Our EverGreen Life

Turning Suffering Into Medicine

Pain has brought me to my knees once again.  When disease first knocked at my door six years ago, I awakened to the urgent need of embracing a new way of life.  Obesity, high cholesterol, depression, warning signs of diabetes, and dangerously elevated blood pressure:  These were the original catalysts that ignited my desire to embrace a whole food, plant-based lifestyle.  I transformed my diet, then eliminated multiple sources of stress, and eventually began to exercise, but somewhere between four and five years after my awakening I became very stuck.  In spite of many victories—lower cholesterol and blood pressure, improved core strength an flexibility, the loss of more than one hundred pounds of weight, the completion of a 154-mile bike race around the Tetons, and a personal best of cycling more than 5000 miles in one year—I still couldn't shed the unsightly fat that embarrassingly clings to my abdomen or move my blood pressure and cholesterol from good to great.  How could I eat so healthily, dedicate substantial quantities of daily time to exercise, and still not lose those last thirty plus pounds of weight?  The answer is simple.  I overate!  It turns out that I’d been eating too much of some higher calorie, plant-based, good stuff.

About six weeks ago, a crippling pain radiated from my left hip down the outside of the same leg to my calf.  At times the sensation was so strong my entire leg locked up.  I followed the RICE method, visited a chiropractor twice, searched for answers on the Internet, and finally, desperate to bring an end to my suffering, ended-up seeing an orthopedic surgeon.  I came home with a diagnosis of a herniated disc and a pinched nerve in the S1 or L4-L5 area of my lower vertebrae and prescriptions of heavy doses of NSAIDs and Methylprednisolone.  Instantaneously I was both relieved and sickened.  Truly happy to know the exact nature of my pain but absolutely horrified at the prescribed remedy, I was confused.  Under the burden of pain, I initially went along with the suggested solution to my problem.  But, I almost immediately regretted wasting money on this "standard" protocol for my condition because something inside me felt very wrong.  At first, I was ignorant about the side effects of these two prescriptions; on the other hand, I was also in tune enough with my body to feel they were very wrong.  To resolve my inner conflict, I researched the negative aspects of this course of treatment and determined not to follow it.  In a matter of days, I learned how to deal with my lower back problem naturally.

“Turning all suffering into medicine” is one of many bits of wisdom found in Zen Buddhism.  I believe my debilitating back pain, though short-lived, was a blessing in disguise.  Now I've come to see this trauma as a new inspiration for another much needed lifestyle shift.  In my research, I found legitimate information on natural treatments for inflammation of the joints.  Most importantly, I discovered the benefits of low-inflammation diets.  While studying these, I stumbled on what I have good reason to believe is the answer I’ve been searching for to get off the plateau I’ve been stuck on with my extra weight.  So, I'll say it again.  The simple solution to my weight problem is to eat less. Oh, what controversy swirls around this common sense notion to weight loss!  Like so many others, I’ve fallen under the mistaken impression that I can eat all the good healthy foods I want.  This is absolutely false.  The recognition of my error occurred when I read a “Happy Herbivore” blog post where the author mentioned that too many plant-based foodies like myself are trapped by this falsehood as she once was.  In addition, the author insisted that when she finally embraced the hard, cold truth that she ate too much, she was quickly able to reach the health, fitness, and weight loss goals that had eluded her.  This idea jolted me.  It felt and continues to impress me to be just as true as the revelation I had six years ago to adopt a whole food, plant-based lifestyle.

So far, I’ve found two tools that many others have successfully used to achieve what I hope to accomplish.  My first discovery was an online calorie calculator that tells you—based on your age, height, weight, and level of physical activity—how many calories you should consume in a day (see http://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html).  I’ve also discovered a fantastic app called fatsecret, a user friendly calorie and nutrition tracker for your smartphone.  My first realization:  I’ve been eating too many nuts, seeds, and beans, as they’re packed in calories.  For the moment, I’m totally opting out of some of these food items, selecting lower calorie choices of others, and only consuming larger quantities of these very healthy but high calorie foods on the days when I need a lot fuel. The results, in the past four weeks I’ve dropped ten pounds.  What's more, I'm not starving!  By observing the nutritional contents of the foods I eat, I'm making better choices.  The foods I select now are fiber and nutrient dense but calorie light.  When it comes to an equivalent count of calories, you have the choice to eat an entire yam or just few processed sweet potato chips dipped in a delicious cheese like, fat-adding vegan spread.  For me, the former is more filling than the latter, and nothing, I MEAN NOTHING, tastes as good as healthy feels.

