Blog - Superior Self

Nature is Right Outside Your Door

5/8/2023

As you walk outside your door today, remember that there is true power that can be harnessed by connecting more deeply with the natural world around you. Our front lawns, the walk to our cars or bus stop, the common areas in and around the buildings we encounter have plants and trees. Our parks are filled with planned gardens and landscapes. How lucky we are! If you can't get away to the countryside, hills, forests, or beaches, engage in nature which is closest to you. You will feel lighter after some time walking in nature, no matter what your mood in the beginning of your connection with nature.

Our ancestors knew how to speak to the trees and the wind that blew through the grass under their feet. In our modern world, this concept may be called silly or pure lunacy... but is it possible that there is more to this beautiful existence than we know? Can we thank our grasses for their service? Can we thank the trees for their service? Can we thank the vegetables and fruits for their service? Can we thank water for its service? Each time I hike, I thank the flowers and fungi for their service. I thank the animals I see. I thank my body for its service. Thank you is a powerful sentence which has served me well throughout my life. My husband and I have raised our children with the motto, "Please and thank you go a long, long way."

The Quechua people are indigenous people from Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Colombia. Their connection to the land is always present, front and center. Most of the Quechua people make their living from farming. Other forms of income are from creating textiles from the bounty the earth provides.Here is a Quechua inspired prayer from the High Andes Mountains of Peru. May it serve you well today and fill up your cup of appreciation for nature.

Great Creator, Grant me the light of wisdom.
Mother Earth, bountiful source,
Help me draw strength from the ground beneath my feet.
Father Sun, radiant child,
Fill me with the warmth and energy to face my trials.
Mountain Spirits, who walk the wind,
Guide me on the path of resilience and determination.
May the sacred waters cleanse my soul,
And may the fires of transformation forge my spirit.
In unity with all living beings,
I embrace the power within me,
To overcome obstacles and grow ever stronger.
Jallalla!

Blessings,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self Series
-CPT, CFI, Life and Wellness Coach
-Nutrition Educator
www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com
-SuperiorSelf on YouTube
-superiorself on Instagram, Twitter
-KJ Landis on LinkedIn
-Superior Self with KJ Landis on Facebook
-superiorselfwithkjlandis on TikTok
Books available wherever books are sold.

Whatever gets us eating healthier will help us in all facets of our lives because what we eat becomes us.

Understanding Communicable Disease in Childcare Centers

5/1/2023

Communicable diseases are illnesses spread from one person to another. They can be caused by tiny insects or germs that can get into or onto the body. Examples of these are colds, flus, chicken pox, lice, and hepatitis A. Most childhood illnesses are caused by communicable diseases. Preschool age children have some symptoms of illness 1/3 to 1/2 of the year. This is because their immune systems are not built up as much as when they are older. The mild illnesses actually help to build their immune systems as they grow. That is not to say that we should not clean and manage our homes and childcare centers. We have a responsibility to help prevent highly contagious illnesses for all of our community. Kids usually bounce back easier than older folks, so we must take steps to ensure everyone is doing their part in order to keep everyone as healthy as possible.

The best defense that we have against contagious disease is our own body. Healthy skin and tissues are an excellent barrier to germs. A strong internal immune system effectively fights off most of the germs that enter the body. When we take care of ourselves with proper exercise, nutrition, and rest, the body takes care of itself. Add to those measures, mental and emotional wellness, healthy relationships, and a sense of connection, and we have even more immune building resources.

There are some universal precautions we can take in childcare centers, since kids get sick more often during the year. They are: proper handwashing, use of gloves, disinfecting surfaces, etc. We need to do these things consistently, whether the kids appear to be sick or not. We cannot tell by looking at someone whether they are carrying an infectious disease or not.

Handwashing is the single most important infection control measure. Staff, children, and guardians need to wash hands properly. Wash hands when preparing or serving food, when clearing food, when giving medication, when cleaning up human or animal waste, or after art and outdoor play. Scrubbing hands, lower arms, and under fingernails with soap and warm water for 20 seconds is important. I taught my kids to sing the ABC song twice while washing their hands.

We can make cleaning our hands and cleaning our areas of work and play fun by adding songs about cleaning and staying healthy. Let the kids add their own words of input for the songs, like an improv session!

