Superior Self - Blog

Please Wear a Mask!

6/29/2020

My Dear Loved Ones,

This really is a love letter. I love all of the positive and also thought provoking opposition comments to my newsletters, blogs, and videos these past few weeks. To be open to a conversation about both health and human rights is a move in the right direction. I am grateful for all of you.

Today I am speaking to personal observations I made during the past three weeks. As San Francisco and other northern California counties allowed more businesses to reopen with restrictions in place, I watched people stop wearing their face masks in public unless they were going into a store. More and more hikers, walkers, joggers, and other casual walkers were not wearing masks at all, or they were wearing them around their necks. I got a bit peeved. San Francisco is still in a "stay at home order." We are more stringent and conscious than other parts of the state (or country for that matter). I live a few blocks away from Daly City, but on the San Francisco side. Daly City is in San Mateo County. San Mateo County had restrictions removed in a more lenient manner, and also sooner than in San Francisco.

The risks for catching the Corona Virus have not lessened! It is our conscientious and persistent wearing of masks everywhere outside of the house that eventually flatten the curve of folks catching the virus and spreading the virus with others through our water droplets leaving our nose and mouths. I know we are all tired of not hanging out with friends and family. There aren't many rules and guidance for us yet about when those changes will happen. Most of the rules and guidance have been for businesses opening instead. I wish it were more direct than that for the general population in each city and county. When can my kids see their elderly grandparents? When can we visit our soul sisters and be silly in each others' homes again? When is a birthday party with all of my friends going to happen safely once more?

What are we to do? Please wear a mask to protect others from your droplets. Please wear a mask to protect you from others' droplets. It is simple and effective. Wash your hands often and with hot soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If outdoors and touching hard surfaces, add a small hand sanitizer bottle or even put some into a small plastic bag. Use it often to protect our communities!

I have 3 jobs which I am laid off from at the moment. I really want to go back to hosting workshops, teaching exercise classes in person, and serve food and drinks at the Hilton. We can only shift into a more productive and safe, healthy economy if we all work together. Add to that the wonderful platform a face mask can become if we stand up for equality, black lives matter, and justice for all. Put a message on your mask to be a part of the solution, or to be silly and entertaining!

Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts and feelings.
In Gratitiude,
KJ Landis

We Have No Idea What it is to Be Homeless

6/22/2020

As the pandemic is widespread and scary for all the world, we do have safety measures and guidances set in place. The homeless population does not have the same information or access to assistance that we householders have. It is already a struggle for the homeless population to seek food, tents, cardboard boxes, clothing, restroom access, and cleaning up their bodies regularly. Let us add to that the mental and physical challenges many may face, as well as the common place of addictions rampant in the homeless world. Sometimes it is dangerous for the homeless folks, because they are involved in petty or not so petty crimes upon each other. Sometimes they fight on the streets of San Francisco. I have seen a lot in my 23 years living here. I truly feel we non-homeless dwellers have no idea what it is like to be homeless.

Since moving here in 1997, I have given money and food to the homeless. I donate to different missions around the Bay. What can we do to help? Sometmes a smile or a hello along with a smile can uplift someone in that situation. Asking how someone got to be in their predicament will help us to really listen and understand. Peope love to share their stories. Humans want to be heard. Most regular working class folks are only a few paychecks away from being homeless. After I was laid off from all 3 of my regular jobs, I held a prayerful place for the homeless in a new way deep inside of me.

Have you thought deeply about the homeless citizens in your world? What do you do to help the less fortunate? Have you even considered he homeless and the programs in place to help them?

I want to hear from you. Compassion, empathy, and action go hand in hand, hand in heart.

Blessings,
KJ Landis
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Black Lives Matter More than Mine. Here's Why.

6/15/2020

Black lives matter. All lives matter. We keep hearing the second sentence as a response for the first, usually by the non-black population. So I asked around in my communtiy and asked how does one explain why black live matter more than everyone else? Here a few responses full of wisdom and understanding. I hope we can learn from each other, now and forever more.