3 Simple Practices To Free Ourselves From Negativity

Confession.  I felt and regularly expressed anger about my job over a period of several weeks recently.  Since beginning my wellness challenge eight months ago, this emotion had been absent in my life.  Circumstances, however, sometimes test even the best intentions.  As if to see how truly committed I was, the universe appeared to have conspired against my attempt to free myself from negativity.  For starters, my job introduced new demands—the loss of nearly half of the time I enjoyed over the past five years to prepare lessons and grade assignments, time that allowed me to have a life outside of my career as an educator.

On top of that, my son became a busy high school senior applying for scholarships and scheduling campus visits.  Although I knew this was coming, I didn't fully comprehend how much time it would require.  To add, the produce at our farm was at its zenith this fall, some of the help we had counted on for years became unavailable, and my wellness challenge continued.  As a result, my wife and farm suffered.  Things seemed to be falling apart, and I found myself extremely upset with some very angry emotions and thoughts directed at the individuals I perceived to be the cause for turning my job and life upside down.  In spite of meditation, exercise, excellent nutrition, and sleep, I hadn't been able to fully let go of unwanted negativity.  The result was a relapse into some aspects of a life I'd been attempting to escape through my wellness challenge.

My saving grace, YET AGAIN, was an episode of the Rich Roll Podcast. "Instead of being angry or upset about the unfulfilling circumstances of your job, focus on serving others," Rich advised and audience member in his "Ask Rich Anything" podcast.  With nothing to lose, I tried to follow this advice and be more service oriented while at work.  I'm pleased to say my attitude, speech, and actions all changed for the better.  Service healed most of my anger and negative feelings towards others and my work.  This experience got me thinking about three simple things we can all do to regain a proper attitude when we become annoyed, upset, and downright irritated with people or life.

Provide Service.  Having already introduced this particular thought about cultivating job satisfaction, let's get down to the specifics.  My line of work, teaching youth, is all about service.  It's built in and required, so I don't have to find specific things to do.  Over the past weeks, I've implemented a simple practice:  First, I quietly think to myself "I am here to serve" before each interaction with my students.  Next, I observe and verbally recognize their needs.  Finally, I offer my help.  The rest is magic.  My students have sensed my good intentions and opened up, learning has improved, and we all seem to feel a little better.  Set a positive intention, observe and recognize a need, offer assistance, and serve.  A formula for success?  Maybe.  As I reflect on my relapse into negativity, it's no big surprise that my intense anger with my work is less than it was before.

Engage in Routine Acts of Kindness.  I'm not talking about monumental acts here, just small, simple deeds.  Picking up books, pens, and papers for students.  Opening jammed lockers in between classes.  Greeting all my students at my door as they enter my class.  Staying into my lunch hour to help a student with a low grade.  Picking up trash in the hall.  I haven't received any feedback about my actions, but I know what I do.  My impression is that I feel two or three percent better.

Express Gratitude.  This is tough for me right now.  I'm not grateful for this new set of circumstances at work.  My job seemed much better last year; in fact, just months before I could see myself teaching beyond the date for my retirement.  Contrasted with my latest thoughts on the subject (I plan to resign as soon as possible) I can see a dramatic change.  Don't get me wrong, I'm committed to doing a great job and being fully available and present while at work, but it's obvious to me that I have to work on becoming more grateful.  Instead of being false, I start each day with gratitude for my health, my family, and the income I earn for us to have the experiences and opportunities we enjoy.  My attitude of gratitude is not where I would like it to be, so I'll work on these three practices to see if it improves even more.

The Healthy Way To Crowd

Crowding, it's rude!  A few weeks ago, my wife related disturbing news to me about some members of our community.  We know them well, and they are generally great people to be around.  But  it turns out that sometimes they're polite only if it's convenient.  While she was waiting in line to purchase some local honey, they decided to form their own express lane and essentially crowded in front of her.  To make matters worse, more late arrivals followed their examples and ultimately cut in front of several elderly individuals.  After a delay of roughly thirty minutes, she and others finally summoned the courage to speak out.