Be well,
KJ Landis

Author and Creator of the Superior Self Series
-CPT, CFI, Life and Wellness Coach
-Nutrition Educator
www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com
-SuperiorSelf on YouTube
-superiorself on Instagram, Twitter
-KJ Landis on LinkedIn
-Superior Self with KJ Landis on Facebook
-superiorselfwithkjlandis on TikTok
Books available wherever books are sold.

Whatever gets us eating healthier will help us in all facets of our lives because what we eat becomes us.

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May is Water Safety Awareness Month

4/24/2023

On October 5, 2022, a young father of 2 drowned 10 feet from a dock in Lake Norman, North Carolina.

Along with others, a 13 year old boy named Cade witnessed the tragedy from his own back yard.

One of the onlookers who had jumped in to save the drowning man, but couldn't, said “If only I had something to throw to him I think I could have saved him!” Every second counts when someone is drowning. Time can literally be the difference between life and death.

This sparked the idea in Cade of "The Devoted Float," an awareness and resource organization focused on the importance of installing dockside lifesaving devices. Cade is working locally with the Lake Norman Marine Commission, state legislature, law enforcement, The Qualified Captain, and West Marine to spread the message of encouraging all dock owners to install a lifesaver ring. Lifesaver rings are often found on boats and at swimming pools, but rarely are they found on docks. This is a simple idea that truly can save many lives.

Cade has also started an Instagram page called @thedevotedfloat where he asks people to install dockside flotation as well as send him fun photos of installed lifesaver rings as a way to get the message out in a light hearted way.

While Cade started the movement in the Lake Norman area, his message has now spread nationally.

1 out of 7 injury related deaths are due to a drowning. There is very little time to rescue someone that is drowning and often those that jump in to save others find themselves quickly in trouble.

A flotation device is a valuable rescue tool and simple to use.

We appreciate your support in helping us spread our message. Cade is my first cousin's son. This is a remarkable effort that this young man has made to help others in a deep and devoted manner. What a big heart and drive he has! Let's keep this effort going! Read and please help save lives with a simple fix. Click here.

Blessings,
KJ Landis

-Author and Creator of the Superior Self Series
-CPT, CFI, Life and Wellness Coach
-Nutrition Educator
www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com
-SuperiorSelf on YouTube
-superiorself on Instagram, Twitter
-KJ Landis on LinkedIn
-Superior Self with KJ Landis on Facebook
-superiorselfwithkjlandis on TikTok
Books available wherever books are sold.

Whatever gets us eating healthier will help us in all facets of our lives because what we eat becomes us.

Spontaneous Remission from Cancer?

4/17/2023

In 1979, the journalist Norman Cousins wrote, "Not every illness can be overcome. But many people allow illness to disfigure their lives more than it should. They cave in needlessly. They ignore and weaken whatever powers they have for standing erect." This statement came from Anatomy of an Illness.

While we humans rely on our intelligent and proven systems of dealing with chronic and acute disease systems in the body, we must also not discount the partnership and obligation we have with ourselves to be our own champions of health. We must look at the whole human being, rather than just the illness site(s). In my own life experience, when my right knee was deteriorating badly, the first surgeon suggested that I wear a custom knee brace daily and supplement with 2 maximum strength ibuprofen followed by 2 maximum strength acetaminophen 4 hours later, around the clock. I did this for 8 months, then I had a regular checkup with my general physician. Through the regular testing, the doctor found my kidneys not working well. The doctor was very concerned, and asked me to list every supplement I was taking. When I shared the knee pain regimen, it was revealed that the specialist focused on relieving the bone on bone pain, and not on the body as a whole. What can help one area of the body can greatly harm another area, or harm the whole body. I was told to immediately stop taking all over the counter pain relievers. Luckily for me, after 5 months, my kidney function returned to normal. We were looking at dialysis as the alternative.

While our combined efforts and investigation helped my situation greatly, there were other things else at play in my life. My emotions, my free will, my choices, my positive attitude, my belief systems, my yoga, my meditation, my hiking, my positive affirmations stated out loud and written down daily, my connections with others, and my connection with the Great Other, whom some of you call God, Universal One, or Love Energy Force. If our psyche contains extra-physical capacities, beyond the intelligence and automatic internal motor commands, then we cannot discount miracles. Some of these miracles have been seen by the scientific and medical communities since the 1960s. Some of you have witnessed these experiences in your own close circles of influence.