A single black mother of a toddler shared with me this analogy: We are all in a neighborhood. Everyone comes out for the street fairs and holiday parties in each others' homes. Relationships are really tight amongst the community. All lives matter. A loss of one hurts us all. Right now the black family's house is on fire. What do we do now, as a community who cares? We give all of our help, care, attention, and rebuilding energy to our black neighbor and their family. All lives matter, but at this moment, and for the past years unfathomable, the black homes have been on fire becasue the electric company somehow didn't care to upgrade the electric systems in the black homes. The company took care of everybody else for years and let their homes slide. Right now and forever more we need to systemically fix the racism in our world. Fix and love the neighborhood. Our attention is NOW upon what is on fire, previosly smoldering and yet nobody high enough up in the company called the negligence out. That is systemic racism. It is common.

In Japan there is a subculture of youth tanning very dark to rebel the traditional ways of paler skin considered more desirable. This subculture grew into a popular Japanese cafe model in the 1990s, with the dark skinned men and women as the servers, called "maids," and the customers called "masters." The subculture is known as Ganguro. This is NOT OKAY by any measure of ethical standards. This is celebrated racism. The pop up cafes even spread to the USA. Thankfully the maid cafes closed down due to lack of returning customers. The racism is not only in the USA and that is why the protests are not only in the USA.

Scores of white youth tan for the purpose of looking black, to "pass," wear hip hop style clothing, and a lot of overdone bling bling. Even the language of these wannabes copy black youth. White youth are the largest ticket holders to black rap and hip hop concerts performed by black entertainers. If everyone thinks it is so cool to be black, why are black communities so expendable at the hands of our elected officials and police personnell who took an oath to protect and serve? Black lives matter, now and forever more.

I watched a young white woman on the social media app named Tik Tok explain to her community why black lives matter and not all lives matter at this time. She stated in her own way that we all are at the table for dinner. We are a great diverse group of friends. The family platters get passed around and everyone has a full plate except for the black persons at the dinner table. Everyone is chatting and having a good time, yet the black people are still not being fed. They aren't being served at all. A few moments pass and the platters are emptied of food. All of the friends are gathered and want to eat together. Some folks see that the black folks haven't been given food. No one who sees them hungry and acknowldege their hunger offers them food from their own plates. No one who is oblivious to their empty plates offers to share either. They just do not see, or the non-black friends turn thier heads at an opportune moment to not feel the pain and suffering of friends. For years and years we have all eaten from the platters, overlooking black neighbors. This was her analogy about why black lives matter more than all lives matter.

Let us keep the momentum and conversations going. I want to hear from you.
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Blessings,
KJ Landis

Are You Happy?

6/8/2020

How does one define happiness? Is it when we have milestones of accomplishment or when we are blissed out? Is it an excited feeling that ebbs and flows when we see someone we love or like? What are some common things that we see and feel when we are around other happy people? I see and feel their intangible but very real radiant energy. It feeds me a little bit and I'm hungry for more. Is happiness the joureny or the destination?

According to my Vipassana meditation practice, happiness is a sort of result once one is lifted from former miseries and is liberated. The more we practice not reacting to cravings or aversions, the more we see things for what they really are. They just are. How we react to the facts are what can bring on the cravings and aversions. Think about that today as you go about your lives.

How can our physical life give us happiness? The choices we make in our physical day to day lives can increase our energy, good energy that grows exponentially. Then we can share more and more of our best selves with others, rather than our miserable selves. We all go on the misery hamster wheel at times. It is the stuff of bickering, self deprecation, and the activities around those. When we eat nutrient dense foods, sleep well, carve out quiet time, and move our bodies, we gain energy and begin to shift our world a little into a more positive space. Then we become the person with energy, energy, energy! The more energy we have, the more we have to give. Isn't that great? Be happy.

Please share your thoughts on this. Then engage a friend with these questions too. I want to hear from you.

Blessings,
KJ Landis
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Good Grief!

6/1/2020

During this uprecedented pandemic, many of us are taking stock of our lives. We are taking the forced down time to reflect, really reflect, upon the ones we care about, our experiences, both good and bad, and grieving over ones lost. Sometimes new waves of grief come even when a loved one has passed away years ago. We may have triggers pop up unexpectedly. Please, my tribe, do not try to stuff down feelings. We are entitled to all of the facets of our lives. We do not have to put on a brave face. Besides, our faces are covered with large protective masks most of the time, so sob away.

Grief is not a linear model. The stages we may feel over the loss of a relationship through a break up or a move away may feel deep, oh so deep as death. We do not have to get over loss. We must get through loss, one day at a time, more like a wild rollercoaster ride rather than a sleek linear train ride. And, that is enough. It is more than enough. It is good to grieve. It is good grief. Yes. We can have grief that is good. It is good for us to work, really work through our actions propelled by the feelings we feel. The best part of grieving (if it can be said there is a best part) is that although we may feel lonely at times, we are not alone. I think especially now, we are not alone. So many humans around the world are experiencing the same things in the same time frame. We are an important part of history.

