Big Bend Guide | How Big Bend Changed My Life, Part 2: A New Lifestyle

Note: This post gets a little off subject and may not be for everyone, but it’s in response to the many questions I received from my last post, How Big Bend Changed My Life. We will continue with our regularly scheduled program momentarily.

Something scared me recently. I ran into some friends that are my age and we started discussing all our future goals and plans. They mentioned, “we are getting old” and not able to do as much anymore. They’re my age, still in their 40’s. Then they started talking about their recent hip replacement done this year (prayers for them) and I thought, “Holy smokes, that could’ve been me” if it wasn’t for what was explained in my last post.

So today I started planning my 100th birthday celebration. This is a commitment to me to become as healthy as I can and live to be 100. Then I wrote out:

Adam Brower (1973-2073)

That may seem a little morbid to some, but it’s not at all. First, it made me realize just how much time I could have left which was very uplifting and motivating. Second, the stoics meditated on memento mori as a way to remember that you will die. But they used this in a positive way to remember every day you’re alive is a gift and should be lived to its fullest. Can you be better today?!

Seneca said, “You are scared of dying—and, tell me, is the kind of life you lead really any different than being dead?” What I get from this is there are so many people that live sedative, careful, cautious lives but at the cost of actually living life. If you live in fear, then are you actually living at all? Take the risk, they make you feel alive!

In my How Big Bend Changed My Life post, I shared a current photo where I said pre-quarantine “fifteen”. It was a year and a half ago and it was the healthiest I’ve been in my not-so-healthy life. After letting old habits sneak back in, it’s now time to get back and hold on to that level of fitness until 2073.

Park Ranger wannabe… I wish.

standing in front of saguaro national park sign

Let me reflect on what I did to get into shape. This certainly is not advice to anyone, for there is no one-size-fits-all way of doing things. It’s just what worked very well for me.

5K Every Day

Be active and move a lot. I would try to run a few miles every day and would work my way up to a 5K without stopping. My metabolism does not burn anything off unless I am moving. A lot. I often just walk the 5K too. Remember in the previous post, the guy who was afraid to even hike?

Commanche Diet

This is something I sort of made up. I have read countless ancestral diet books and listened to 100’s and 100’s of hours of podcasts. I have a pretty good idea of what works for me and what doesn’t. My problem has been I spent the past 7 years tinkering with what I can “get away with”. The answer is NOTHING. I can get away with NOTHING. I need to stick to what works best for me and not deviate.

Sourcing Locally

I try to get all my protein and veggies from local farms. There are several options on how to source this just about anywhere.

-Farmers Markets
-Local Co-Ops
-Natural Markets (which my wife endearingly calls hippie-dippie stores)

It’s an Anti-Inflammatory Diet

I function best when focusing on my “clean” proteins and supplement with seasonal veggies. I cook with avocado or coconut oil and flavor with EVOO. I remove all industrial seed oils (canola, soy, palm, vegetable, etc), cut out processed sugars, and I have to go grain-free. A lot of folks think this whole gluten-free nonsense is a bunch of bull. Maybe for some, but it has allowed me to become the person I am today. I am most certainly gluten intolerant. I suffer from gout, chronic foot pain, hand arthritis, and more. Removing grains completely cleared up ALL my ailments. Now I can tell when I try to get away with some hamburger buns and a flour tortilla, I will be knocked off my feet for a week with an unbearable inflammation flareup in my feet and I will break out like a meth head.

Keeping this diet part to a minimum, I supposedly have Native American blood, so it’s possible that part of my DNA is 150 years off from eating buffalo and seasonal fruits and veggies as they were found. And following this is when I feel my absolute best. My mind is clear, my energy is high, and I just feel GOOD. What else does this mean? The hardest part for me… Absolutely zero alcohol. I love craft beers, but if I drink anything ALL effort is negated. That’s just how it is.

Will I buy meat for a chain grocer? Of course, it’s not always practical to get with our local farmer, but I try to keep it to a minimum and avoid chicken altogether.

But eating animals is bad!

I agree if you are supporting horrible animal factory farming. It is inhumane, cruel, and even blasphemist since it completely goes against the laws of life. Just like the law of physics, flight, thermodynamics, there is certainly a law of life that is pretty obvious. The law was laid down from the beginning of time and worked for millions of years. The impact factory farm and massive row farming have on our planet are substantial – but that’s another conversation.

The diet all comes down to this simple question, “can I get this in nature?”

Daily Stretching

Aside from an anti-inflammatory diet, mobility is also key to keeping those aches and injuries away. When I was in Japan, I saw the old folks get up at the crack of dawn EVERY morning, block off the street, and do their rajio taiso. I see our old folks grow old and stiff and ultimately live a crickety immobile life in their twilight years.

So pick. This:

Photo: https://patentyogi.com/

Or this:

High-Intensity Workouts

And last, you should do some sort of metabolic fitness workout about 3 times a week. Keep in mind temperance isn’t just about moderating food and alcohol. A lot of folks want to do more, which can become extreme. This extreme can tax the body, where I am a big fan of all things in balance. Remaining balance in all things in life is truly a key to peace of mind. To start getting back in shape, I have a lovely little workout video that you shouldn’t watch around your kids.

If I get this right, then I could have half my life ahead of me. So I want to invite everyone to my 100th birthday. Today is day one of the rest of my life. Today, my new routines start once again. How about you?

-Adam Brower (1973-2073)