Little stories like these make me think, and sometimes my mind wanders in unrelated, curious directions.  After giving some serious thought to the subject of crowding, I've discovered something redeemable about it, a healthy way to do it.  If you follow my blog, you know that I am completing a one-year health challenge.  The primary goal of my plan is to let go of unhealthy habits and replace them with good ones.  An issue I didn't fully address in my 12-Step program is a tendency I have to overeat. The fault here is the too much of a good thing, which even applies to eating healthy foods.

Drink A Glass of Water Before A Meal or Snack

Admittedly, I hadn't  addressed my tendency to overeat because I couldn't find a way around the problem.  Thank goodness I can see more clearly now.  The solution is crowding.  Before each meal or snack, I am now committed to drink a glass of water.  I have observed that with proper hydration before a meal I eat way less food.  But I just don't drink before I eat. If, after a serving, I'm still hungry, I'll have another glass.  Amazingly, I experience satiety with less food in my belly; moreover, I'm also highly energized after a meal because I'm fully hydrated.  (No post meal food coma for me.)

 

You might also know by reading what I post that I adhere to a plant-based, mostly vegan diet.  However, I continue  to struggle with temptations to indulge in standard American fare from time to time.  There are a lot of tasty but unhealthy vegan food options available today.  Some of them are new (vegan buffalo wings and mac-n-cheese).  Others have been around for a while and are on the highly processed side of things.  One food item I still struggle to let go of is standard tortilla chips.  To reduce my cravings for these salty, oily bites of unhealthy pleasure, I plan on turning to crowding yet again.  Carrot and red pepper sticks are what intend to I dip in my humus first.  I have observed that if I use healthier, whole-food snacks, I crave the bad stuff less because I simply don't have room.

Water

At the moment, I cannot do justice to the topic of this important nutrient. I know just enough about the subject of hydration to understand the importance of giving it a high priority in my wellness program.  I recommend that you do your own digging for now and start addressing it right away.  (The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is about 15.5 cups of fluids for men and  11.5 cups of fluids a day for women.)

Mango Chipotle Hummus

I love dipping.  It's my favorite way to snack, and this hummus is my go to food item for it.  If I'm hungry before a meal, I plan to start snacking on hummus with veggie sticks to avoid the temptation to chip out.  Keepin carrot and pepper sticks on hand at all times in my fridge will hopefully prepare me for unanticipated cravings when I want to chip and dip.

•Ingredients

-3 cups of cooked and drained garbanzo beans (I make my own from dried beans, but you can buy them canned.)

-1 cup of cubed ripe mangoes

-2 cloves of minced garlic

-1/4 - 1/2 cups (depending on how hot you want it) of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

-1/2 cup of tahini

-Juice of one lemon

-1 Tbsp of honey

-1 Tbsp of turmeric

-2 tsp of cumin

-1 tsp of sea salt

•Instructions

Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until the hummus is creamy and smooth (usually a couple of minutes), adding more liquid if needed.

 

Fruits

I keep a lot of fruit on hand.  Whenever I'm craving sweets, I crowd out any desires for unhealthy sugary treats by eating fruits first.  Mostly, I buy whatever fruit is in season.  In the summer and fall, I buy watermelon, cube it, and refrigerate it in tubs.  Berries and grapes are less expensive and a good option in the summertime too when they're in season.  Pears go on sale in the early fall, oranges in the winter.  Just look at prices, as fruits are usually less expensive in season and at the peak of their perfection and sweetness.  Don't just go with my suggestions, find nature's sweets that will work best for you.