I leave you with this. Reach out to your friends, family, colleagues in the many ways there are to communicate. Imagine the isolation of the early 20th century when the flu pandemic was widespread. Those folks were more isolated than we are, with no tv, phones, cell phones, text, facetime, skype, zoom, etc. We can call upon each others' strengths and humor to connect. We can connect with our creative expression through the many art forms, uniting the human family. Good grief builds resilience. I accept. Do you?

I want to hear from you.
Blessings.
KJ Landis

Vitamin D!!!

5/25/2020

For many of us over 50 years of age, our childhood was riddled with sunburns in the summer time and windburns in the winter time. We knew as much about sunscreen and skin protection as Susie Chapstick from the commercials in the 1970s. Commercials back in the 1970s were all about getting the St. Tropez tan, the darker the better. Remember the toddler on the Coppertone ads? If we used the most popular products we would get darker, faster. My family could not afford the more expensive brands of suntan lotion, as it was called back then. It was for the express purpose of tanning, not screening. I used baby oil or artificial lard shortening on my body when I laid out in the back yard. I was told by a (smart) neighbor girl that if my stomach began sweating and itching I was doing it right.

Fast forward 40 or so years. We now know from the science and medical professionals that a sunburn does not necessarily turn into the tan of one's dreams. They often turn into spots, leathery skin, or even worse, they may turn into some types of skin cancers. The tans of our youth may turn into age spots some years later. My dermatologist told me at a recent appointment, when I swore up and down that I slather on SPF 50 or higher every time I leave the house, that I was "paying for the sins of my youth." How eloquent. My shoulders, which had not seen sun in years without a heavy dose of SPF had little dark brown freckles. I could hike all day long in the sun, reapplying vigorously and not get any tan at all. I was as proud of this fact as I was of my lard burns of my preteen years.

Enter the Paleo living lifestyle of the 21st century. The more ancient ways of whole food eating, moving like our ancestors did, and enjoying sunshine for its role in vitamin D have been rediscovered. Recently, folks have learned the value of the sun in its role of providing us with vitamin D. Vitamin D has properties which help us absorb calcium. It is a fat soluble vitamin, which means it is better absorbed when eaten with fat. When we eat foods that have vitamin D in them, usually they are fortified foods, meaning that they do not naturally have vitamin D in them. Instead, food companies add it in. Exposure to sunlight allows our bodies to make vitamin D and convert it into its active form. We cover up with a lot of clothing most of the time. We work indoors, then go into our cars and into our homes, malls, restaurants, etc. Unless we conscioulsy make a decision to wear shorts and a tee shirt and expose most of our body to the sun, we may have less vitamin D than we need for optimim health.

Vitamin D helps regulate blood pressure, build immunity, keeps our muscular strength and bone density up, and also reduces inflammation. Inflammation in the body plays a role in many chronic diseases and conditions, especially as we age. Vitamin D converts to the active form less and less as we age. People with darker skin need more and more sunlight exposure to produce vitamin D than those with lighter skin. Some mushrooms have vitamin D in them, but no other plant-based foods produce any vitamin D. Check your levels by consulting a health practitioner.

When going out in the sun to get your vitamin D and fresh air, I suggest at least 20 minutes of exposure a day, and uncover the arms, legs, and face. Well, what about sunscreen? Yes, use your SPF, and enjoy your time outdoors even longer with protection from the concerns shared above.

Let me know what you do after reading this blog! I want to hear from you!
Blessings,
KJ Landis

Why Yoga?

5/18/2020

I first began practicing yoga in a dark conference room of the public library in Pittsburgh, where they had free community classes on Saturday mornings. It was led by a woman in her 70s with a thick Hungarian accent. I was 15 at the time and the only person in the dark room who wasn’t a senior citizen.

It was 1979. I felt like I had stumbled upon a secret. Everyone in the room was so flexible and limber, youthful despite their ages. The guide had such a velvety and hypnotic voice, teaching and showing us the poses with encouragement, rather than a boastful demeanor of her own movement prowess. I showed up every Saturday for a year.

Off and on during the years since then I have taken yoga in the gyms I belonged to, always enjoying my return and wondering why I had ever stopped.