In the New York Academy of Medicine library, there are reported about 20 cases globally of spontaneous remissions occurring yearly, and these were from terminal cancers. Clinicians aren't meeting one consensus of how this turnaround came about. The medical community does not throw out the possibility of mental therapeutics. Psychology is the only area in which the physiological is not the only mechanism at play. Other factors which have been observed as extremely helpful were the use of intensive meditation, natural supplements, and changing one's movement and eating lifestyle. If we no longer expect to find a single cause for a disease, then we should no longer expect to find a single-faceted solution to the problem. Taking a multi-faceted approach to our own healing may be the miracle itself.

Sincerely,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self Series
-CPT, CFI, Life and Wellness Coach
-Nutrition Educator
www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com
-SuperiorSelf on YouTube
-superiorself on Instagram, Twitter
-KJ Landis on LinkedIn
-Superior Self with KJ Landis on Facebook
-superiorselfwithkjlandis on TikTok
Books available wherever books are sold.

Whatever gets us eating healthier will help us in all facets of our lives because what we eat becomes us.

Glutathione is a POWERHOUSE Antioxidant

4/10/2023

We all have heard over the years that vitamins A, C, and E are natural antioxidants. So are some minerals, such as selenium, copper and zinc. Recently, the scientific community has added the tri-peptide, glutathione, to the list. Our body actually makes it in the cells. The largest producer of glutathione is the liver, which creates it from three amino acids: cysteine, glutamate, and glycine (“three peptides”).

Since glutathione serves to fight the free radicals that cause oxidative damage, we want our bodies to increase the concentration of glutathione in cells in response to oxidation. Cell oxidation is when the stress we create from everyday living, from the chemicals in the air, to the ones we put on our skin and the ones we put into our body break down the cell membranes. One of the safest and most effective ways to raise resting levels of glutathione appears to be to...(drumroll, please) exercise! Just as lifting weights can grow your muscles and cardio can strengthen your heart, physical activity creates adaptations that help protect and strengthen the cells.

Health influencers in the scientific community talk about its benefits for a number of conditions, and also tout its potential to slow the aging process.
It binds to fat-soluble toxins, not fat soluble vitamins. It supports the liver and kidneys as they work to detoxify harmful compounds, both organic and inorganic. Glutathione also helps to make proteins in the body and assists the immune system. Supplementation with glutathione has been found to improve patients with cancer, diabetes, liver disease, and brain metabolism.

For most people, the best way to boost glutathione levels is to eat foods that contain glutathione or its precursors. Nutrition is important here.

1. Alliums
Onions and garlic were both found to increase concentrations of a few forms of glutathione in rats. Both alliums raised GSH levels in the animals’ livers and kidneys. This may be one of the many mechanisms by which onions and garlic can help prevent disease.

2. Avocados
Avocados have glutathione, along with many other health-promoting compounds. A 2021 animal study contrasted avocado oil to a common hypertensive drug, prazosin, and found that, while both treatments decreased high blood pressure in hypertensive rats, only the avocado oil improved the mitochondrial function in the rats’ kidney cells. The avocado oil improved the ability of glutathione to neutralize free radicals and thereby prevent the damage often caused by high blood pressure.

3. Asparagus
If you’ve ever eaten asparagus and then noticed an odd odor when you urinate, that is from sulfur-containing compounds that form when asparagusic acid breaks down. Sulfur is one of the main ingredients in glutamate. Sulfur is part of the synthesis of glutathione. Other plant-based foods that are high in sulfur, and that are associated with increased glutathione levels are cruciferous vegetables, such as cauliflower, broccoli, broccoli sprouts, kale, brussels sprouts, and mustard greens.

4. Watermelon
Watermelon is rich in many compounds, among them lycopene and vitamin C. Both of these may lower biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation, partially through the glutathione component.

5. Pomegranate
Pomegranates are another red fruit that can boost glutathione levels. A 2014 study fed pomegranate juice to 14 healthy volunteers for 15 days and saw that their glutathione levels had risen by almost 23% by the last day of the trial. And a 2017 study gave pomegranate juice or a placebo to elite weightlifters right after a strenuous workout. Among many other positive effects, the pomegranate juice increased the antioxidant power of glutathione by about 7%.

