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Simple Acts of Kindness

12/31/2017

I think during this new year energy we should renew some simple acts of kindness. The way in which we share our loving and positive energy is always given to us again and again, but we do not do them for the return gift. We just have to open up and learn how to receive abundance and goodies. Some folks can be generous and it is harder for them to receive niceties back to them. They are used to being the one who always treats others at meals out, spa days, or surprises. Start small, and see the influence grow. Others are so focused on getting ahead in their material lives that they forget to practice simple strategies for loving kindness daily.

As a life and wellness coach, I encourage folks to follow their instincts, sit quietly for a few moments a day, and write down their positive future goals as if they are happening now.

To be positive and happy, we have to practice using that muscle. Simple strategies for kindness which create more positive energy all around us are contagious! I think a smile at a stranger while walking throughout the day can change our outlook for the day. Daily practice of the smile can lead to wonderful experiences. Trust me. We are giving unconditionally and usually the people smile back! Saying thank you often is a kindness strategy that is feel good too. Opening the door for others and giving up a seat for the ill or physically challenged person is a kind deed that will be small but noticed by the “universe.”
Handwriting a thank you card instead of an email or phone call is a kindness that is old fashioned but people are very grateful for.

When I do something nice for someone else my day flows a little better. This is a great way to begin 2018.

I hope this helps.
Sincerely,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self series

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Are You a Self Starter?

12/25/2017

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Are you a self starter or someone who tries new activities and things based upon the influences of others? I'm not judging positively or negatively in either direction. It just came to me this morning to write about this as I was pondering my own ways of decision making and my kids' choices in school activities, extracurricular activities, and hobbies. Knowing who you are can help you in your life.

Me? I'm a self starter. I just dream up ideas, literally. I have intense, colorful adventures in my dreams and then I wake up and say to myself that I am going to sign up for a class in X, Y, or Z because of that seed of inspiration. I jog or hike in nature and God plants an idea in me that came out of the blue and I'm obsessed with it until I research it all the way through. That means to me, I'm a self starter. Allow me to give you an example of this: A month ago, I was making tea with honey. I inhaled the honey and wondered how they made honey perfume or cologne smell so true to the source. Honey is food! If we bottled honey and spread it on our pulse points we would smell great and be sticky!. So I began researching all things about the science of creating the honey scent in a laboratory.

My daughter is inspired by others and their passions for things for the most part. In 2nd grade, her close friend was really into piano. My daughter begged me for piano lessons. In 7th grade she was hanging out daily with the girls who did Olympic weightlifting. Now she is enjoying that activity regularly because they were so into it. Being influenced positively by who you surround yourself with is a wonderful thing. This builds community and a team spirit, a tribe of support.

My point here is that both of these techniques we use in our lives. Sometimes we stumble upon something we are passionate about by watching it on tv while making dinner. Sometimes we are invited specifically to an event by a friend who wants to introduce us to an activity, business, or art they practice or showcase. These methods serve us at different times in our lives and for different life goals as well. We do lean towards one style of decision making or another though.

I challenge you for the next few days to step outside of yourself when making simple decisions. Observe whether you pick the vegetables at the grocery store because the person next to you is enthusiastically chatting about them and putting them in his or her basket, or because you had your vegetables in mind before you got to the store. Do you go to the gym because your friend, the teacher is teaching spinning and you made a commitment to go, or do you go outside for a walk in nature and spend time alone for a while hiking because you have something internal to work out?

Who inspires you most and why? Do you think you are more of a self starter or more of someone who is inspired by others into action? Remember, no judgment!

Blessings,
KJ Landis

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Milk Facts

12/18/2017

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There are a lot of things we know about milk. Regular milk that we buy at the store comes from female cows, mostly factory farmed cows, not living a happy pastured life in the sun. They are hooked up to milking machines. They are fed hormones and antibiotics regularly and the milk is mass produced. The cheaper the milk, the less nutrient dense the milk is. Regular milk is homogenized and pasteurized. Homogenized means the fat molecules are spun really quickly so they are spaced out evenly in the milk and the fat does not clump or rise to the top. Pasteurized means the milk was heat treated to kill certain bacteria. In the olden days they thought the heat treatment may have kept humans from getting sick from spoiled milk. Most milk products are pasteurized today.

Full fat vitamin D milk is only 3 percent fat. Then we move down to 2 percent milk, which folks thought was better for health during the rise of the fear of fat from animal products in the 1970s. We see on shelves 1 percent milk and even skim milk, which is about a half a percent fat. Skim milk facts :
Before processing, skim milk has a very unappetizing blueish color, a chalky taste, and watery texture that doesn’t resemble natural milk at all. So, to whiten, thicken, and make it taste a little more normal, powdered milk solids are often mixed into the milk. What’s so bad about powdered milk? Well, in the manufacturing process, liquid milk is forced through tiny holes at very high pressure, which causes the cholesterol in the milk to oxidize, and toxic nitrates to form. Oxidized cholesterol contributes to the buildup of plaque in the arteries, while unoxidized cholesterol from unprocessed foods is actually an antioxidant to help fight inflammation in the body. The proteins found in powdered milk are so denatured that they are unrecognizable by the body and contribute to inflammation. Finally there is non fat milk, which has no fat at all inside of it, and barely tastes like milk at all. In fact, they add milk sugars to nonfat milk to make it taste like milk again.

When consuming dairy products, I suggest go for the highest quality that you can afford. Try for grass fed, pastured products. Then move up to full fat, organic, raw, grass fed pastured versions. See if it makes a difference in how you feel afterwards. Some of my lactose intolerant clients have zero reaction to raw unpasteurized dairy products.

I want to hear from you!
Blessings,
KJ Landis

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Apple Cider Vinegar

12/11/2017

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Apple cider vinegar is a fermented food. Fermented foods have been used for generations upon generations as a way of preserving the food item so they naturally last longer. Apple cider vinegar has bacteria in it called probiotics. The probiotics are the bacteria which can plant itself in the intestines and helps us to digest food. The variety of bacteria comes from all sorts of fermented foods like sauerkraut, yogurts, kimchee, cured meats, cheeses, vinegars, and even wine. The more variety in the “garden” the better the health overall.

The “mother” is a cloudy and sometimes stringy looking substance. The bottom of raw apple cider has the “mother” because it is heavier than the rest of the liquid. This is the probiotic in its most dense area. That’s why I shake gently before pouring the shots of apple cider vinegar. This disperses the good bacteria throughout the whole bottle.

Remember, the pasteurized apple cider vinegar has no live probiotics in it due to the heat used in pasteurization, even if it tastes the same.

I hope this helps.
Sincerely,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self series

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Positive Injection!

12/4/2017

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Many folks just need a daily positive injection, but don’t know how to begin. Perhaps they were meant to feel “less than” from an early age and now they feel stuck. I encourage my clients to go outside in nature as often as possible. Connecting with nature helps with high blood pressure, stress, and anxiety. It engages our five senses and allows us to realize we are part of nature, not separate from it. I also encourage my tribe to add music by earbuds when hiking or walking in nature. They don’t have to use music all of the time, because nature provides its own orchestra, but motivational music can put pep in the step!

I feel so many amazing emotions rise and fall when I listen to a variety of music on my run, hike, or walk. Afterwards there is a sense of change for the better, in every area of my life.

I hope this helps with your daily feelings of a positive attitude and happiness.
Blessings,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self series

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Simple Acts of Kindness

Are You a Self Starter?

Milk Facts

Apple Cider Vinegar

Positive Injection!

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