Seven years ago I tried a 90 minute hot yoga class and immediately felt like it was a challenge I would never get used to... I kept returning day after day to see if it would ever get easier. The heat was 105 degrees Fahrenheit minimum and the humidity was at least 46%. Every time I went into the studio, I was bringing a different set of experiences from the past 24 hours, resulting in that the practice was different every single time! What I ate, drank, moved, how I slept, my emotional experience from the day before, it ALL affects the next day’s practice. So I was totally hooked on the familiar and yet unknown on a daily basis!

As humans we are constantly changing and that is the reminder from my yoga practice. It has helped me heal from 3rd degree burns on 3/4 of my body. It has helped my arthritis in my back and knees. It has helped my attitude for the reminder of the day after my practice. It has helped me be a more patient, compassionate, empathetic, and kind spirit on the planet.

I encourage everyone to enjoy the benefits from yoga. There are no fancy tools to buy to do the work either. Bring your body, and the mind and heart will follow. I promise.

Blessings,
KJ Landis, Superior Self
PERMALINK: https://outwittrade.com/yoga-benefits#kj

Mother Knows Best

5/11/2020

Recently I was asked to contribute to an article about the best piece of advice my mother gave me. While I tried to remember something deep and spiritual she shared with me as a life guide, I wasn't coming up with anything. Don't get me wrong. Mother had a lot of strong opinions on the ways to do just about everything, but it wasn't advice for me to grow from and be a deeper human. She was overbearing with her love, but her advice was always more practical. "Wear clean underwear, in case of an emergency. You don't want the ambulance personnel or doctor to think you are a dirty person." I laugh about it now, but always heeded that bit of advice.

The best piece of advice my amazing mother (now deceased) gave me was this: moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. I didn’t know about moisturizing when I was little and I watched her put her face together every morning before taking care of us 5 kids! And at the end of the night she washed her face with olive oil to take her makeup off and then moisturized with a water based moisturizer. I was fascinated by the jars and bottles of seemingly magical potions and creams that beautified my mother.

I was the youngest of the 5 kids at home, and being a girl, I wanted to follow my beautiful mother around like a little puppy dog! When I was 12 years old my mother took me downtown Pittsburgh, PA, and got our ears pierced together. I was so impressed that she waited for me to
grow up a little and have this as our preteen bonding ritual. On the way home we took a detour to a big department store and went to the beauty department. The lady behind the counter put lots of creams on me and gave my mother samples to take home.

It was so much fun for a kid to have the personal attention of two grown women that I subscribed to the moisturizing ritual for life. Now that I am grown, I moisturize from head to toe daily. I even make my own moisturizers. I have instilled in my children the same message: moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!

What is your most memorable piece of advice that your mother or guardian ever shared with you? I want to hear from you!

Blessings,
KJ Landis

Let's Play a Game!

5/4/2020

During these past few weeks at home, I have been asking myself some questions because I have time to reflect more. I know a lot of you are feeling the same way. So I thought it would be fun to play a game with you. I will ask you some questions and you all will ask your friends and family these questions too! It can be played by virtual experience if you aren't living with them. This is an opportunity to get to know yourselves better, and those in your circle of love. Your responses may have changed from what you or your friends and family previously believed. That is the beauty of life. we are always changing and learning.

1. What is your favorite color? Has it changed from the past? Why or why not? Is there a particular memory related to the reason why you have that as your favorite color?

2. If you could transform into an animal, what animal would you be and why?

3. What is your favorite meal? Why? If you have more than one favorite, share!

3. How tall did you think you were going to be when you were a little kid? Did you make it?

4. Where is a vacation place you have dreamed of going? Why?

5. If you could spend a day with anyone living or deceased, from any age, who would it be and why?

6. When you were little and folks asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" what was your answer? Has that come true? Why or why not?

7. What is your favorite scent and why?

8. What is your favorite childhood memory?

9. What does hope mean to you right now?

If you want to share with me, I would be happy to hear from you!

Blessings,
KJ Landis

Girlfriend or Boyfriend?

4/27/2020

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls! I am so happy to share with you my creative juices after a night of great sleep. Those of you who know me well, know the power that dreaming has upon my life. Ever since I was a young child I have remembered my dreams, I have dreamed in color, and I have kept dream diaries. Some of my most creative writing and art projects have come from my dreams. Today I woke up and thought of two new titles for my book, Happy Healthy You, the second edition. Coming soon...