 

 

 

Promoting The Plant-Based Lifestyle

Somewhere behind Red Top

I learned something important last week.  To the east of my home, Red Top, the tallest mountain in Smoot, Wyoming, looms over the south end of the valley where I live.  Two friends and I rode our bikes around it last Thursday morning (27.4 miles, 3,880 feet of climbing, and four hours of saddle time according to STRAVA).  It all started at 6:00 A.M. when my coworkers/fellow adventurers pulled up to my home.  I served them plant-based pancakes topped with fresh berries, bananas, and a deliciously sweet cashew and coconut cream sauce.  After filling up and checking their bikes, we were off.  The climb to the saddle of the peak behind Red Top required serious effort, as a few sections of the fourteen-mile climb were too steep and filled with rocks to ride. Being forced off our mountain bikes, we had to push through those difficult areas.  Our ride provided multiple challenges, but the rewards for our efforts were as follows:  meadows filled with wild flowers, gurgling brooks and cascading waterfalls, old-growth pines, barren peaks layered with rock formations in various shades of grey and red, snow-fed lakes, and an abundance of fresh mountain air.  The experience was truly unforgettable.  Not only did we share an adventure, but we were also able to connect with each other through the conversations we shared along the way. According to what I heard, my impression was they both were supremely appreciative to be there with me that day.

Good times with great friends

One part of my 12-step wellness challenge is to plan and carry out acts of service promoting wellness throughout this year.  The most recent version of my life's ambition is to relieve all suffering caused by poor nutrition and unhealthy habits.  Both friends that rode with me last week are not vegan or even come close to following what I consider to be a plant-based diet.  In fact, one is an avid hunter, and I'm not optimistic about my chances of changing his mind about this subject.  So, what did I accomplish?  Was I a successful ambassador for the cause?  It's possible I'll never know the answer to that question; however, being ten and fifteen years their senior, I was with and ahead of them during the majority of the ride.  (This is no small feat considering both my friends are serious runners, fitness freaks, and coaches.)  I spoke no words about the subjects of health or nutrition that day.  Nonetheless, they knew that I'm a plant-based vegan, and when I revealed my age, fifty, they were both surprised and impressed.   In the end, they loved the food and the ride.  So, what was that big lesson learned?  Today's experience taught me about how sometimes it's best to keep my mouth shut and let both the experience and the best example I can provide teach others about the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle.

Saving Money at The Grocery Store, Zen, And Learning How To Fall In Love

It's the end of July, and this past week the best deals at my local grocery store were grapes, watermelon, cantalope, and fresh corn.  These fruits and this grain are in season, abundant, and very economical at the moment.  My less than one-hundred percent plant-based son is requesting, devouring, and commenting on how delicious these foods are.  I've had to remind my wife that I should be able to have a little of the cantaloupe and watermelon I've prepared and cooled in the refrigerator for refreshing afternoon snacks.  Some of these foods I grow on my organic farm  but are not ready; others, specifically corn, I don't bother with at 6,500 feet in elevation, only an acre of greenhouse space, and a very short time to grow things.  Also, I am very grateful is that these healthy snacks and sides are quick and easy to prepare.  At the moment, I do not believe it's incorrect to say we have fallen in love with flavor of seasonal produce at the peak of its perfection.

Simplicity.  It applies to everything, especially the habit of healthy eating!  One of my greatest discoveries is that it is more economical, appealing, and arguably better for our health to eat in season.  Purchasing, simply preparing, and eating fresh fruits and veggies this way is wise.  It is the Zen of nutrition.  For starters, these snacks have only one ingredient.  What's more, the steps required to prepare them are minimal (cut, cube, store in a container that seals, and cool in the refrigerator).  Because these plants are being grown, harvested, and eaten naturally, they are delicious.  I find it amazing how much easier it's been to convince my family to eat fresh, raw foods this week.  In fact, I don't have to say a thing.  They simply want to eat this way.

Learn how to select the best fruit, and I can almost guarantee that you and those you feed will fall in love.  Last year Victor, a favorite produce clerk at my local store, taught me how to choose the best watermelon.  Since then, it's become one of my family's favorite summertime treats.  If you don't have personal access to a living expert, look it up on line.  A little research and mindfulness at the store or market will pay big dividends in both your personal health and those you love.  Eating in season is affordable, simple, and out-of-this-world delicious.

Three Ways To Go Plant-Based And Get Well

Harriman State Park in Idaho

 

"You're one in a thousand," he said in response to my health transformation story.  I spent the past weekend with family on a summer vacation in Island Park, Idaho watching my son's performances at the end of a music camp.  We stayed in a cabin sharing stories and food between performances.  Certain family members were curious about things they had recently learned of me:  loosing a 130 pounds, going vegan, and training for and completing a 154-mile gravel bike race in 12 hours.  After sharing stories, the consensus was that I'm an anomaly.

