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What I Wish I’d Done for My Health Before My First Thru-hike

thru hike

This post originally appeared on the Trek.

Imagine this: You’ve just hiked 2,660 miles and you’re in the best shape of your life. You luck out and get an entry into a well-known race you’ve been eyeing for years. It starts in a month. You give yourself a week to recover and you set out on your first training run.

But something is off. You can’t run more than a couple of miles without extreme muscle fatigue. You’ve been exhausted for days and no amount of sleep relieves the fatigue. You’re cold all the time and you’re unmotivated. You wonder, “What is happening? Isn’t this the body that just hiked 2,660 miles?” You have no choice but to pull out of the race.

This was essentially my experience after hiking the PCT. The point is not that thru-hiking caused this health crash. That’s a story for another time. The point is that despite living a very healthy lifestyle before the PCT, I was not as bulletproof as I thought.

Reclaiming my health has been a roller-coaster, but I’m grateful for the journey because I can now share information on how to optimize your health before a hike, so you can thrive and have a successful journey. After all, it’s a lot more fun to be out there when your body is at its peak.

Whether you struggle with a specific health condition or you’re just out of shape from sitting at desk for eight hours a day, use these practices to dial in your health for an upcoming adventure. It’s what has moved the needle the most for me (and those I’ve worked with) in terms of having incredible energy, endurance, and resiliency on my next hike.

How I Prepare My Health for a Thru-Hike

Prioritize Gut Health

Let’s face it: you’re going to encounter a lot of less-than-optimal foods on your hike. Thru-hiking doesn’t exactly lend itself well to healthy eating. From lack of fresh foods (too heavy) to tiny resupply towns with limited options, it can be hard to meet nutrient requirements on trail. Couple that with the intense physical demands you’re putting on the body and you can quickly become depleted and develop deficiencies.

This translates into less energy, slower recovery, and compromised immunity (i.e., slower wound healing and an increased likelihood of getting sick from eating your hiking partner’s GORP). You can try to make up for deficiencies and take care of your gut in town with lots of fresh food and probiotics. But a) that’s unlikely to happen, especially if you’re busy eating beer and pizza, and b) you have a much better chance of staying healthy if you build resiliency before you leave home. It all begins in the gut.

Gut health impacts your immune system, nutrient absorption, energy levels, hormone production, weight, and much more. I thought my gut was fine going into my hike. I lived a pretty healthy lifestyle and I wasn’t experiencing any noticeable digestive symptoms. However, it turns out there’s much more I could’ve been doing to build a healthy, resilient gut.

Short of getting your microbiome tested, it’s difficult to quantify gut health. Luckily, that’s not necessary. You can ensure good gut health, and therefore your ability to get the most nutrition from your food, with the following tips:

Increase Variety and Prioritize Whole Foods

The more diverse the diet, the more diverse the microbiome, and the more adaptable it will be to disruptions.

Up Your Fiber

Aim to eat at least 30 grams of fiber daily. Research indicates that soluble fiber is the best food for sustaining a healthy, diverse population of microbiota. Legumes, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are all great choices.

Probiotics

Consume probiotic-rich foods, like sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, and kombucha or supplement with a high quality probiotic.

Limit Inflammatory Foods

Lastly, it’s important to stop taking in inflammatory foods (discussed next) as well as behaviors that inhibit gut health. These include taking antibiotics (obviously), consuming alcohol, consuming preservatives and food additives, smoking cigarettes, not getting enough sleep, and being stressed.

Limit Inflammatory Foods with a Personalized Diet

One of the largest sources of inflammation in the diet for many people is undetected food intolerances. These are foods, specific to you, that trigger inflammation.

Because I didn’t have any overt digestive symptoms, I assumed I was healthy. I was a baker at the time and even though the bread I was eating was made from organic, locally milled wheat, it turns out that it was creating a lot of inflammation that kept me from being my healthiest.

I figured this out by completing an elimination challenge. This is where you remove potential food triggers for three to four weeks, then reintroduce them one by one to see if your body reacts. This method is the least expensive and most reliable way of detecting food intolerances.

Once I discovered and removed offending foods from my diet, things turned around quickly. My inflammation went down, my energy soared, my digestion improved, and my muscles stopped aching.

Even if you don’t think you have any food intolerances, I encourage everyone to try this at least once. Often it’s not until you remove a potentially triggering food, allow the body to reset, and then reintroduce it, that you may find it’s not working for you. Sometimes you don’t know how good you can actually feel.

To complete an elimination challenge at the most basic level, follow the following process:

  1. Eliminate gluten, dairy, caffeine, alcohol, sugar, and processed foods for 28 days.
  2. One by one, reintroduce each food. Ideally this is twice daily for two to three days before moving on to the next food.
  3. Track your symptoms. If you notice a reaction in your body (such as changes in digestion, energy, or sleep), remove that food again. If not, move on to the next.

Focus less on the idea of elimination, and more on removing the impediments to success, so your body can become stronger and truly thrive.

To get the best feedback, it’s important to follow the process properly. Because this was a game-changer for me, I created a guide on how to properly complete an elimination challenge. No more guessing in the dark about which foods are good or bad for you. You can find out exactly what works for you and what doesn’t. This leads to better energy, better endurance, and it may just clear up any nagging symptoms you’ve been dealing with, like skin rashes, headaches, joint pain, and digestive issues, like bloating, gas, and heartburn.

Live an Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle

There’s a lot that goes into this piece, but here’s what it boils down to: we live in a time when most of us have some level of chronic inflammation.