I also woke up with a sleepy idea that arrived with a question: Why do we call our significant other BOYFRIEND or GIRLFRIEND? Unless we are young teens, it really doesn't make sense. Yet, throughout my adult life, I still have called my significant other "boyfriend" until we got married. So, today, I am asking you to rethink the concept and the word. Do they match? Is it less responsibility, commitment, and pressure to say those words? How about using grown up words like lover, partner, or sweetheart?

When we are inside for the shelter in place we have more time to ponder our thoughts, words, and deeds. We have time to allow the thoughts to really flow in free association because we are less busy. We have moments of pure imagination. What a blessing it is, to be able to really be with ourselves and our sparks of creation. What respect I have for all of you, for indulging me in the process of reading my works, whether short or long. I want to hear from you!

Thank you.
Sincerely,
KJ Landis

What to Do Next

4/20/2020

Some of us may have a passion for an activity outside of the way we earn money at this time. "If only I had enough time to devote myself to my passion, I would be able to earn an income from it." This is what I had been saying to myself for years. I have heard many of you share the same sentiments with me over correspondence.

At this time in our lives, where we are ordered to stay home and shelter in place, many of us have become unemployed. What a perfect time to really devote yourself to yourself! Dig deeply into the passions and see what bubbles up for you in the process. Can you make money at it when this shelter in place is all over? For me, I receive insights for my wellness business when I am moving, exercising indoors or outdoors. The blood flowing through my tissues and organs allows me to feel positive and the sweat and heart beats I feel with my efforts are a sign I am doing something good for myself. It is a big YES! So, what can you do to enhance your side passions during this time?

1. Make lists. List making allows us to stay on track with our goals in baby steps. We can dig deeper without getting lost in the deep holes!
2. Daydream. If there were no money to be lost or invested in your side passions, what would full freedom say to you? Write that down.
3. Action speaks louder than words. Pretend you are making money at your passion. Live in the future present. Create a daily routine as if you are in it already to win it. We have the time now to devote...
4. Ask others for their honest opinion. After making a business plan and a list, and practicing your new "work," ask someone you trust to look over and discuss honestly what he or she thinks. If you know some friends or family members who created their own dream jobs, ask them for guidance and constructive criticism.
5. Watch the tv show SHARK TANK. It really supports this model of making one's side passions come to life in the business world. Plus, if something is not viable, the advice is priceless. It is a free mentor-ship show!

I hope this has helped you, sweet friends, during this down time!
Blessings,
KJ Landis

Observe the Animals

4/13/2020

Many times on my videos, I praise the great outdoors while observing the creatures, plants, sounds, and scents. Today I would like to discuss animals in particular. When we observe animals closely, any animal, we can begin to understand what it is to live in the moment. We can see what it is like to be here, now. Enjoy and absorb every moment, moment to moment, and then it is gone. I see animals doing their "thing" with total focus of energy, like a laser beam of thought. It may be primal and instinctual, but the attention is on the instant intention. When a friend sends me a video of his cat licking its paw, it is just licking its paw. It is not planning what it is going to do after licking its paw. It is not thinking about what to buy for dinner, how many clothes there are to wash, how the kids didn't do their homework, etc.

There is a true sense of freedom in the animals I observe. If I am to become more mindful of each action I choose to do, while I am doing it, I can practice the freedom of living moment to moment too. We humans have to work at it, where creatures just do it. They really have mastered the art of being. During this time of shelter in place, we actually have the time to slow down and really focus. It is a gift. This may be the most magical learning time of our lives, if we allow it. We must embrace our inner souls and say, "I am." That is enough, more than enough.

I love you all. Thank you for the encouragement to keep sharing my thought in this space.
Blessings,
KJ Landis

We are One

4/6/2020

During this time of the Corona Virus, many communities around the world are held in a shelter in place order. This means we are to not leave the home unless we are getting essential supplies, going for medical care, or getting some fresh air. We must keep 6 feet away from others who aren't in our home space. We are to wash our hands often, very often, with hot water and soap for at least 27 seconds. My family and coworkers have been washing for double the time, just to be sure we are doing our best not to spread any germs. Singing the ABC song or Happy Birthday song twice helps with this extension of time.