6. Mushrooms
Some mushroom species are high in glutathione itself. One of them, the common white button mushroom has so much glutathione that a long-term study of over 15,000 participants revealed that the more mushrooms people reported eating, the lower their chances of dying. So whether it’s the glutathione or the full symphony of nutrients found in edible fungi, mushrooms can be a great addition to most diets.

There are many ways in which we ca be our own health cheerleaders. Be a partner to your health, always.
Blessings,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self Series
-CPT, CFI, Life and Wellness Coach
-Nutrition Educator
www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com
-SuperiorSelf on YouTube
-superiorself on Instagram, Twitter
-KJ Landis on LinkedIn
-Superior Self with KJ Landis on Facebook
-superiorselfwithkjlandis on TikTok
Books available wherever books are sold.

Whatever gets us eating healthier will help us in all facets of our lives because what we eat becomes us.

Let Us Discuss Lettuce!

4/3/2023

Many people love their salads. I enjoy them regularly, and my husband eats one 2 times daily. A creative salad can be a tasty, crunchy way of getting lots of veggies, especially raw leafy greens. It’s one of the few vegetables that’s routinely providing much-needed fiber, water, and micronutrients. In fact, iceberg lettuce was the first fresh produce item, other than root vegetables, that Americans were able to buy all year round in grocery stores.
For decades, iceberg dominated the lettuce market. But these days, other varieties like butterhead, romaine, and firmer leaf-types are available and seen on many salads. did you know that more iceberg lettuce is grown in California than all other varieties combined? It’s cheaper to grow than the others and is an indispensable ingredient in many fast food meals. McDonald's buys the most iceberg lettuce in the world.

Lettuce is actually part of the daisy and sunflower family. It was originally cultivated by the ancient Egyptians. Originally the Egyptians used the lettuce seeds for their oil. There are 4 types of lettuce grown commercially today: cos/romaine, loose-leaf, crisphead, and butterhead. There are also a number of leafy salad greens, including endive, frisée, and radicchio, that are commonly referred to as lettuces, but are actually members of the chicory family of vegetables. They are thicker in texture, and taste slightly bitter. Since there’s no single kind of lettuce, there’s no definitive nutritional profile for the plant. The nutrient composition varies among the different types. That said, there are some generalizations that do apply.

Like many other plants, the darker the color, the more nutrition and antioxidants the lettuce contains. These nutrients typically include vitamins A, C, and K1, as well as select B vitamins (like folate). Lettuce leaves also often contain polyphenols, carotenoids, and flavonols. Green lettuce types contain more chlorophyll, while the red types provide more anthocyanins. By weight, the main nutrient in lettuce is water. Nutritionally, that’s not a bad thing, as many people need to drink more water than they currently do. Lettuce has a lot of fiber, which adds bulk to stools and helps with constipation.

Let us hear what you think about lettuce!
Blessings,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self Series
-CPT, CFI, Life and Wellness Coach
-Nutrition Educator
www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com
-SuperiorSelf on YouTube
-superiorself on Instagram, Twitter
-KJ Landis on LinkedIn
-Superior Self with KJ Landis on Facebook
-superiorselfwithkjlandis on TikTok
Books available wherever books are sold.

Whatever gets us eating healthier will help us in all facets of our lives because what we eat becomes us.

Free Events to Make You Happy!

3/27/2023

During the beginning of Covid when we were all sheltering in place, I was seeking out free and safe events for out family to go to. I signed up for SF Standard, SF FunCheap, and SF Bucket List newsletters. The weekly free events shared and interesting facts about walking around outside observing my city with a different point of view were so illuminating and fun! I also downloaded their Instagram pages for up to the minute discoveries. I also downloaded an app called All Trails. They have a free version too. When all we could do safely was hike, run walk, or bike outside with friends, six feet apart and masked up, these events and outdoor activities saved my mental health.

Now that we are able to be together with friends an family safely again, for the most part, I am still perusing the free events weekly. To be in a creative city with all ages represented in the activities offered for free, I am thrilled every time I go to one. I encourage each and every one of you to seek out free artistic and cultural events thar bring communities together. I think they will bring you joy to see folks coming together again. It is also joyful to witness the leaders of different organizations, both for-profit and non-profit, giving back to the communities regularly.