Acute inflammation is a beneficial healing response. Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, slowly breaks down the body and is at the root of most diseases. Inflammation is caused by different stressors. Sources of stress can include environmental (i.e., pollution), physical (i.e., overtraining or eating inflammatory foods), and emotional (a fight with a partner or inability to pay your bills).

We can’t control it all, but we can manage it. With every action or decision, I ask, “Will this lead to more or less inflammation in my body?”

Use the following three practices as a foundation to manage stress:

  1. Make sleep a nonnegotiable. Aim for eight hours per night.
  2. Engage in some form of mindfulness practice, such as meditation, for ten minutes daily.
  3. Have a wind-down ritual each night, whether that’s dinner with a partner, a walk with your dog, or a good book and a cup of tea.

Applied consistently, these practices can make a massive impact on your overall health, as well as on how you feel each day of your hike. It’s a great starting point.

We dive much deeper in these topics in the online course Adventure Ready. It’s designed to optimize your health, so you have the energy and endurance you need to hike long days and stand at that terminus monument, having successfully completed your adventure.

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My Favorite Herbal Allies for All Stages of a Woman’s Life

Herbs are a beautiful complement to help women gracefully move through life’s different stages. These plant medicines are highly effective and, in almost all cases, come with a higher degree of safety and fewer side effects than conventional medications. Along with food and mindfulness, herbs can be a powerful force in solving many health issues.

The herbs discussed here support women’s health through the challenges that may come at different times of the month, the year, and throughout a woman’s life. While herbs can be highly beneficial for pregnant and nursing mothers, that’s not the focus of this post, and not all herbs discussed here are appropriate for mothers or mothers to-be. Please do your own research.

The following are some of the most powerful herbal allies to support a woman’s health over the course of her lifetime.

herbs

Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus)

One of the most effective herbs at regulating women’s hormones is Vitex, or Chaste berry. It supports the production of progesterone and luteinizing hormone, both of which are necessary for ovulation and regulating menstruation cycles. Vitex can help reduce PMS symptoms including depression and irritability, bloating, breast tenderness, cravings and acne. It can help with irregular cycles. Vitex may also support women struggling with PCOS and infertility.

Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa)

Wild Yam has a long history of use in supporting women with reproductive health. Contrary to common belief, wild yam does not contain estrogen or progesterone, and it cannot be biologically converted to active hormones in the body. However, Wild Yam does contain the steroidal saponin aglycone diosin which may be converted to diosgenin in the body. Diosgenin then may act on estrogen receptor sites, which may aid in estrogen balance. It’s important to note that this conversion requires healthy gut flora.

Crampbark (Viburnum opulus) & Black Haw (Viburnum prunifolium)

Two herbs which are helpful for women during menses are Crampbark and Black Haw. These herbs have similar actions in the body and are used to soothe the occasional discomfort associated with menstrual cycles. Cramp bark also has a history of use for endometriosis and miscarriage.

Black Cohsoh (Cimicifuga racemosa)

Black Cohosh supports a healthy endocrine system and hormonal cycles throughout a woman’s life. It has a long history of use with menopausal women for relief from hot flashes, sweats, and the effects of declining estrogen. It is also used in the treatment of arthritis and muscle pain.

Additional Allies

Additionally, there are other herbs which can support healthy hormones and moods in women. For liver support and proper elimination of hormones, Burdock root (Arctium lappa) and Dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale) are great considerations. For emotional support, particularly during menstruation, beneficial herbs include Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata), Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca), Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata), and St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum). Finally, adaptogens, such as Eleuthero root (Eleutherococcus senticosus) and Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra), can be be used as tonics to support healthy mood, hormones, sleep, and immune function.

No matter the life stage, herbs can be highly effective in supporting women’s optimal health and vitality.

Dialing in your diet is an excellent complement to using herbs to support a healthy lifestyle. To find YOUR triggering foods and get to the root of your imbalances, click here to download a FREE 12-page guide that leads you step by step through a 28 day process. Come out the other side with balanced hormones, better energy, and improved digestion.

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Energy Booster Backpacker Trail Smoothie

oregon desert trail resupply

Whether on trail or at home, I like to start my days with healthy fat and 20-30 grams of protein. This gives me sustained energy rather than the spike and crash I get from high carb, high sugar meals first thing in the morning.

smoothie

Skip the Sugar Crash Trail Smoothie

1 serving greens powder (Amazing Grass is an good, affordable option)

2 Tablespoons organic coconut milk powder (I like Micro Ingredients)

1 serving (2 scoops) collagen peptides (I like Ancient Nutrition Multi Collagen or Garden of Life Grass Fed Collagen)

1 Tablespoon chia seeds

1 teaspoon cordyceps mushroom powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger powder

Pinch of sea salt

Instant coffee or Chai Tea (optional, depending on if you want caffeine)

Nutrition: 270 Calories, 11.3 g fat, 10 g carb, 26 g protein

Of course, you can use different spices, add more or less of the ingredients, etc. If I have other adaptogens on hand, such as ashwagandha, I’ll include those too. Regardless, I always follow the template of liquid base + healthy fat + protein (I aim for 20+ grams) + greens + spices.

What’s the Benefit?

The greens provide micronutrients. There’s fat from the coconut milk powder and protein from the collagen to keep energy levels steady. The collagen is also great for joint health, which is particularly helpful on trail. The chia seeds are an additional source of healthy fat. The cordyceps mushroom are for immunity and enhanced endurance benefits. The spices are anti-inflammatory and make it all more tasty.

For long trails, I make individual packets ahead of time and drop them into resupply boxes. It’s a bit of effort to order the ingredients and assemble, but I find it’s a great way to start my day with a lot of nutrition right up front.