When on my hikes and walks out in nature, I have seen so many families out exercising together! This is perhaps the first time in my life where I have seen so many people hiking, biking, skateboarding, skating, riding scooters, and running together. I witnessed fathers teaching daughters how to ride bikes, and mothers teaching sons how to roller skate! The smiles I witnessed around my local Lake Merced in San Francisco have been genuine. I truly have been keeping my 6 feet away from others not in my inner circle, but a smile travels miles. It is a real time of coming together as humans, if we let it.

This time in our lives can also bring us into a dark place of fear, anger, anxiety, and depression, if we allow those things to happen. The choice is yours. Find a person who you trust to share the darker feelings with. You will find out that you are not alone. Bonding through phone calls, FaceTime, emails, Skype, Zoom, and snail mail can bring us together with each other. The world is going trough this together, as one human race. We need each other and the earth's healing now, more than ever. Every challenge teaches us something. It can make us stronger in the next phase of our lives.

I believe in us. I believe love conquers fear. I have hope and love for you all. Smile at a stranger today. It can change everything.
Blessings,
KJ Landis

Simple & Fast Spring Recipes

3/30/2020

During the spring season, we usually are getting outside after being cooped up all winter! This year, because of the shelter in place ruling in a lot of US states, we are going stir crazy! So many of my tribe are asking me to give them indoor activities to keep fit while sequestered. They are also cooking together as a family! The internet is full of simple, fast and healthy spring meals! My motto is, "Dinner in 30 minutes or less, or we make reservations!" Well, all the restaurants are closed, so we must be creative, innovative, and we must conserve our funds. Most everyone I know is on unemployment right now. I have been laid off from 3 jobs where I regularly earn income.

As a busy mom, life and wellness coach, author and still waitressing at night (during non-virus times), I have to make smart and simple choices for nourishing my family. I don't usually use exact measurements but taste as I go along. I do consult my recipe development expert when developing recipes for cookbooks. That would be my daughter, Sage who is a teenager and has been going to cooking school for years.

My spring recipe is red snapper with paprika and broccoli. This delicious and nutritious meal is made on the stove top in one pan. Feel free to add a healthy starch of your family's choice!

Stove Top Snapper with Broccoli

Ingredients:
-2 large snapper
-grape seed/coconut oil
-salt/pepper/smoked paprika
-garlic powder
-chopped broccoli
-thinly sliced onions

Directions:
Heat oil on medium.
Add fish and season to taste. Blacken on one side and when you flip it, add veggies on top. Then put a lid on it and steam until fully cooked.
Enjoy!

I hope this helps you all during "lock down."
There are a lot of recipes with pictures on my website, blog, and videos. Check them out. Be well.

Blessings,
KJ Landis

I Love Ginger!

3/23/2020

It seems there are so many new discoveries being made about super foods. There are lots of super foods nowadays and they are helpful in many areas of health other than their basic caloric and nutrient absorption. That is why they are toted as super foods! Ginger is a super food that has been seen as healthy and flavorful for centuries. Let us start with a discussion about your exposure to ginger: What do you use ginger for? In what preparations and for what purposes?

What exactly is ginger? It is a root of the flowering plant in the turmeric and cardamom family. The flowers may be red, white, or a combination of yellow and green. The root is knotted and tubular with a light, tan-colored, shiny tough skin. The tougher and thicker the skin, the older the roots are. Roots that are a year old or more have more health benefits due to the age and maturity. They smell spicier and are heavier for their size too. The more mature roots have more concentrated essential oils inside of them. I am are so lucky to live in San Francisco because I can easily find ginger in the markets.

Ginger originated in Asia over 5000 years ago, but has been mentioned in ancient texts from all over the world. The ginger root has essential oils, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and phyto-chemicals that combine to provide healing properties. What are phyto-chemicals? Phyto-chemicals are naturally occurring compounds that boost cellular function. They make everything work better. They act as antioxidants, antibacterials, antivirals, and anti inflammatory agents. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Ginger includes 10 essential amino acids that the body does not make. We must get our essential amino acids through foods.

Ginger may be used for digestion issues, headaches, joint aches, flu and cold symptoms, infections, and more. Ginger is great for pregnant women as a warrior against nausea. I have a coworker who says, “Mother Nature is our shield and our sword.” Think about that statement. Plant matter can kill or cure. Usually in the forest if there is something poisonous to eat, there is a plant about two feet away that is the cure for the poison.