 

 

 

Eli performing the Grieg Quartet for Strings (I'm one very proud padre!)

 

The truth is I'm not the best representative for the plant-based lifestyle; in fact, I have flaws that make me a highly unqualified.  For starters, I still need to loose fifteen pounds, which in spite of my best efforts I'm struggling to do.  (Very frustrating!)  On the other hand, I just might be good for the movement:  my success has endured for five years and counting, the overall trend of my weight loss is downward, according to lab results my health has measurably improved , and as human being I've become better by many standards.  In Buddhism there is a teaching to use all suffering as medicine.  I was miserable in my previous lifestyle.  Anger, anxiety, depression, morbid obesity, diet-related disease, frequent illness, and a complete lack of fitness ravaged my well being.  I clearly remember this sorrow and suffering and now feel urgently compelled to help others who are experiencing my pain.

My response to the comment that I'm extraordinary is, "I'm not that guy!"  I'm arguing that if I can dramatically change the trajectory of my health, anyone can.  I've observed three general methods that can be used by all people to make lifestyle changes, and I've used and continue to apply each one.  Sometimes I'll settle on a particular approach for a while.  Later I'll switch to another according to the circumstances.  Most of the time, I'm using a combination of at least two of the strategies I'm about to share.  Considering the one or two or three approaches that best suite you, review the following advice to change to an active, healthy, and fulfilled plant-based life.

Diving In, "Going Cold Turkey," or Full Immersion.  This was my initial approach to change my health, and for a while it worked because I was highly motivated.  (Fear of death will do that.)  I shared this in my origin story where I recounted my extremely poor health and the decision to juice fast for thirty days to cleanse my body and lose forty pounds.  More recently, I used this strategy to motivate me to train hard after making a very public announcement to complete the Around The Rock Race, a 154-mile bike ride around the Tetons.  It really works in some situations, but I cannot see it as the one approach to weight loss or wellness that will work for all people.  If you're highly motivated or respond well to accountability, give this method a try.  However, consider supplementing it with the other tools for long-term benefits.

The Addition or Step-by-Step Strategy.  I used this approach after my juice fast to transition to a plant-based, vegan diet.  After examining different nutrition programs, I felt the addition strategy would work for me.  I started by adding a breakfast smoothie to my daily meal plan, a nutritional habit I find extraordinarily helpful to this day.  For a while, I focused only on this.  Studying all things about the health benefits of smoothies, I examined recipes, experimented with and tweaked them, and eventually created my own.  The practice of starting my day with a nutrient dense, predigested breakfast meal, has transformed my health.  Next, I focused on adding a salad as my main course for lunch, again researching, experimenting, and creating healthy meals and new dietary patterns.  At this point, supper was not a serious thought.  I just ate what was available, convenient, or pleasing to my family in the evening, resulting in some very unhealthy food choices.  Finally, I worked on the main course, dinner, and letting go of all meat and dairy products.  Now, I'm learning how to make delicious meals with nut-based cheeses, creams, and sauces to entice others to go plant-based.  Of the three strategies I'm sharing, this is the one I rely on most.  Adding one nutritious item at time to replace foods that harmed my health makes the plant-based diet sustainable for me and my family.  If the thought of changing to this lifestyle is stressful or overwhelming, consider this approach.

A Formal Program Or Retreat.  Isolation and lack of financial resources have prevented me from using this method in the truest sense, but I've discovered how technology can be used to bridge this gap.  The RRP (Rich Roll Podcast), the Daily Dozen App, Strava, and Insight Timer are what I use in place of retreats or formal programs.  Similar to the addition strategy, supplementing with healthy emotional/mental incentives while removing negative forces heals the mind and soul.  Hearing the chorus of expert witnesses on the RRP,  being accountable to Daily Dozen App, getting Kudos on Strava, and receiving gratitude from a peer for meditating on Insight Timer, all provide positive stimulus to me, a crucial ingredient in the success of formal programs that address lifestyle changes.  If you have the resources, by all means go to a retreat or join a plant-based diet program.  These are real deals and very powerful.  If not, technology can be used to replace the social stimuli provided using this approach.  I use this strategy daily in conjunction with the other two for incredible results.  Replacing the poison of propaganda and misinformation force fed to us by big Ag and Pharma through media and even some government programs is critical to achieve a lasting plant-based change.

