its own right, he was injured.  Don surprised me by offering to drive me to and from the event, paying for my expenses, checking in on me at various points in the ride, and doing the last big climb with me.

• I’m still learning how to be in the moment and celebrate. I was one of the last athletes to finish, and before coming in I analyzed my performance, trying to plan how to do it better next time. This was a mistake!  The other finishers were amazing, supportive, and provided me with the gift of their praise.  This, in turn, reminded me to savor the experience of the ride.  To just celebrate is what I most need to take with me from this ride.  For those like me attempting to recover from unhealthy perfectionist tendencies, learning this life-lesson is a must.

Thoughts on Step Eleven of My Wellness Challenge and Training

One of Four 100-Mile Training Rides

I've already put in a few miles this year, 2574 to be exact.  Preparing for a 12 hour, 154-mile, gravel bike ride around the Grand Tetons required some planning and commitment, considering that for the duration of that time period I worked full-time as teacher on weekdays and part-time as a farmer on weekends.  Not to mention, I started a comprehensive wellness challenge.  But my work is done!  In about thirty hours, I'll put my training to the test.

 

Some of the preparation was not fun.  I embraced the exercise most of the time, even doing sets of painful 1000 foot climbs to the top of Salt River Pass.  The weather, however, was sometimes less than ideal.  On one memorable ride, a thunderstorm caught me on a dirt road.  Within minutes my  wheels and entire bike were clogged with mud; consequently, I had to shoulder it a mile to pavement, strip down to my tights, and jump in an ice-cold stream to wash off all the sticky goo in order to continue the ride.  After that, things got even more exciting.  Following 4000 feet of climbing and a total of 80 miles, I was pelted with headwinds and driving rain for the last twenty.  It took several hours after returning home to raise my core body temperature and stop shivering.

"You race to train," I remember a good friend saying.  The 154-mile, mixed surface bike race I will attempt on Saturday has motivated me to give up politics and news, television, most social media, a few dinner invitations with family and friends, and more.  Sacrifice?  Nope, I've gained a lot.  I honestly do not remember the last time I felt so fit and strong.  What's more,  I've learned to be more mindful of how to spend each precious moment of life.  (Part of the deal was not neglect family, to even strengthen bonds with loved ones through acts of service while completing my year-long, wellness challenge.)  The ATR (Around The Rock) is an unsanctioned, self-supported bike race.  After recovering, I'll post more about this experience.
 

Results From My Blood Screening

For decades I have avoided doctor's visits.  Simply  put, they couldn't tell me how much I needed to change my lifestyle if I didn't allow them to confront me with the hard truth.  Even within the last five years, I've procrastinated scheduling medical checkups, fearing any news of damage I may have inflicted on my body.  One step in my wellness plan is to stop this avoidance and face the truth.  My goal is to schedule several consultations with different medical practitioners.

At the moment, I'm finding this part of my 12-step challenge very difficult.  I had big plans to see Ayurveda practitioners, other nontraditional medical consultants, and some mainstream doctors as well.  However, I've drained my financial reserves to deal with flooding and funds are low at the moment.  In April I participated in a local health fair and ordered the full bundle of blood tests, hoping to take this information and see various doctors,  For now, I'm going it alone and learning what I can on the Internet.

The results I obtained from the lab work on my blood tests were better than I thought they would be but not as good as I had hoped.  Instead of boring you with the minutia of my results, I'll just review highlights and red flags.  Keep in mind that at this point I was only around seventy percent plant-based, as I continued to use cheese and  sour cream in my cuisine and had a serving of fish or poultry once or twice per week.

The Good

Approximately ninety percent of the results look good.  Only seven out of fifty-four tests came back either high or low, and two of those were only the smallest amount out of the healthy range.  I'll definitely need to see a qualified specialist, though, to understand what each item says about my health.

 The Not So Bad

One test, the screening for cholesterol to HDL ratio, was a little high.  On the copy of my blood test results under "Reference ," it indicates that a healthy range is 0 - 3.5.  I scored 4.0.  According to the Framingham Heart Study, a score of 5.0 is an average risk of heart attack, 9.6 is twice the average risk, and 3.4 is half the average risk in men.  I feel reasonably safe with these results and assume because I've lost over one hundred pounds in the past five years, proudly possess a resting heart rate of 53, and have adopted a whole food, plant-based, vegan diet that I'm on the right track.  I can't wait to see the difference after following my upgraded diet and lifestyle for a full year.

 The Ugly

Two of my results are not good at all and really concern me.  First I have a high EOS%, which probably means I have eosinophilia.  According to the Mayo Clinic, I have good reason to be concerned about a parasitic infection (I live and work on an organic farm), an allergic reaction (I had severe allergies when I was younger, took treatment, don't suffer as much as I had but still have some flare-ups), or cancer (yikes, but I don't have a family history of that disease).  Next, my TSH-Ultra Sensitivity is quite high.  According to WebMed, I have a high probability of having hypothyroidism (a low performing thyroid).  This could explain why it's been so hard for me to loose those last twenty.

I'm grateful for my decision to create this blog and journal.  It's reminded me of the importance to make room for medical checkups, and  I'm recommitted to make time, spend the money, and seek sound medical advice soon.  With whatever information that can be gathered,  I should be able to make more adjustments and  heal those hidden conditions of which I've been unaware.

 

Letting Go of Processed Grains and Sugars

In April I announced that I would be letting go of all meat and dairy products for an entire year.  Except for one mistake, I've been true to this commitment.  (I didn't see that buttermilk had been added to a whole grain pizza crust I purchased at our grocery store, a mistake my son caught and made sure to point out.)  My first thoughts were that after a year I would allow myself to ease up a little on holidays and special occasions, hoping to avoid uncomfortable conversations and celebrate conflict free with family and friends.  After a little practice, I feel I now have the skills to gracefully navigate these situations meat and dairy free. This is a lifestyle change I'm convinced will be permanent.