Ginger improves circulation, metabolism, and aids in giving us energy. Ginger helps to reduce the LDL (bad cholesterol) and improves the HDL (good cholesterol). It assists in the healthy functioning of hormones, including insulin. This helps with regulating blood sugar levels. It may aid with type II diabetes. How and why does it help with sugar and insulin? The ginger root keeps us from craving sugar. What does this? The spiciness. When we eat a lot of refined foods on a daily basis it affects our hormones and therefore our moods. We have all suffered from sugar highs and crashes. Adding ginger to our diet, even the candied dried variety can assist in stopping the cravings for junk food and sweets.

Pickled and fermented ginger, featured in Asian cooking, whether as a main component or as a condiment, can keep us from getting food poisoning from a bad batch of fish, sushi, or sashimi. Fermented and pickled ginger helps us absorb nutrients from the foods we eat along side of it. It is a probiotic. The probiotics plant themselves in the intestines. helps with digestion and immunity in this way. The more variety of probiotics introduced into the intestines, the more beautiful, healthy, and varied your internal garden will be.

We eat ginger in a myriad of ways:

Powdered
Raw
Juiced
Whole
Cooked
Candied
Fermented
Pickled
Essential oil

Here are some examples ginger preparations:
~kombucha with ginger
~pickled ginger
~ginger candy
~ginger tea with honey
~ginger in soups
~ginger in slaw
~ginger oil in a diffuser for focus and energy
~ginger with coconut oil for oil pulling from teeth
~ginger oil mixed with a carrier oil for headaches
~ginger cake
~ginger cookies
~ ginger ale or ginger beer was used for upset stomach since the 1850s
~chewing on a small piece of ginger like gum for 15-20 minutes releases all of the nutrients directly into the bloodstream and digestive tract
~the natural pH of ginger helps reduce acid in the stomach and heartburn symptoms

Now at the end of our wonderful time together, I must caution you. If taking prescription medication please consult with your health care provider about adding ginger to your daily routine. You may want to alter some of your medications as you increase the ginger products because of the general health benefits ginger provides. Also check for interactions with certain medications. I am not a doctor and cannot give personal medical advice. I am a research junkie and self-experimenter. I have found ginger to help me when I am sick and when I am healthy.

Enjoy your ginger snacks!
Blessings,
KJ Landis

Serenity and Support During Our Worldwide Chaotic Times

3/16/2020

This week we are to look at ourselves in a way of self-care and community support for those who are experiencing similar challenges. Developing serenity and supporting each other during uncertain and anxious times is not easy for most of us. Worldwide health and political turmoil is uncharted territory for a lot of us. Self care feels like a birthright during normal times. In times of worldwide unrest, however, self-care may seem selfish to ourselves, and to observers.

In peaceful times and in chaotic times, individuals still suffer from personal challenges, both big and small. How we deal with the situations personally and in a community may not be the same. The end goal is the same, though. We must sift out truths in the media drama, and we must take care of ourselves no matter what the circumstances.

To find peace within, I suggest taking a few minutes a day to breath slowly in silence, or to meditate, either in silence or with a free guided meditation app. This will help lower the chaos within. Meditation even lowers blood pressure, and helps the nervous system calm down. This will in turn help the hormones not rise up in a fight or flight reaction continuously.

To support each other in a productive way, we need to call each other and talk, really have a deep conversation with others, get together in person; any way of keeping the lines of communication open is important. Talking about our fears with others can let us all know we are not alone, and together we can make a plan, or to just be there to listen.

I hope this has helped your journey.
Sincerely,
KJ Landis

Jack of All Trades

3/9/2020

Giving myself the joy of curiosity in all things health related, I have become immersed in research. For the past 8 years, since I lost 50 pounds, I have been focused on keeping the weight off, and also focused upon helping myself heal from arthritis. The holistic approach has led me to deep dives in the health benefits and history of various superfoods like garlic, ginger. CBD, coffee, chocolate, vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free, dairy free subjects (just to name a few items of interest). Of couse, being a natural teacher, I could not bear to keep all of the good news to myself! So I coached others towards their superior selves. I also began teaching youth and senior groups privately, as well as library patrons and transportation workers here in the Bay Area.

Folks may claim that I am a jack of all trades, yet a master of none. I claim that humans are multifaceted beings with many interests. Lucky for me I am carving out my path in the wellness and prevention areas of health! So I take the title proudly. My cousin Suzie told me that if we focus on one area of research and practice for 7 years we are considered to be experts in that arena. I have exceeded the 7 years by many. I am an expert in the wellness world! Let me know how I may be of help to you. Thank you for the support and trust.