Blessings,
KJ Landis

The Creative Spirit (We All Have It)

3/20/2023

The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 1:9, "There is nothing new under the sun." So how are we to be creative? Where do we get the spark of our creative moments? Our imaginations running wild in our dreams are rich and plentiful. Do you remember your dreams? I do. Sometimes I write them down. Sometimes I get so excited in the morning to share them with my husband, or anyone who is awake! I dream in full stories, in color, and can continue dream storylines or have repetitive dreams throughout the years.

In order to be creative, author Austin Kleon writes, "What a good artist understands is that nothing comes from nowhere. All creative work builds on what came before." All of your genetics come from your parents and theirs before them help to design you! You are a creation. You are a work of art yourself! So, of course you have a creative spirit. We tap into the creativity within after being sparked and passionate about something we engage in for the first time. If it resonates with us at a deeper level, we engage in it more often, read up on it, google it, seek out others who like what we like, etc. We are in the zone!

Digging deeper and researching is part of the creative spirit. We may look to the professionals in any area we are interested in. Schooling ourselves breeds new ideas for our creativity that can be parallel or a spin off. Curiosity is a gift. Everyone has that gift. Now, go make something!

Blessings,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self Series
-CPT, CFI, Life and Wellness Coach
-Nutrition Educator
www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com
-SuperiorSelf on YouTube
-superiorself on Instagram, Twitter
-KJ Landis on LinkedIn
-Superior Self with KJ Landis on Facebook
Books available wherever books are sold.

Whatever gets us eating healthier will help us in all facets of our lives because what we eat becomes us.

Chasing a Positive Mindset

3/13/2023

Last night I watched a documentary movie titled Unsinkable: The Secret to Bouncing Back. It was filmed by a woman who suffered great losses in her life, those of a personal and financial nature. She then shared interviews with other thought leaders around the world who have also met their darkest moments with a choice. When they hit rock bottom, they chose to get up, and do something different. They decided to not clutch to the things in their past, for those moments are over. It is done. Some of the most successful people I know came from severe and dire traumas. Years after their traumas, they saw them as gifts, lessons to learn from and grow from.

Life includes hundreds of daily choices. We make those choices somewhat mindlessly. The film proposes what can happen if we begin to make those choices mindfully. Our thoughts are not our feelings. There is a space between our thoughts and what we feel based upon those thoughts. If we feel low, what thought is making us feel low? When we react to any situation, it begins with a thought and then a feeling emerges. Just knowing these things can assist us in slowing down the process, and choosing differently. We literally get to make a new choice which feeds our happiness quotient.

There are many tools introduced in the film and a course is offered at the end of the movie. There are many paths leading to our shift. Consistency is key, repetition is a must, and including a daily practice with whatever tools one chooses is paramount. One interviewee shared a practice which stuck with me. It came from Hawaii originally. She broke it down to 5 minutes daily of repeating these 4 sentences:

I am sorry.
I forgive you.
Thank you.
I love you.

I wrote these 4 sentences down on my iphone notes area and then repeated them out loud. This is a simple tool that I can do! It takes just a few minutes to repeat these over and over again and the sentences are short, easy to remember. The woman sharing these 4 sentences said that even if we were hurt by our parents or our deep circle of love, we can be sorry, sorry that they were so misguided and evil. We can forgive them in order to set ourselves free from the repetitive bondage which traps the thoughts and the negative feelings garnered from those thoughts. We can thank them for the lessons learned, however difficult the path was. I love you despite your misconceptions of right or wrong actions. I love myself despite my other past choices as well. I began practicing these 4 sentences and will add them to my daily mindful practice. Let us see what happens!

I invite you to do the same.
Blessings,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self Series
-CPT, CFI, Life and Wellness Coach
-Nutrition Educator
www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com
-SuperiorSelf on YouTube
-superiorself on Instagram, Twitter
-KJ Landis on LinkedIn
-Superior Self with KJ Landis on Facebook
Books available wherever books are sold.

Whatever gets us eating healthier will help us in all facets of our lives because what we eat becomes us.

What is Teff?

