It's all about The Dirt:

I wish I could just eat cake and ride. As a pro rider brags about eating 10 oatmeal creme pies in a race, that’s not me! I wish I had a “gut of steel”, but I think in the long run (hopefully) I’ll have less wrinkles, inflammation and dodge diseases like diabetes or cancer. Now I just have to get rid of all of my stress…

Here’s some more wholesome ideas to keep you going on the bike, run or hike:

Dried Plums (or prunes)
Obviously, you don’t want to eat five of these and expect to be happy exercising. They are loaded with fiber, so a couple are sufficient. The “prune stigma” is overrated; they sound gross and gut-cleansing, but they have nutrient-dense energy. They contain phenolic compounds that have been shown to lower cholesterol, along with plenty of antioxidants, vitamin A, and potassium. They contain a unique natural sugar called sorbitol, which has a moderate glycemic index and makes them sweet. Two recent studies revealed that dried plums and dried plum bars elevated blood sugar slowly and provided sustained energy for athletes. In these studies, prunes compare favorably to Power Bars and other energy bars in providing steady fuel for athletic endeavors.*

Almonds
Considered in Ayurveda to be the most beneficial of all nuts, almonds help build ojas, or vital essence. In the Indian science, foods like almonds not only nourish the body, but increase our spiritual and intellectual abilities. Almonds have a high concentration of protein and nutrients and a good source of vitamin E, calcium, zinc, potassium, magnesium and iron. Almonds are also the only nuts that alkalize the body.* I eat tamari almonds on the bike because I crave the salty flavor on a hot ride.

Dates
Dates are an excellent unprocessed alternative to sugar. With plenty of fiber, B vitamins and minerals, dates even help reduce poisons and toxins from the body. Dates’ cleansing tannins help with daily housecleaning of the body, mopping up the effects of accumulated wastes and exposure to unhealthy substances. Unlike many other sugars or sweet foods that leave the body more acidic after consumption, dates are alkalizing to the body. Rich in antioxidants and anticancer compounds, date extract also protects against free radical damage, according to one study, and successfully combats the ravaging effects of a dangerous cancerous chemical, benzo-(a)pyrene.* I don’t overdue on dates because they are so sweet. I usually buy the date pieces rolled in oat flour for a small bite, then balance it out with some almonds or cashews.

Shaved coconut
In the Philippines the coconut palm is called the tree of life. Coconut contains fiber, MCT’s (multiple chain triglycerides) that provide long-lasting energy, and it’s naturally sweet. Although some people believe that saturated fat MCT’s are not healthy, there have been many studies to prove otherwise. Last year I spoke with a well-respected, local cardiologist, and he was finding great results with MCT’s (coconut oil) and his heart patients. Fat on the bike is supposedly taboo, but MCT’s are much easier to digest than a more complex fat, like butter. Coconut oil is also naturally antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal.* And it makes great chamois butter on those long rides bound up in spandex.

I gave you healthy fuel, now go ride!!

*Info taken from “An A-Z Guide to Healing Foods: A Shopper’s Companion” by Elise Marie Collins

(Cake photo)
(Plum photo)
(Almond photo)
(Date photo)
(Coconut photo)

Gu and gels make me hungry and jittery. Fancy sports drinks make me feel sick. Bars (unless homemade) taste like candy and have too much crap in them.

Here are 3 creative ideas to refuel and replenish burned nutrients as we roll away:

Sport Tea

This award winning tea is nutritious, tasty and energizing. It’s a daily replenishment of vitamin C, electrolytes and an energy boost with Siberian Eleuthero root, which is a potent superfood used by Olympic athletes. It has a blend of black and green teas, along with ginger, maté, vitamin C and natural flavorings. It is a decaf equivalent, so if you’re sensitive to caffeine like me, your heart rate isn’t 10 beats higher from it. It has a great citrus flavor with no sugar or artificial sweeteners, and replenishes potassium and trace minerals that are depleted during physical and mental stress. It sustains me through a short or long ride, and prevents dehydration after an intensely, hot ride. The best part about the brewing is that I just put the individual tea bag with water in my bottle and if I refill it, the tea bag makes more!

Black Mission Figs

Long known in the Mediterranean for their healing properties, figs are delicious fresh or as dried storehouses of nutrition. A fruit particularly rich in minerals, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper and manganese, figs are a great source of energy. High levels of potassium in figs can help control blood pressure, and figs are also a particularly alkaline food, steering the body away from an acidic pH level. Foods like meat, dairy and processed foods are acidic and must be offset by alkaline foods such as figs.*

Curry Cashews

Lower in fat and higher in protein than most nuts, cashews have a slightly sweet flavor. Plentiful in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that has protective effects against heart disease and cancer, cashews contain many minerals including copper, magnesium, potassium, iron, and zinc. They also are a good source of biotin and the amino acid tryptophan, the primary building block of serotonin—the feel-good neurotransmitter.* This is a bonus on top of the endorphins! Then you add the antioxidants in curry to them, and it reduces joint inflammation and protects against cancer and tumor formation. Some people think nuts give you “gut rot” on the bike because of the fat and protein, but they do contain carbs as well. Experiment and try them on a ride to see how they feel. You can buy curry cashews in the bulk section of some natural foods stores.

Ride and replenish…

Part II coming soon.

*Info taken from “An A-Z Guide to Healing Foods: A Shopper’s Companion” by Elise Marie Collins

(Bike plate photo)
(Fig photo)
(Curry cashews photo)

Last night, my son Devin handed me some acrostic poems he wrote. Although his math skills are challenged, I’m floored and adored by these words. His spirit is light, his heart big and wide, and that’s what matters most. Enjoy these words from a soul with only 11 years of life:

       Small and smart
       Yearning for a meaning
       Made for a marking
       Branded for a definition
       Oiled for history
       Learning its self
                          Wonderingly, Self Explanatory, Symbol
                          One or more lines fit perfectly together,
                          Reading thousands at a time,
                          Doing its job explaining the world

Slithering, moving mass of power,
Not scared of anything,
Always alert,
Kind and gentle,
Earning the trust of millions

Love on your kids, read what they write, look into their eyes, see their spirit…

(Symbol photo)
(Word photo)
(Snake photo)

Blow me away from the desert

To distant lands
far, far away

     land of the free
     where I can be
     what I’m made of
     so I can see…

fern leaves unfurling, dew dripping

     rays of sun poking through holes of mighty, elephant ear plants

spiders posed on their silky webs

     drenched by the sticky air

soil rich with bugs, thriving and expanding in their home

     pliable nature beaming with pride

drinking in the moisture… every breath, every pore

     hugged by lush, dense foliage

the sweet scent of herbal energy alive with vigor

     surrounded by panoramic waters rippling with the wind

immersed in the blooming moment

     beckoning me to fly with it all…

Photo courtesy of Tammy Warren