Sincerely,
KJ Landis

The Unhealthiest Things in Our World (In My Opinion)

3/2/2020

Recently I was asked to share my thoughts on what are the most unhealthy things on the planet. My answers could come from any area of what we are in contact with regularly.

From my years of coaching and research, I find donuts and French fries to be the unhealthiest foods. They combine sugar, unhealthy fat, and trans fats in order to be irresistible! Then the body wants more and more of these. They cause the body to react with a glucose spike of energy in the blood and then crashes.

For the household items, I would say bleach and ammonia. They are poisonous if swallowed (by a small child especially) and create strong aromas that are irritating to the skin and nostrils. Try using white vinegar for the cleaning instead. There are plenty of natural non-caustic cleaners on the market these days.

Finally, for the planet’s health, I say plastics are the unhealthiest thing on earth. Not only do they pollute the waters and land, they decompose and emit plant estrogens into the environment. This acts like human estrogen and can put our endocrine system out of whack. Plastics are being swallowed by sea life, killing lots of creatures as well.

I hope this has helped you, dear readers.
Sincerely,
KJ Landis

My 3 Top Fat and Weight Loss Tips!!!

2/24/2020

I get a lot of emails and questions in person asking me how I lost the weight, how I kept it off, and what do I do when I find myself slipping back into bad habits of my past. There are a few things I rely on over and over again, not only for me, but for my loved ones whom I help on their health journey,

My go to list for my clients contains these 3 tips:

1. Water! We need to consume more and more water in order to see if we are truly hungry, or if we are socially and emotionally hungry. When I lost 50 pounds 7 years ago I was adding some lemons and cucumbers to my water bottles to make them more flavorful. Now that I exercise in a hot yoga studio, I add a pinch of pink Himalayan salt or an electrolyte powder as well. It takes about three weeks for the body to get used to consuming g a gallon of water a day. Take it in baby steps, incrementally wards up about a cup a day. After three weeks your body will adjust accordingly.

2. Enlist a buddy. Accountability is key. If someone is waiting for you to work out with them or check in daily with your meal plan and activity chart, you will be more likely to stick with the program. You may even help the relationship grow closer!

3. Journal. I believe in the power of writing down our thoughts and feelings along the way. Each tiny success is a yes to you in a healthy body. It’s a life affirming book.

I hope this has helped you, my dear readers.
Sincerely,
KJ Landis

Is Blood Thicker Than Water?

2/17/2020

So many of us have heard the above phrase during our lives. "Blood is thicker than water." Family first is what it means, the blood line and heritage that connects us will bind us to our blood relatives. But is the bond healthy? Is it equal, 50-50 of giving and receiving? Are our family members draining our energy or feeding us inspiration, motivation, support, and unconditional love? Are we willing to work on the relationships or do we do the family celebrations out of a feeling of obligation? What about the strangers we meet, whom we fall in love with, and with whom we become become a family? Now our kids have the blood lines of the two strangers becoming one.

I believe that a lot of family issues are surrounded by the overwhelming feeling of obligation, of trying so hard, on all sides to represent the HALLMARK movies of the week. It just is not doable, or realistic. I have been hurt by blood relatives, and so have you. The families we make are the ones we choose, from the strangers who become our best friends, to roommates we are thrown in with in college, and beyond. Do your own work on yourself, and the right peoplewho will support your dreams will come into your lives, who do support you no matter what. I have people outside the bloodlines who I know I can count on at 3am when there is an emergency, but I would not dream of waking up some siblings with that emergency. I have sister-friends whom I would call at 3am when I wake up from an incredible dream, yet I would be laughed at (or incite anger) in the circle of family for sharing at such a time. Think about the adult mentor or teacher who helped shape your being when you were vulnerable and open to learning...You know who they are.

Family are the ones we crave in a healthy manner, and we just click, blood or not. Sometimes we outgrow those relationships as well, and it is okay. Do not feel guilty about the natural loss of the attraction. They came into our lives to teach us something about ourselves, and then when the lessons are learned there is a natural (or unnatural) exit. That doesn't mean the time spent together was not valuable. It is ALL valuable, for it helps us along life's journey.

What do you think about this? Who is your PERSON, no matter what? Are they related by blood or not? I want to hear from you!

Sincerely,
KJ Landis
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