Each night before bed, I dump the smoothie packet into my clean soaking jar, add water, and allow it to soak overnight. When I wake up, I like to get going, so I pack up and hit the trail right away. I can sip my smoothie immediately or whenever hunger strikes.

I love to see people getting out and eating to fuel their bodies well. Give this a try and tag me on Instagram (@katiegerber_wellness) out on your adventure!

For a deep dive into performance nutrition and meal planning for backpackers, check out our online course on the topic.

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Enhance Digestion & Recover from Overeating

oregon

The Trail Show Salty Segment January 2019 on supporting digestion

The Question

Dear Salty,

It’s that time again…when I go ahead and have that fourth piece of pie and then wake up feeling a little icky…but you know, hair of the dog is the best medicine so I have cookies and pie for breakfast too.

I know I can decide to eat fewer sweets, but I usually am really disciplined and enjoy eating these homemade treats that only appear once a year in my house. I avoid the store bought crap but don’t think twice about a homemade cobbler or almond holiday cookies made by my sister and niece.

This type of eating also mirrors what happens in town when I am on trail…I get into town and want to eat everything just because it is there. I feel like I generally eat a pretty healthy diet both at home and on trail. I am not going to not eat these treats once a year and at times when in trail towns, but I’m wondering if there are any foods I can eat before and/or after that will help regulate the sugar and help with digestion.

Thanks for your tips and thanks for not judging me!
Sea Ray

The Answer

Great question, Sea Ray.

Before I dive into the tips, I want to start with that last thing you said about not judging you. This is important. When I’m out with friends, hiking partners, anyone who knows what I do for a living, they often say ‘I know this isn’t Salty approved’, or ‘Don’t judge me’ before eating something they feel guilty about.

The thing is, I genuinely don’t care what you eat. It’s not that I don’t care about you as a person, but I’m not here to guilt anyone into eating one way or the other. If you want guidance, I’m happy to share my experience and knowledge on a topic in the hopes of helping you achieve your goals.

More importantly, you’re taking away your own power and personal responsibility. It’s up to you what you want to put in your body and how you want to feel.

But, truly, it’s not about rules and judgement. It’s about taking self responsibility and being comfortable with the consequences of your choices, regardless of what you decide.

No rules, only choices.

And whatever you decide, please don’t judge or criticize yourself either. Because honestly, that’s a waste of energy.

Ok, now that that’s out of the way, here’s an answer to your actual question.

Follow these diet and lifestyle tips to support digestion.

Stay Hydrated

Done beforehand, it will help you to not overeat quite as much. If you do overeat, staying hydrated the next day supports healthy digestion and metabolism, so you process the extra salt, sugar, and other less-than-ideal ingredients.

Take Digestive Bitters

Bitters are herbs that stimulate digestive juices, like stomach acid and bile. These include herbs like dandelion, burdock, gentian, milk thistle, motherwort, goldenseal and angelica.  Bitters break down food and assist in the absorption of nutrients.

Other bitter foods, like green olives and arugula do the same thing, so have these as an appetizer to stimulate digestion. Similarly, you could take a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar to support stomach acid production and proper digestion. Low stomach acid is surprisingly common and can contribute to reflux, gas, and bloating.

Consider Digestive Enzymes

These are enzymes that help you process extra starch, fat, and protein. You produce these naturally, but often not in sufficient quantities. Join my online dispensary for 10% off professional-grade supplements.

Relax before you begin to eat

By taking a moment to see the food, breath in the aromas, and appreciate your food before you dig in, your body will actually digest food better. You’ll produce more enzymes, like amylase in your saliva, and more bile and pancreatic enzymes that break down food. This is part of the cephalic phase of digestion. It begins in your mind before you even take a bite.

Support liver function, elimination, and detoxification

A lot of people are tempted to starve themselves after a period of overeating, but that usually leads to rebound overeating later in the day (or week). Instead, think about giving your digestive system a rest.

Focus on nutrient-dense liquids, like broths, soups, and green smoothies. Eat simple whole food meals and prioritize fiber and protein. For now, steer clear of inflammatory foods like gluten, dairy, and processed oils.

Get Plenty of Sleep

This gives your whole system a rest. It will reduce inflammation and improve digestion. Additionally, proper sleep supports balanced hormones, like insulin and cortisol, so you don’t find yourself face first in the cookies again.

Move Your Body

The intention isn’t to burn off extra calories per say. It’s to stimulate lymph flow and sweat to help you move toxins out of your body. It also literally helps you move food through your digestive system faster through gravity and mechanical force.

Love Your Gut

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Trail Show podcast without me talking about gut health! Support your gut before and after a big meal by eating probiotic containing foods, like kimchi and sauerkraut, and prebiotic foods, like lots of veggies.

That’s my A to your Q, Sea Ray. Enjoy grandma’s pie and get back on track towards your goals by taking care of your body.

If you’re ready to go all in on your adventure dreams and optimize your health for an upcoming backpacking trip, join us in Adventure Ready!

If you’d like to submit your own question for a future Trail Show Salty Segment, click here.

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How to Optimize Your Health for Your Next Big Adventure

thru hike

What I wish I would’ve done for my health before my first long hike.

Imagine you’ve just hiked 2660 miles and you’re in the best shape of your life. You luck out and are chosen in the lottery for a well known local race you’ve been eyeing for years. It starts in a month. You’ve given yourself a week to recover and you set out on your first ‘training run’.

But something is off. You can’t run more than a couple of miles without extreme deep muscle fatigue. You’ve been exhausted for days and sleep isn’t helping. You’re cold all the time, your hair is falling out, and you’re unmotivated. You have no choice but to pull out of the race.

