That Time Beets Got the Best of US
An amusing story about Chuck’s beet juice health fad and an update on our training for the Way of St. Francis. Plus lots of recommendations!
Every Sunday Sip is free and always will be.
As a rule, Chuck never goes halfway. When he is into something, he is 150% into it. So I shouldn’t have been surprised when an entire case of beet juice arrived at our door. The box contained six or eight 33-ounce bottles of 100% pure beetroot juice. There was a lot of it, and it wasn’t the watered-down stuff either. It was potent and tasted as you’d expect, like dirt.
At the time, we were training for a marathon; it might have been the ultra-marathon we ran in 2014. He read somewhere that drinking one to two cups of beet juice daily would boost his exercise stamina and reduce inflammation. I gagged every time he mixed up a concoction, and I watched him slug it down.
The house we were living in back then had white IKEA cupboards. They weren’t the highest quality, and we had very little kitchen storage, so I’m sure you can see where this is going. His beet juice stash was relegated to the white cupboards in the breezeway.
It shouldn’t have been a surprise, but it was still shocking to find our breezeway converted into a Jackson Pollock masterpiece on a cold January morning. Frozen beet juice—which, by the way, stains—had exploded. Naturally, he had stashed it on the top shelf, so tiny streams of gooey, vibrant red juice ran down the cupboards and onto everything in their path. Me laughing hysterically did not help the situation. After that, every time I walked through the breezeway, I saw just a hint of pink on the end cupboard.
Around that same time, he was also adding cinnamon and turmeric to his coffee. Why? You might wonder. Well, I’m right there with you. This health-supplement gimmick (did I say that?) met a similar fate when he dropped a 12-ounce jar of turmeric, spraying our white IKEA kitchen with a fine yellow dust. If you are curious, turmeric also stains.
It’s no wonder I picked black cupboards for our new kitchen.
For another brief stint, he made a tart cherry juice treat. He would put a dollop of it in a glass of water. Chia seeds and apple cider vinegar may have been involved. I honestly do not know what health benefits he was chasing. Tart cherry juice is expensive, and when it didn’t deliver, well, that era ended too.
I remembered all of this while we were walking our second 3-mile lap of the neighborhood. Our daily step count is currently hovering just under 20k as we train for the Way of St. Francis, a pilgrimage in Italy. At a 4th of July party, Chuck told our friend, Jimmy, about it.
“You are walking 150 miles on purpose?” Jimmy asked, his eyebrows raised and his voice clicking up an octave.
Later, Jimmy asked me about the terrain. “Oh, you know, a mixture of paved roads and trails, which are sometimes rocky,” I said. “A bit of up and down, as there are mountains.” Jimmy just shook his head.
Training for the pilgrimage is not unlike training for a marathon. As you’d imagine, Chuck isn’t jumping into it lightly. I just bought my third pair of HOKAs in six months, and I’ve blown my full push-up goal completely out of the water. I’d like to think I could lose a few extra pounds, but according to the scale, that is not happening.
You may be wondering what supplements are involved this time around, because you know there is something.
Shocking, this time I’m actually joining him. We’ve been drinking a delicious morning shake made with Ka’Chava, a nutritional supplement, and fresh turmeric. (We are already on our second blender.)
The Meijer cashier, who is almost always running the self-checkout when we shop, gave us some grief (shit) the other day about all the fresh turmeric.
“What do you even make with all that turmeric?” she asked. She also gave me the look.
Because, yes, I was buying wine again. Yishhh. Isn’t there some type of rule for check-out clerks about not judging you?
But honestly, don’t we all get a bit obsessive about something? Take the World Cup, for instance. I’m just grateful that Chuck directs his passion toward his physical health, whether that’s through training or supplements. Really, how he does it doesn’t matter. He cares; he goes all in, and that’s a pretty wonderful thing.
On a different note, I’ve curated a Michigan-themed book list for our book club. The only requirements were that the story be set here or that the author have called Michigan home at some point. If you’ve got a book you’d like to add, please share in the comments.
The latest Life In Michigan Podcast episode is out!
Why Everyone is Choosing Marshall, Michigan
We love it when a casual conversation over a bowl of soup turns into a full podcast episode.
If you have an idea for a guest, email me (info@lifeinmichigan.com). We are looking for anyone who is creative and passionate, and who has a story to share about their Life In Michigan. Don’t be shy. Looking for older episodes? I was hoping you would ask. The full catalog is on our YouTube Channel.
The latest episode of Fans with Bands just dropped!
LifeInMichigan.com covers the stories, community life, and cultural experiences that mainstream media often overlook. Click on the image to read the whole article.
🗓️ Never Miss an Event: Chuck has been hard at work on our public Google Events Calendar. From book launches to local gigs, it’s all there. Subscribe to the Calendar
You’ll find things like this on the calendar! (Click on image for more information.)
I’ve got two fresh Substack posts to entertain you this week!
The first is from Michael Procopio’s Spatchcock Substack. I really want to make Cherry Smash.
The other is Louise Tilbrook’s Everyday Knitter Substack. It is from 2024, but we all can use this reminder.
Plus a few old ones of ours.
I thought I was done with challenges… until Italy called
Welcome to The Sunday Sip, our weekly excuse to share personal essays, events, book reviews, and whatever else is swirling around in our world. We take turns writing it — and this week, it’s my turn.
Mark your calendars for Fuzz Fest 11!
Book Reviews
I will admit it: I’m a David Sedaris fangirl, so I was pleased to see he recently published a new set of essays, “The Land and Its People.”
David Sedaris could easily say the same thing John Mellencamp said at his show in Grand Rapids on Friday: “I’m John Mellencamp, and as you guys probably know, I’m not for everyone.”
David Sedaris is an acquired taste; however, if you appreciate dry wit, sharp sarcasm, and some of the funniest one-liners, this collection may be for you.
Since I mentioned John Mellencamp. A short video from his show in Grand Rapids on July 10, 2026.
Have a great week.
I may need to start a new series called Wacky Health Hacks with Chuck :) Now, where did I set my chia seeds?
Great foreshadowing. White cabinets + beet juice was destined not to end well, lol.