Failing health is everyone’s number one concern – as well it should be. Without our health, we are nothing. We can’t work…we can’t play… We’re stuck in bed and can only dream of getting out and about. For us as we ride our bikes around the world, maintaining healthy bodies is our top priority. We demand a lot of these bodies of ours, and have to take certain precautions to make sure they can respond.
Honestly, since we left Alaska nearly one year ago, we’ve been the healthiest we’ve ever been. We went ten months with no sickness at all – not a tummy ache nor runny nose. Nothing. When we crossed the border into Guatemala, both kids got sick with some kind of stomach bug and we realized anew how fortunate we had been for those ten months.
So what have we done to maintain our health through the demands of our journey?
- We eat a lot. In a hard day’s cycling, we can each burn upwards of 5000 calories. If we aren’t eating enough, we will quickly feel the effects and our energy level starts to plummet.
- We eat good food. We try really hard to limit our intake of soda, chips, and ice cream. As tempting as it is to indulge in those treats, we’ve found that too much junk food causes us to be sluggish. We try to eat good meals with plenty of fruits and veggies, meat, beans, and eggs. For snacks, I try to carry granola bars with me at all times. There are times when we run out of our healthy food and have to resort to whatever we can buy in the small stores we pass, but I try hard to avoid that.
- We get plenty of sleep. Our bodies need time to regenerate, and we quickly feel the effects of too little sleep. This one isn’t something we need to consciously work on – we fall asleep early when we’re tired and make no effort to fight it.
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Mostly, I’m convinced that simply being active in the out-of-doors is the best way to maintain health. I feel more alive – more vibrant – when we are outside all day than I ever do when we happen to have a place inside. And, in addition, I think my body is more able to fight off all the nasties when I’m out there.