3/6/2023

Teff is a tiny grain, smaller than a poppy seed, in the millet family. Its name comes from the Amharic word “lost” since, due to it’s small size, it is often lost in harvesting. It is the smallest grain in the world! Teff is grown mostly in Ethiopia and Eritrea, countries famous for their long-distance runners. Teff is a staple in Ethiopian and Eritrean diets, providing 70% of their calories and 2/3 of their daily protein. The teff staple food is injera, a fermented, slightly sour crepe, which is used to pick up the other foods in the meal. Teff varieties include grains from white to reddish brown. Teff has a mild, nutty flavor and makes a tasty porridge. It cooks in just 15 minutes and can be made into a polenta, or added to veggie burgers, cakes, cookies or breads. If you want to try teff without the commitment, go to an Ethiopian restaurant. That's how I fell in love with teff. Plus, eating with my hands is so much fun!

WHAT MAKES TEFF GREAT?
Nutrition makes it a great addition to any eating lifestyle. It is gluten free! One cup of cooked teff provides 255 Calories, 10 gm protein, 8 gm fiber, 2 gm fat, and no cholesterol. Teff grains contain 11% protein and are an excellent source of amino acids, especially lysine, the amino acid often missing in other grains. Lysine is essential for the production of proteins, hormones, enzymes, collagen and elastin. Lysine also supports calcium absorption, energy production, and immune function. Lysine is a supplement used to help prevent cold sores, herpes simplex. Teff is a delicious and nutritious addition to a gluten-free lifestyle. Teff is an excellent source of iron. Even conservative estimates indicate teff is a better source of iron than most other grains. For example, 3.5 oz (100gm) of teff flour provides 37% of the Daily Value (DV) for iron, while the same amount of wheat flour offers 5%. Teff also provides more calcium than most other grains. A 3/4 cup serving of teff porridge contains about 87 mg of calcium vs 16 mg in 3/4 cup cooked oatmeal. A 3/4 cup cooked teff serving also provides 22% DV of magnesium, 12% DV of zinc and 223% DV of manganese. It is also a good source of copper, potassium, phosphorus, selenium and is low in sodium. Teff has a high fiber content per serving. When cooked, teff has a lower glycemic index compared to other grains, preventing blood sugar spikes. Teff is only 3% fat, and contains the essential omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids.

BUYING AND USING TEFF
Teff can be purchased as a whole grain or as a flour. Whole intact teff is considered the optimal choice. Most teff can be found in stores that feature Bob’s Red Mill products or ordered online. Once opened, store teff in cool, dry place in a tightly-sealed container (the refrigerator or freezer) where it will store up to a year. Uncooked teff grains can be used in baking (cakes, breads, muffins, etc) like you would use seeds. It can also be added to soups and stews as a thickener. To prepare teff porridge, add 1/2 cup teff grains to 2 cups boiling water. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15-20 minutes or until water is absorbed. Once cooked, store leftovers in the fridge up to 5 days.

Teff grains make a great porridge substitute for oatmeal or wheat farina. They can also be used to make polenta, or added to veggie burgers to boost nutrition. For a simple salad, toss cooked teff with olive oil, garlic, vinegar and fresh herbs. Top with roasted vegetables. Teff also makes a great filling for stuffed peppers, or mixed into pilafs. Or just toss cooled cooked teff with salad greens or veggie side dishes. Teff flour can be substituted for wheat or other flour in dishes such as pancakes, cookies, cakes, muffins and breads. Keep in mind that teff lacks gluten, and like other gluten-free flours, often requires a binder when baking such as xanthan gum. This step can be avoided if substituting teff for 50% of gluten flour in baked goods. Due to the difficulty in harvesting such a small grain, teff may cost a little more than other gluten free grains and seeds. A 1-pound bag of teff grains can cost about $5 and flour runs a little higher. The flour will last a long time if you are substituting 50% for wheat. However you use teff, this tiny grain provides big nutrition and a nutty flavor your family will love!

Blessings,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self Series
-CPT, CFI, Life and Wellness Coach
-Nutrition Educator
www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com
-SuperiorSelf on YouTube
-superiorself on Instagram, Twitter
-KJ Landis on LinkedIn
-Superior Self with KJ Landis on Facebook
Books available wherever books are sold.

Whatever gets us eating healthier will help us in all facets of our lives because what we eat becomes us.