This was essentially my experience after hiking the PCT. This is somewhat of a cautionary tale, but what I’d really like to share with you is not just how I recovered, but more importantly for anyone considering their own endurance endeavor, how I prepared for my next long distance hike so that I had incredible energy, endurance, and resiliency.

play outside

I’ve been a lifelong endurance athlete, competing in swimming and cross country when I was younger, and ultra running in more recent years. I was your typical overly ambitious Type A go-getter, and I still am to some extent, but with more wisdom, earned through my own dark night of the soul.

It wasn’t hiking the PCT per say, that triggered my health issues. Though months of physical stress is a lot for the body and many hikers do end up extremely depleted, gaunt, and with disrupted hormones. I actually felt great on my hike, which I attribute to eating real food.

My health crash upon returning home was the culmination of several factors. This is known as allostatic load, the process of accumulated stress on the body, which often leads to a ‘tipping point’ where the body can no longer cope.

Yes, there was the physical stress of hiking for 4 months, but I also had a lot of emotional stress and likely some degree of intestinal permeability. This is a fairly common condition where tight junctions in the gut lining don’t work properly, allowing toxins, bacteria, and food particles into the bloodstream (where they don’t belong). It’s often caused by chronic stress, poor diet, toxin overload, and bacterial imbalance. It’s been linked to a host of conditions, including inflammation disorders, immune issues, food allergies, and chronic fatigue. I had no clue this was happening because I wasn’t experiencing any digestive issues.

oregon desert trail

How I Recovered & Prepared for My Next Long Walk

The point is not that long distance hiking is going to cause you to develop adrenal issues, thyroid disease, or any other condition. It’s that despite living an extremely healthy lifestyle, I was not as bullet-proof as I thought. And though reclaiming my health has been quite a journey, I’m grateful for the experience because I can now share information on how to optimize your health BEFORE your hike, so you can thrive, and have a fulfilling, successful journey.

Here are the top 3 practices I did both to recover my health and to prepare for my next long hike. These allowed me to have incredible energy and endurance, day in and day out, and to remain truly healthy, season after season.

Dialed in My Diet for ME

I assumed that because I was vegetarian and I ate healthy, including lots of plants, and because I didn’t have any overt digestive symptoms, that I was healthy. Turns out that’s not always the case, and it’s not until you remove a potentially triggering food, allow the body to reset, and then reintroduce it, that you may find it’s not working for you.

I worked as a baker at the time and even though the bread I was eating daily was made from organic, locally-milled wheat, and baked in a wood-fired oven, and even though I was certain I didn’t have issues with gluten, it turns out it was still doing me harm.

I didn’t realize this until I did an elimination challenge and learned which foods I was not tolerating well. Once I removed those from my diet for a while, things turned around quickly. My inflammation went down, my energy soared, my digestion improved, and my muscles stopped aching.

This is just ONE piece of the puzzle, but it’s a powerful piece. Plus, it’s free.

Focused on Gut Health

Again, I assumed my gut was in good order because I lived a pretty healthy lifestyle and I wasn’t experiencing any noticeable digestive symptoms. I ate probiotics a few times a week, and plenty of fiber.

However, it turns out that 15 years of relying on grains, legumes, wheat, dairy, and other fairly inflammatory foods as a vegetarian had led to a bit of gut dysbiosis. This is where you have inadequate amounts or diversity of the ‘good’ gut bacteria and overgrowth of more pathogenic strains.

Gut health impacts your immune system, nutrient absorption, energy levels, hormone production, weight, and much more.

Led an Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle

There’s a lot that goes into this one, but when I thought about all my daily actions, I could boil it down to ‘Will this lead to more or less inflammation in my body?’.

Knowing that inflammation is at the root of most chronic conditions, and living in a world where we’re bombarded by stressors from every direction, it makes sense to instill habits that reduce the burden.

This includes making adequate sleep non-negotiable. It also means making sure I actively manage stress levels, whether I feel stressed or not. This means daily mindfulness, like meditation or keeping a gratitude journal.

One of the most important practices I do now is listen to my body. I used to train hard every day, no matter how I felt. I now take time for rest. I slow down. I train in seasons.
Knowing how to eat and train is important, but I’ve also learned how to trust the ebb and flow cycles of the seasons and my body.

I tend to go hard in the summer. And to do that for the long haul, I need a period of repair and rebuilding. With dark days and cold temperatures, winter lends itself well to a season of nourishing the body. I’ve learned to hear my body before I’ve pushed too far.

We dive deeper into these topics in Adventure Ready, an online course designed to help you optimize your health, so you can be standing on that summit or at that terminus monument later this year.

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7 Ways to Control Appetite Naturally, without Pills, Stimulants, or even Willpower

health

Feel like your appetite is out of control?

For many outdoorsy folks, winter is the ‘off’ season, which translates into 1) more days spent sitting at a desk (saving money for next season), and 2) fewer outdoor activities. Days are shorter, the weather is colder, and we naturally tend to spend more time on the coach planning our upcoming adventures rather than out on them.

Furthermore, many hikers and outdoor enthusiasts who are coming off a season of being more active have difficulty adjusting their food intake to a less active lifestyle. Weight gain, and manatee season (as my friend likes to say) are the result.

So, you’re less active, you still have your hiker hunger, and you’re finding yourself standing in front of the fridge when you know you’re not actually hungry. You’d rather not spend the winter in ever-expanding sweatpants, knowing in the back of your mind that you’re compromising your goals for the upcoming season.

It’s one thing to know what you should and shouldn’t be eating, but tackling the psychological aspect of food is a whole other beast. Identifying true hunger versus emotional hunger is a skill gained with experience. I encourage you to when you’re truly hungry and use the following practices to keep your appetite in check when you’re eating out of boredom/frustration/etc.