I'm learning to carefully read ingredients lists

In May I challenged myself to cut out all highly-processed grains (whole grains only, Ezekiel Bread products and such).  I've seriously considered making my own breads, tortillas, and crusts; however, I'm struggling with the issue of finding time to do it.  For now, I simply purchase the purest whole-grain item available at my local grocery store with the least amount of ingredients.  Obviously, I'm still working on this challenge and will put more effort into learning to make my own whole-grain food items.  In a best-case scenario, I'm hoping that  my family will follow my lead and pitch in.  I would be okay without these items, but I'm attempting to create meals that will encourage my family to join me in the light side of the food force.

For the month of June, I've vowed to eliminate all processed sugars.  As mentioned in earlier posts, roughly seventy percent of my diet consists of fresh fruits and veggies (green smoothies, salads, fresh vegetables dipped in humus, etc.).  On a similar note, I haven't had sodas or candy in years.  Admittedly, this isn't much of a challenge; nonetheless, I feel that I can be even more mindful at the grocery store and carefully read all labels so another pizza crust error doesn't happen again for my son to exploit. 

Have I mentioned that my teenager has made it very clear that he is not on board with the upgrade in my lifestyle change?  Oh, what fun!  For now, I'm looking at this opposition to a whole-foods, plant-based diet as a challenge to come up with some killer vegan meals my boy will enjoy

It's Been Way Too Long

 

Life has thrown me a curve ball.  With snow pack in the Salt River Range at 200% above normal, some flooding is happening near my home.  My house is well beyond any danger from the water spilling over the riverbank, but flooded pastureland a couple of hundred yards from my property has raised the water table under my home.  We installed drains, sump tanks, and pumps for this purpose years ago, but the job was only around 85% finished; however, with some time, labor, and money the system has been completed.  It works!  Still, my septic system is under water and unusable.  The whole situation is inconvenient, demands my attention and time, requires the use of my financial reserves, but is certainly not the end of my world.

Instead of devoting my full attention to my twelve-step wellness challenge, I’ve been forced to make some compromises.  For a brief moment, I was tempted to scrap my plans and restart this health experiment, but my better judgement prevailed.  I hit the pause button on some minor parts of my challenge (minimalism and blogging), cut back a little on other aspects (training for the bike race), but continued full-steam ahead with other aspects of my plan (the daily dozen, meditation, and yoga).  Above all, the step of service is at the top of my twelve challenges. To make my wife and son more comfortable, I DIY’d a grey water system so we can wash dishes, use the washing machine, and bathe.  In addition, I’ve fully recommitted myself to my organic vegetable farm and providing some the best produce available to thirty-five families.

Thank goodness school has ended because I can farm and make the time to fully reengage in the challenge.  The following four observations came to me during the past several weeks:

Meditation is a very powerful tool.  I tend towards being an all-or-nothing guy.  This is very useful most of the time, except when things go wrong.  Being forced to serve the comforts of my wife and family by readying our home to deal with the rising water table required me to sacrifice some of the time and energy devoted to my challenge.  As usual, my mind worked me over a bit.  I found myself comparing my journey to other inspirational stories, like Andrew (Spud-Fit) Taylor or Rich Roll.  The compromises required of me spurred the temptation to bag it all.  However, I strongly feel that my meditation practice allowed me to let go of negative thinking, eliminate self-inflicted, unrealistic comparisons, and think things through.  In the end, I feel I made good decisions because of meditation.  The simple practice of paying attention to my breath and letting thoughts and feelings pass on by has taught me how to stay with discomfort, let go of all things negative, and patiently wait for clarity.

 A well-balanced diet counts too.  Although I have no reference to support my assumptions, I feel that the balanced diet produced by sticking to the guidelines provided by the Daily Dozen program results in extremely stable blood-sugar levels.  Consuming a wide variety of plant-based foods (vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds, legumes, greens, and more) keeps all the systems in my body steady and full-functioning.  This too enabled me to keep a level head, maintain great energy reserves to work long hours, and have that extra spark to continue training for my 154-mile bike race around the Tetons.

 Yoga is the foundation of my fitness and overall health.  Long ago, I arrived at this conclusion.  The first time flooding occurred six years ago—a wake-up call and blessing in disguise—I fell apart emotionally, mentally, and physically.  For whatever reason, I chose yoga to heal myself physically.  Since that time, I have reconnected with skiing and cycling.  Bombing down double black diamonds and pedaling up, down, through, and around the Bridger-Teton forest has occupied most of my down-time over the past five years.  I have remained relatively injury free (except for an encounter with a cow moose). I credit my lack of injuries to yoga; it gives me strength, flexibility, coordination, and balance.  Later I came to realize that my practice has also helped me to develop presence and calmness of mind.  My hour and a half of yoga each morning was manna from heaven during this year’s flooding.  Yoga makes me feel really good, allows me work really hard, and reduces my anxiety.

Physical activity is a great antidote for stress.  My training rides have been shorter than planned, but more intense.  I’ve enjoyed taking my frustration out on my legs, and in the process my heart and lungs have become stronger.  I’ve noticed how at fifty I literally bounce up and down stairs with ease, even after a full day of farm work, yoga, and cycling.  In my early forties, this was certainly not the case. (I was winded after climbing a half set of stairs, a memory that still haunts me.)  This is certainly one less major stress.  I feel very well; better, in fact, than I felt in my thirties.  Life Is Good!