Buckwheat is Not Wheat!

2/27/2023

Though the name might suggest otherwise, buckwheat is not actually a form of wheat. In fact, it isn’t a grain at all. This plant is commonly cultivated in Asia and can be used for a variety of culinary purposes, particularly in noodles, breakfast foods, and certain beverages. It’s also used in recipes for those following a raw food diet. Keep reading to learn more about what buckwheat is, how it can be used, and its health benefits.

WHAT EXACTLY IS BUCKWHEAT?
Not related to wheat in any way, buckwheat is actually a seed that comes from a fairly short plant, but becomes very widespread and develops green heart-shaped leaves with tiny white flowers. Cultivated as a grain-like seed and a cover crop throughout Asia and in parts of Europe and North America, the seeds of the plant are commonly referred to as a pseudocereal. The seeds are triangular in shape, and are rich in protein and fiber, as well as a variety of antioxidants and other nutrients, which leads many people to consider buckwheat a superfood. It tastes like a nutty cereal with a little bit of a bitter aftertaste. I love making them with butter, fried onions, and sauteed celery and carrots. It is delicious as a base with your protein on top. i also ate this as a child with honey and butter and chopped bananas on top.

The seeds themselves are called groats, and they have become popular among the gluten free crowd. A cup of groats (cooked) contains about 155 calories, 6 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat, 33 grams of carbohydrate, and 5 grams of fiber. These groats are packed with manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, niacin, zinc, folate, and vitamin B6. This grain-like seed has similar culinary applications to other pseudocereals, like amaranth and quinoa. It can be made into noodles, pancakes, porridge, and a variety of baked goods.

WHAT ARE THE NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF BUCKWHEAT?
The antioxidant and fiber content of this food lends itself to a number of significant health benefits. Here is an overview of the top 6 nutritional benefits of this pseudocereal:

1. IMPROVED HEART HEALTH
This grain-like seed helps to reduce inflammation and lower LDL, or “bad cholesterol” levels, both of which are important for good heart health. The primary nutrient that provides these cardiovascular benefits is rutin, a type of phytonutrient and antioxidant which helps stabilize blood pressure and reduce cholesterol.

2. REDUCED BLOOD SUGAR
In comparison to many whole grains, this pseudocereal is very low on the glycemic index – this means that the carbohydrate content is absorbed slowly into the blood stream, providing your body with a steady flow of energy. By preventing a sudden spike in blood sugar, this nutritious seed helps with diabetes management and may improve insulin resistance.

3. GLUTEN FREE AND NON-ALLERGENIC
Though it can be used in the same way as whole grains like wheat and barley, this seed is gluten free, which makes it a great choice for people with celiac disease or grain sensitivities. Swapping this seed with typical grains containing gluten may also be helpful for people suffering from digestive disturbances like leaky gut syndrome.

4. RICH IN DIETARY FIBER
For every one cup serving of cooked groats, this food provides 6 grams of dietary fiber, which helps to keep food moving smoothly through the digestive tract, and may help you feel fuller longer – this can also be a benefit if you’re trying to lose weight.

5. PROTECTS AGAINST CANCER
This pseudocereal contains antioxidants and phenolic compounds, which may help to fight certain types of cancer. Some of the antioxidants found in this food include flavonoids like oligomeric proanthocyanidins, which protect your cells against free radical damage and prevent the kind of dangerous inflammation that can contribute to the spread of cancer.

6. SOURCE OF VEGETARIAN PROTEIN
Not only is this food rich in vitamins and minerals, but it is an excellent source of digestible plant protein. For every 100 gram serving, this food contains as much as 14 grams of protein, and 12 different amino acids to support growth and muscle synthesis. The protein content isn’t quite as high as certain beans and legumes, but it is higher than most whole grains.

To harness the power of this pseudocereal for yourself, cook whole groats at a ratio of 1:2 with water, and simmer for 30 minutes or until the grains are tender. You can also grind raw groats into flour for use in pancakes and other breakfast foods, as well as your favorite baked goods.

Try this delicious gluten free seed and let me know how you made it, and your opinions on the flavor profile.