Stay Hydrated

Confusing hunger for thirst is incredibly common. When you’re less active and the weather is cooler, it’s easy to drink much less than normal. You may be looking for something to eat when it’s actually water your body needs, not food. Next time you’re about to snack, have 12 ounces of water, wait 20 minutes, and if you’re still hungry, grab a healthy snack and go for it.

Looking for something a little more exciting than water? Consuming calorie-free seltzer water, mint water, or other herbal infusions can be another tasty way quench the desire to consume something without the calorie load.

Limit Your Options

Studies have shown that having a greater variety of foods to choose from leads to consuming more calories. This phenomenon is called sensory-specific satiety and refers to the declining satisfaction experienced by consuming a certain type of food, and the renewal in appetite resulting from exposure to a new flavor. This is why buffets can be so dangerous and why you seemingly have room for a piece of pie even when you’re stuffed.

While, in general, it’s a good idea nutritionally speaking to eat a wide variety of foods, at any one meal, it may be best to limit your options in order to avoid overeating.  

Use Smaller Plates & Bowls

Visually, the same amount of food will look like more on a smaller plate than on a larger plate. I recently read a study that this technique may not be as effective as we thought at controlling how much you eat if you’re truly hungry; however when it comes to mindless eating, you’ll most likely still do less damage by using smaller serving dishes. Portion out one serving and put the rest away rather than snacking out of the container. We’re less likely to eat more when it requires effort.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

Rather than keeping tempting, calorie-dense treats front and center in the fridge or on the counter, put them out of sight. Research indicates that if you see food sitting in front of you, such as in a candy dish, you’re more likely to eat it. Keep food out of sight entirely, either in the pantry, in non-transparent containers, or in the fridge. Make healthier items easier to see and access. Finally, don’t hang out in the kitchen (or in front of the food table at a party) if you don’t want to eat.

Remove Distractions

Many people watch TV, read magazines, or scroll through their phones while they eat. This keeps you from fully being aware that you consumed a meal, and also from recognizing when you’re actually satisfied, so you’re more likely to overeat. When you sit down for a meal or snack, be intentional. Breath in the aroma, see the food, be present, and fully enjoy your meal.

Fill Up on Fiber

Fruits and vegetables have a high water content and a lot of fiber. This makes them great for filling you up for fewer calories. It’s easy to eat 1000 calories in a few handfuls of nuts, but to eat the equivalent calories in apples in one sitting, you’d have to eat 10 apples, for example. Not easy to do. Yes, that’d be a lot of sugar, but most likely you can’t eat more than an apple or two without feeling pretty full.

Slow Down

With eating and with life, take a moment to slow down and savor it. Along with the tip about not distracting yourself, slowing down while you eat give your brain a chance to register that you’re eating, to prepare your body to better digest and absorb nutrients, and to register when you’ve had enough. Chew thoroughly rather than inhaling food. Sit down rather than eating in the car. Slow down, savor the food, the experience of sharing a meal with others, and you’ll not only enjoy your meal more, you’ll likely consume less.

Of course, you can use these practices year round, but they’re often particularly pertinent in the off-season. They are just one of many ways to support your health in the off season and prepare for next season’s upcoming adventure.

Adventure Ready is an online course designed to up-level every aspect of your health, inside and out. You’ll reach a healthy weight naturally, balance your hormones, and increase your energy. Don’t miss another hiking season feeling sidelined with sub par health. It’s not worth it.

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Top 5 Supplements to Take on Trail

hiker supplements

The ideal scenario is to get all the nutrients you need from whole foods, but there are many circumstances when supplementation can benefit nearly everyone.

Supplements can be a controversial topic. On one extreme, there are health advocates claiming you need a supplement for every ache and pain. On the other extreme, you have skeptics claiming that supplements are unnecessary, a waste of money, and even dangerous.

As with many divisive topics, the truth is somewhere in between. Nutritionally speaking, we know that the body requires certain levels of nutrients to function optimally. We also know that due to the abundance of nutritionally poor foods available today, many of us do not get the daily requirements of several key nutrients. Furthermore, chronic illness, gut dysbiosis, exposure to toxins, stress, and heavy physical demands on the body all deplete nutrient stores more quickly.

For that reason, supplements can be a good form of nutritional insurance. During the extreme physical demands placed on the body during a long distance hike, supplementation is helpful for optimal energy and endurance, enhanced immune function, faster recovery, and reduced illness and fatigue. If you’re curious how certain deficiencies manifest in the body, here is an excellent article on that by Dr. Aviva Romm.

A long distance hike is unique in that it’s a feat of extreme endurance. In most sports, you exert the body, and then you have recovery time to restore depleted nutrients. It’s not unusual during a long distance hike to walk a marathon a day, with a pack on, day after day for 5 months. Couple that with the lack of fresh foods and the notoriously ultra-processed diet of the thru-hiker. It’s no wonder that many hikers end up emaciated, sick, injured, and ending their hike early.

colorado trail

Supplements for the Trail

Supplements are not a substitute for a good diet. A high quality, anti-inflammatory diet is always the place to start when you want to feel and perform your best. Nutrients in their whole food form are absorbed into the body better than in supplement form, and there’s often more control over sourcing and quality with food.

As detailed in this post about my Oregon Desert Trail resupply, in addition to packing nutrient dense food in every box, I almost always include the following supplements.

For high quality supplements, I prefer to shop exclusively through specific trusted companies. Shopping from random sources can be hit or miss in terms of buying products that are real, safe, and effective. To ensure you’re buying safe products, you can access my online dispensary of professional-grade supplements by clicking here. There are hundreds of brands and you can save 10-20% with this link. There are no gimmicks. It’s simply a resource I want to provide to readers. If you insist on shopping Amazon, you can find links to a few of my favorites by clicking on the supplement name below.