Why I Ride Long Distances and What I've learned

 

A Remarkable Day!

This past Friday I completed my sixth 100-mile bike ride since beginning a wellness challenge on March 30th of this year.  With my twenties decades behind me, I share this not to spotlight myself but simply as an attempt to encourage you.  Just six months ago, my cycling goals were born as simple aspirations just for me.  Over time they have evolved into so much more.  Two thoughts, reactions to statements from close family, are frequently present when I ride.  While discussing health and nutrition, someone that means a lot to me declared,  "I want to die fat and happy!"  Asking about my 154-mile, one-day adventure around the Tetons, another family member wanted to know what my secret is to be able to do such a thing.  These two comments have inspired me to go for more and longer distances.

 

I was certainly fat but didn't look too happy

 A Word or Two about "Dying Fat and Happy"

Because of personal experience, I don't believe others when they say this; in fact, I feel we use phrases like these to cover up our pain and suffering.  (I know I certainly did.)  In addition to my original purposes of getting fit and adding a little adventure to my life, I now ride to help alleviate suffering caused by obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and all other diet-related illness.  Just maybe, I can inspire one or two people to do a little more.  Perhaps if I stack up enough accomplishments on my bike, I can motivate family, friends, and others to give the whole food, plant-based diet a whirl.  This is now a major factor for my participation in ultra-endurance cycling.  While getting fit and deeply experiencing life on the bike, I hope I'm also proving that a whole food, plant-based diet will give you with the energy to do whatever it is you desire but lack the vitality to accomplish.  I'm not saying eat plants to be able to knock out multiple centuries or do an Ironman, just do it to accomplish any dream, even one as silly as pedaling a thing on two wheels for 154 miles around a giant rock.  Even if your goal is just to have enough energy to get through another week, eating a lot of plants will help, which is one reason I began my health  journey in the first place.

 

Plant Power

 

My Secret

I'll say it again:  Eat Plants!  Above all else, plant-based nutrition is the foundation of my health.  This action gives my body the nutrients needed to fire on all cylinders.  I know this to be true for me.  (I've experienced times with and without this lifestyle, and the contrast is stark.)  Countless others claim the same, and compelling, unadulterated research proclaims it too.  Please just take a look at one or two of the following studies:  The Epic Trials, The Adventist Studies, The Blue Zone Studies, or The Harvard Nurses Study.

There are other things I do that also help, actions that improve my health by one percent or more.  Minimalism has helped.  By simplifying my life, not necessarily decluttering stuff but more importantly letting go of time consuming habits that added no value to my life, I have found enough time to train.  It amazes me that I wasted ten to fifteen hours a week consuming news and social media.  Yoga is another part of my wellness puzzle.  It provides me with flexibility, coordination, and balance, all of which have helped to prevent injury and aid in recovery.  I have also found meditation to be useful.  When life doesn't go my way, I don't freak out as much.  Through meditation I've discovered how to breathe and let temporary negative thoughts and feelings pass on by.  This has helped during some tense, demanding moments in life when I wanted to quit training.

 

Recovery Smoothie

 

A Final Thought about Recovery

Something occurred to me a few hours after this particular ride:  A whole-food, plant-based diet kicks butt when it comes to recovery after extreme physical exertion.  It was a beautiful ride but a very long day in the saddle, and I felt it for awhile.  It's true that going plant-based has blessed me with loads of energy to do crazy things.  Equally important, it allows me to recover quickly.  100 miles, 6000 feet of climbing, and eight hours on bumpy gravel roads takes it toll and depletes the energy reserves.  Within a few hours after returning home from my ride, I felt fine.  Thirty minutes after drinking a recovery smoothie, I was revived, had the energy to get out and take care of farm chores, visit with my wife, and write this blog.  I'm an ordinary guy, trust me and just ask my wife and son.  Eating plant-based, however, is miraculous, and unlike another unnamed food product  "It does a body good!"

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.