What makes a Healthy and Happy Lifestyle?
For me it is simple.
Do Healthy things that make you Happy!
I was in my late 40s and in horrible health. Both my knees were in so much pain that I walked with a limp, I was roughly 50lbs over my recommended weight, having problems sleeping, anxiety, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and just felt like crap most days.
To add pain to misery my mother had recently passed from pancreas cancer, and I was going through the worst depression I have ever experienced. When we found out she had cancer me and my siblings started researching cancer and how we could help our mother. Even though nearly half of all cancer is preventable Study: More Than 4 in 10 Cancers Preventable (webmd.com) it was not so for my mom. It was too late. She had Stage 4 pancreases cancer. This was my mother's last mountain to face in this lifetime. Enduring one the most painful inflictions a human can suffer in this world and did it with dignity and a tenacious spirit to enjoy each of her last days with the ones she loved most. Often with a smile and laugh that would erase the pain we suffered watching her being ripped apart by cancer. Showing us that "Love truly does endure all things."
After she had passed, I was browsing through photos from the past and came across these photos where my mom was on her bicycle when she was in her 20's and when she was in her 70's, and she had a smile that lit up both photos. That smile opened my heart and my eyes!My journey to a "Healthy and Happy Lifestyle" started that day!
Thanks Mom💓
I scheduled an appointment with a knee specialist and after x-rays he recommended replacing both knees because they were too far gone and were bone on bone. I was considering the procedure and reluctantly got a 2nd opinion from a naturopathic doctor. On my visit with the Natural Path, she asked me questions about my diet, looked at my knee, had me make a few movements while she held my knee. She recommended a change in my diet and low impact exercise like cycling.
My response "well that seems pretty drastic!" She smirked than smiled and kindly asked. "in comparison to having your knees removed and replaced with artificial ones?" Point taken
Even though. I was not thrilled about the change the doctor suggested. I thought of my mother's smile next to her bicycle and knew that I was on the right path. I started exercising on a stationary bicycle riding a few miles a day and started introducing organic plants to my body with a smoothie in the morning. Fruits and Vegetables. Bananas, Apples, Berries, Pineapple, Kale, Spinach, Celery, Cucumbers, beets, etc... with almond milk and protein powder all blended up in a Vitamix is how I started my day. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Pretty much ate what I normally would for lunch and dinner at first. Eventually evolving to a plant-based diet. In the evening I would drink an 8oz glass of water with 2 Tbs of Braggs ACV to help with weight loss, reducing high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Also, I had a goal for exercise! I had heard about the Seattle to Portland Cycling Event from a friend and decided to sign up and train for the 205 mi ride. The STP was 7 months away but after just 2 weeks of riding the stationary bike and having a plant-based smoothie every morning. My knees were already feeling better, and I had lost 5lbs! The excitement was growing, and I had a hope again! I started looking at used bicycles and bought one from a local bicycle shop Deschutes River Cyclery. It was the middle of winter, but I was determined to get started and made a goal to start riding the bike January 1, 2011. I would ride it to my work a couple days a week. It was 14 miles one way so that would get me started. Also, I used the Training program found on the Cascade Bicycle website Training for STP | Cascade Bicycle Club
Things were progressing better than I could have imagined! I had a purpose and really felt better than I had in many years. The knees felt great and literally had no pain whatsoever!
The Depression was gone, and I had lost 30lbs! Using the STP training program as my guide I increased my miles each week and I signed up for the Thurston County Commuter contest. In my first year in the contest, I rode more miles that month than any one in my age group! 811mi in the month of May!
The STP was in July, and I was fully prepared! I had already reached multiple 100-mile 1-day rides and felt great! I was ready! I finished the STP 205-mile ride in 1 day and my total time was 13 hrs. Unbelievable! all in less than a year. A complete transformation!
My new lifestyle has opened the door to so many more amazing journeys, new friendships, and lots of photos with big smiles. I now see the valleys beyond the peaks when facing a mountain! Like this round-trip ride to Mt. Ranier, Paradise lodge from Olympia in 1 day with the guy who sold me my first bicycle standing on a mountain with a Great Big Smile! A memory that will last a lifetime.Participating in the mountain biking leg of the Ski to Sea Competition to diving of Lava rocks on Kauai's Queens BathThere have been so many serendipitous adventures since beginning this journey that created a new Love. To write about them. Inspired by my mother's encouraging words "Just Do It!" way before Nike ever had the slogan. Those words were with me on every step of the Manitou Incline. and on every word, I type!I am in my early 60s now and continue ride my bicycle and eat healthy nutrient packed meals to provide energy necessary for an Active Lifestyle. where I Travel Hike, bike, snorkel, paddle, swim all over the world! Enjoying a life full of serendipitous adventures!
The beautiful smile of my mother, her tenacious spirit and encouraging words have inspired me to embrace each day as a gift of Love! and live each one of those days to the fullest!! Best Mom Ever!!
I hope you enjoyed the post!!
Till next Time!!Fire up the spirit, hit the road and go with the flow!for your next Serendipitous Adventure!Hot Foot