One last note before we dive in: I am not a doctor and, as such, I don’t diagnose, prescribe, treat, or cure. The following ideas are simply what I’ve seen work for myself and for others. For personalized health advice, see a qualified practitioner. If you’re on prescription medications, don’t start supplements without the guidance of your doctor.

High Quality Multi-Vitamin

To cover your basic nutritional bases, a high quality multi-vitamin is helpful. This is especially important as we live in a time when our food sources are compromised, we don’t always take time for proper meals, and we experience more stress than ever. This certainly applies on a long distance hike when you’re consuming fewer fresh fruits and veggies, which are likely a major source of your nutrients in off-trail life.

Probiotics

You’ve probably heard me say it before, and you’ll likely hear it again, which is that gut health is one of the most important foundational pieces to optimal health. Over 80% of disease can be linked to lifestyle choices, and our gut is ground zero for our immune health, brain health, and production of important hormones. It’s also where digestion, absorption, and assimilation occurs.

To be sure you’re getting the most out of the foods and supplements you’re ingesting, it’s important to pay attention to your gut health. This includes eating fiber-filled prebiotic foods, as well as eating probiotic foods. Because it’s difficult to get probiotic foods on trail, consider a supplement with a diversity of strains, and rotate brands regularly. Also note that these microorganisms are sensitive to heat and light, so store capsules in a dark container deep in your pack.

Krill Oil

Krill Oil is fantastic for brain and heart health and for keeping overall inflammation low. Most modern diets are high in inflammatory Omega 6 fats and low in anti-inflammatory Omega 3 fats. By increasing Omega 3 fats in the diet, we get closer to the ideal 4:1 (omega 6:omega 3) ratio. By comparison, most modern diets are closer to 20:1.

As explained on the Bulletproof website, “Krill oil is a superior source of EPA and DHA because the polyunsaturated fats are packaged as phospholipids, which can be used immediately by your body. The EPA and DHA in fish oil, on the other hand, are typically packaged as triglycerides and have to undergo additional processing in order to make them bioavailable. Krill oil is also more stable because it includes astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant, that protects the fragile fats from oxidizing.

Animal-based omega-3’s from krill and fish oils are both better sources than vegetable-based omega-3’s, such as the Alpha-linolenic Acid (ALA) in flax oil. Only about 1-4% of ALA is converted into DHA, so getting those higher potency sources from krill and fish is more efficient.”

Storage of your krill oil is important because fats are prone to oxidation. This not only makes them ineffective, but makes them damaging to the body. Heat, air, and light degrade oils. Use capsules rather than liquid, and store in an airtight amber or cobalt bottle. Place them in the middle of your pack, where temps are more stable (ideally below 100*F).

Turmeric

Turmeric is a major source of the plant polyphenol Curcumin, which has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. A 2017 research review of it’s effects on human health attributes the following benefits to this powerful spice:

“It aids in the management of oxidative and inflammatory conditions, metabolic syndrome, arthritis, anxiety, and hyperlipidemia. It may also help in the management of exercise-induced inflammation and muscle soreness, thus enhancing recovery and performance in active people.”

It’s important to choose a high quality source that contains piperine (the active component of black pepper), which increases the bioavailability of the curcumin by 2000%.

Magnesium

Magnesium is involved in over 300 biochemical reaction in the body. It’s important for several functions including muscle and heart function, immunity, nerve cell function, energy production, and strong bones. Nearly half of all Americans are deficient in Magnesium.

There are many forms of magnesium to choose from. For sound sleep and a healthy morning BM, magnesium citrate is a great choice. For general magnesium deficiency and a highly bioavailable form, magnesium glycinate is helpful. Do your research and choose what’s best for you.  

For a deep dive into performance nutrition and meal planning for backpackers, check out our online course on the topic.

supplements

Supplementation in the ‘Off Season’

Beyond supporting performance goals on trail, supplements can be a key additional to optimal health at home as well. In addition to the above supplements, which I also take at home, I often cycle through others. My choices depend on what aspect of my health I’m focused on improving, such as adrenal or hormone health. This may include vitamin D3, B vitamins, antioxidants (like glutathione and Vitamin C), and adaptogenic herbs and mushrooms (like Reishi, Ashwagandha, and Cordyceps).

A Word on Choosing Supplements

Not all supplements are created equal and it’s important to choose high quality supplements and buy from trusted sources. The bottom of this post by Dr. Aviva Romm has good recommendations for choosing supplements.

Every body is different. For an individualized approach and deeper guidance, working with a health practitioner is helpful to determine what supplements may be helpful specifically for you. Again, if you’d like access to my online dispensary where you can save 10-20% off top brands, click here. 

With a bit of planning and preparation, you can vastly enhance the experience of your hike with targeted support and supplementation. In addition to whole nutrient-dense foods, consider taking some (or all) of these along on your next big adventure.

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How to Avoid Holiday Stress

holidays

Best Practices for Managing Holiday Stress

The holiday season is portrayed with images of families gathered around a heaping harvest table, boisterous office parties, and gifts galore. However, the less often discussed reality is that the holidays are a time of anxiety, overwhelm, and stress for many. Likely, none of us has been immune to the pressure to get the right gifts, make the perfect meal, and attend every event.

The bad news is that the bustle of the season is unlikely to relent. The good news, however, is that you get to choose how to respond to the seemingly endless demands on your time and energy. With a bit of awareness and the following practical tools at your disposal, the holidays can be what they are meant to be: a time of joy, gratitude, and connection, rather than a flurry of stress, fatigue, and burnout.

Use the following practices to remain grounded and happy this holiday season.

stress tea

Prioritize Self Care

During a time of year when much of your focus is on giving to others, don’t forget to give to yourself too. The most powerful gift is self-care in the form of good nutrition, movement, and sleep. Focus on whole foods and keep sugar consumption in check. Aim to fit in daily exercise, whether it’s a 30-minute walk in nature, a gym session, or another favorite activity. Put it on your calendar and make this time non-negotiable. Similarly, block out 8 hours for sleep nightly and create an effective bedtime routine.

Maintain a Daily Gratitude Practice

In addition to keeping the physical body functioning optimally, don’t forget to nurture your mind and spirit. Practicing mindfulness meditation or spending as few as 10 minutes per day writing in a gratitude journal can profoundly shift how you interpret any stressful events that may arise. Not only does gratitude reset your stress response by shifting you into a parasympathetic state, it reconnects you to what truly matters to you.

journal stress reduction

Plan Ahead

Holiday overwhelm often stems from the feeling of having too much to do with not enough time or not enough money. Prevent these feelings by taking time now to review your finances and creating a realistic budget for the holidays. Seek out alternatives to traditional gift-giving, such as homemade gifts, upcycling, or creating an experience rather than purchasing an item.

Similarly, before the season is in full swing, pull out a calendar and schedule events which are non-negotiable. Be realistic with what you can attend and accomplish. Evaluate what truly matters and what can go by the wayside. Discerning the vital tasks from the trivial ones helps you determine where your energy will be most effective.

holiday help

Ask for Help

Remember that you don’t have to go it alone. Identify which tasks you can delegate and to whom. More than likely, the people in your life would be happy to support you. You just have to ask (nicely).

Let Go of Perfectionism

When you commit to doing everything flawlessly, it can keep you from getting anything done at all. That only leads to overwhelm and more stress. Remember, done is better than perfect. No one is going to care (or even notice) if the centerpieces don’t match the napkins perfectly, if you don’t have nine different types of dessert, or if the gifts aren’t impeccably wrapped.

holiday gift

The true essence of the holidays is gathering with loved ones and experiencing gratitude for our many blessings. Keeping holiday stress at bay allows you to be fully present and enjoy this special time of year, so that you avoid waking up on January 1st wondering where the last two months went.

 

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Herb Crackers

herb crackers

Easy Herb Crackers

(gluten free, grain free, paleo, vegan, refined sugar free…nothing but the good stuff)

Unless you’re new here, you may know that I have a strong affinity for salty, crunchy snacks. I’m always on the look-out for convenient foods that will make my body function optimally, and of course, snacks should be tasty.

Hit with a crunchy craving recently, I went rummaging through my cupboard and nary was a salty snack to be found. Not feeling like going to the store, it was time to get creative, and thus these Herb Crackers were born. They’re gluten free, grain free, vegan, contain no refined sugar, and are made up of few simple ingredients. They’re also ridiculously simple and result in a house filled with savory scents while they bake.

I’ve had a couple bags of tapioca flour in my freezer that a friend gifted me while I was on the Autoimmune Paleo diet as part of a protocol to heal my adrenal fatigue and hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Prior to these crackers, I hadn’t baked with tapioca flour, so I’d put off using it for over a year. Today was the day.

I searched online to generate ideas and inspiration for the basic cracker process and to see if there was anything special to know about baking with tapioca flour. Tapioca flour is the starch extracted from the cassava root, while cassava flour is the whole root. Generally, tapioca is well-tolerated and avoids causing an immune response, as happens with many other grains. Plus, it’s fairly neutral and lends itself well to taking on any flavor you want. However, it’s still a starch and will therefore raise insulin, so eat in moderation and pair these crackers with a fat and a protein.

These crackers are quick and easy to make, even if you’re not an experienced baker and  have never worked with alternative flours. They only have a handful of ingredients, most of which you likely already have. The tapioca flour could be swapped out for other fours like cassava, almond, or coconut.

In addition to making your house smell glorious, and being able to tailor the herbs to your personal preferences, another benefit of homemade crackers is that you don’t get the myriad of preservatives, food coloring, and additives that are often found in commercial baked goods. That alone makes it worth the little bit of effort it takes to whip up these savory little crunchies.

herb cracker

Easy Herb Crackers (grain free, gluten free, vegan)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time:  55-60 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1½ cups tapioca flour
  • ½ cup coconut flour
  • ½ teaspoon Himalayan salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground fennel seed
  • ½ teaspoon celery seed
  • 2 teaspoon basil
  • 2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon tomato powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 tablespoons filtered water

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine the dries in a mixing bowl. Feel free to use the combination of spices listed above, or create your own concoction. This is just what I had on hand. Add in olive oil and water. Combine thoroughly.

dough

Dough should be a somewhat sticky consistency, but it will stick together in a lump. It won’t be overly loose nor will it be so dry that it doesn’t stick together. You should be able to hold it without it falling through your fingers. Add more flour and/or liquid to adjust consistency as necessary.

crackers

Dump the dough onto a piece of parchment, flatten it into a rough rectangle with your hands, and place another piece of parchment over it. Smooth dough and press into an even 1/4″ rectangle(ish) with a rolling pin. Remove the top piece of parchment and pull the bottom piece onto a baking sheet.

crackers

Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and use a pizza wheel or knife to cut the dough into roughly 1 inch squares. Return squares to baking sheet with some space in between each. Bake another 25-30 minutes until golden brown and lightly crisp.

Cool completely and store in airtight containers. Enjoy with soup, nut butter, hummus, cheese or cured meat. 

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Oregon Desert Trail Overview

oregon desert tral

Oregon Desert Trail Overview

In the fall of 2018, I hiked the Oregon Desert Trail west-bound. I deeply enjoyed the vast open expanses and the lonesome nature of this route. I highly recommend it to other hikers, with advanced skill sets, who enjoy remote desert hiking. The present post is more of an overview of the trail, while this other post contains more photos and a few notes from my trail journal.

oregon desert trail

Distance & Location

The Oregon Desert Trail (ODT) is a 750-mile route through the high desert country of eastern Oregon. In the shape of a weird “W”, it’s made up of a network of trails, cross country travel, and two-track dirt roads. The termini are located in the Oregon Badlands Wilderness near Bend, Oregon, and in Lake Owyhee State Park, near the Idaho border.

oregeon desert trail xc

Terrain & Scenery

The ODT was developed by the Oregon Natural Desert Association as a means to promote conservation of Oregon’s spectacular high desert through low impact recreation. The trail traverses key natural areas including Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, Steens Mountain, Abert and Diablo Rims, and the Owyhee Canyonlands.

From ONDA’s website:

“To craft this 750-mile route located on public land and public rights-of-way, ONDA stitched existing trails, old Jeep tracks, and historical wagon roads together with stretches of cross-country travel. Our aims are to improve access to the wonders of the desert and to let explorers take a choose-your-own-adventure approach to getting to know this region.

Sections of the trail can be explored on foot or on horseback, or by boat, bike, or even skis in the winter. Some sections offer easy walks along well-marked paths. Other areas require GPS skills, significant outdoor experience, and serious preparation, particularly for water sources.”

odt sunset

I believe that interacting with a landscape is the best way to form a relationship with that land and to care about protecting it. Most of us no longer spend our entire lives on one piece of land, or even in one geographical region. We therefore lack the strong connection to a place that comes from depending on a land for your food and water, building materials, etc.

Recreating in a place for an extended time period is one of the closest proxies we have to that relationship in modern times. Rather than closing off a wild space, allowing people only to be spectators, such as in a museum, we can create corridors of travel where people can connect with a landscape by being immersed in it for days, weeks, or months.

The best resource for hikers wishing to complete the ODT is ONDA’s website. The trail coordinator for the ODT, Renee Patrick, is an experienced thru-hiker, and the resources she’s created and compiled for the trail in just a few years is incredible. You’ll find GPS data, town guides, a water report, trail conditions, and much more.

oregon desert trail jordan canyon

Weather & Climate

Most ODT hikes are completed in the spring or fall. Each option has its own unique challenges and considerations. For example, water is more likely to be available in the spring than in the fall. However, if you start late enough, the fall is likely to be cooler. I also just find autumn to be a very pleasant time to be in the desert.

We completed our ODT thru-hike from September 1-30. The first week, daytime temperatures were in the high 80s and low 90s, but cooled down to high 50s and mid 60s later in the hike. Our nighttime temps ranged from low 20s to mid 40s. The only rain we experienced was a brief shower our last morning on trail. This meant I was able to cowboy camp every single night of the hike 🙂

oregon desert trail water

Water & Resupply Options

Water was one of our biggest challenges. 2018 was one of the hottest and driest years on record in Oregon. The water report, a Google spreadsheet, is found on ONDA’s website and is updated by hikers. You can make notes directly on the spreadsheet in the field and it will automatically update the master spreadsheet when you get to WiFi.

Notes from previous years are in the document and we found the data from 2015, another dry year, most closely reflected what we could expect in terms of reliability for water sources. We never counted on a source unless it was labeled ‘Reliable’, and more than once we found ourselves carrying up to 3 gallons.  If we came upon water before we expected, it was a bonus. Sources include creeks, rivers, springs, reservoirs, and most often, cow tanks. Some were clear and delicious. Others were murky, covered in algae, and tasted very cow-y despite being filtered and chemically treated. Any water is good water in the desert.

The towns and communities along the ODT corridor are all pretty small. They have limited amenities. Partially due to lack of services, and partially due to arriving and departing at odd hours of the day, we were only able to shower twice and do laundry once the entire time. We washed our bodies and clothes on trail, where possible, but it was a very dusty, smelly, and salty 30 days overall. We used blue sponges and a small amount of water in a gallon ziploc bag each night to get the bulk of the grime off our legs before bed. This massively improved comfort, reduced foot issues, and kept sleeping bags at least moderately clean.

Small towns also require you to be more self-sufficient in your packing than you would on more well-populated routes. This means carrying a few more supplies and being prepared for something to go wrong. For example, when my phone died on day 3, there was no Apple store anywhere within hundreds of miles, let alone in the next resupply town. Without GPS, having paper maps and compass was essential. Further, you couldn’t expect gear, such as new shoes or a tent, to be available in towns. You need to send it to yourself. It’s not a big deal-you just need to think ahead, be creative with problem solving, and be flexible.

Also due to the remoteness of the route, and the small town sizes, food and resupply options are limited and often pricey. You can see more about where and how I resupplied here. I mostly mailed myself boxes and regretted the stops where I didn’t. Here’s how I approached creating a healthy-ish resupply in a remote town with limited options.

The upside of all this is that the ODT was for sure, mile for mile, the cheapest trail I’ve ever hiked. With only 2 hotel stays, a few restaurant meals, and no reason to linger in towns, it’s hard to blow a bunch of money even if you’re trying. Another upside of the ODT is that the route either goes directly through towns or very close, so there is very little hitching necessary.

odt trio

Trail Journal

I have an (almost) daily practice of journaling, whether on trail or off. See a few ODT journal excerpts here as well as many more photos.

Additional Resources

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