Blessings,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self Series
-CPT, CFI, Life and Wellness Coach
-Nutrition Educator
www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com
-SuperiorSelf on YouTube
-superiorself on Instagram, Twitter
-KJ Landis on LinkedIn
-Superior Self with KJ Landis on Facebook
Books available wherever books are sold.
Whatever gets us eating healthier will help us in all facets of our lives because what we eat becomes us.

Transitioning to a Plant Based Diet

2/20/2023

In my opinion, a plant based diet doesn't mean only eating plants, but eating a lot more plants than one is doing now. The Standard American Diet has a lot of refined foods, junk foods, and in our schools, ketchup is considered a vegetable! The change to a healthier lifestyle is doable, but only if one really has the drive and motivation. Sometimes we only get motivated when there are scary results from medical tests.

Are you trying to become plant-based but don’t know where to start? Or perhaps you’ve been persuaded of its benefits and have tried in the past, but the temptations of meat and dairy have been too strong for you to switch the desire off in your mind? As I’m sure you all know when it comes to transitioning to a healthier diet and lifestyle, it’s not about willpower. When we’re hungry and craving sugar, there’s very few of us who would be able to resist hooking into our chocolate stash. Let us look at and approach the project like a work project, creating a plan which introduces boundaries and habits that prevent temptation from occurring in the first place. So in this blog, I am sharing how you can succeed on the plant-based journey. I will give you the tools to stay on the path and transition successfully to a long-term whole-food plant-based diet.

1. Know Your Why

The best way to succeed is to know your why. Why do you want to make these changes in the first place? It may seem simple, but writing your whys down on paper and referring to them constantly helps to keep you on track. For example, your "why" may be to be able to do more activities with your children or grandchildren. Actually having those images in your head can be super motivating when you’re struggling with food choices or exercise. Some other "why" examples are:

Weight loss
Disease prevention
Balance your blood sugar
Clearer skin
Love for the animals
Reducing your environmental impact
Longer life
Physical performance

I encourage you to grab a pen and write down your top "whys" and then write a paragraph that will help to motivate you later on. Put it in a place you will remember whether that’s on your bedside table or on your fridge, and refer back to it whenever you need a bit of motivation.

2. Know Your Plant-based Alternatives

Making the transition to become more plant-based is a lot easier than it was fifty years ago. Thanks to the many plant-based chefs who have advocated for change and made plant-based food a delicious alternative to heavy meat diets, more and more people are becoming plant-based, creating a demand for meat alternatives. Unfortunately, a lot of these meat alternatives are highly processed, but there are some good options too. Do your research on line and read food labels when in the supermarkets. Mushrooms, beans, and even tofu can offer a meaty texture to a dish. You can use chia seeds or flaxseeds or even a mashed banana to replace eggs when baking, and you can enjoy scrambled tofu instead of scrambled eggs. There are many dairy-free milk alternatives such as almond milk, oat milk, rice milk, and others. Cashew, almond and coconut-based yogurts are delicious and dairy-free. There are also many great cheese alternatives that you can buy from your local grocery store, or even sprinkling nutritional yeast flakes on your food adds a bit of a cheesy flavor and texture. You don't have to switch everything in the household out for only plant made items. Experiment and see what tastes good to you.

3. Make Use of the Internet and Social Media

There are hundreds of thousands of plant-based recipes and blogs on the internet advocating a plant-based lifestyle. You can’t say you’ve run out of ideas of what to cook if you peruse the internet for recipes. From delicious savories to mouth-watering desserts, some great vegetarian and vegan chefs are creating delicious and healthy plant-based recipes.

4. Find a Support Network

Get your family on board if you can, or at least get their support for your transition. Tell your family and friends about your dietary requirements at this time so they can help you out. Getting them to be your taste testers may also win them over to a healthier eating lifestyle.

5. Plan Ahead

Another key is planning ahead. Setting a bit of time aside for meal prep every week will make your life so much easier, save you money, and prevent food waste. Get to know your local farmers markets and organic food shops. Make time to go once a week with your shopping list to buy most of your groceries. Being prepared can help save time, money, and can stop food from going to waste.

6. Small Steps

If you’re currently eating a typical Western diet, making gradual changes is probably your best bet for success. Transitioning to a 100% plant-based diet is a big change from one day to the next, so don’t think you have to go cold turkey. There is power in small changes when you make them realistic and sustainable. Plus, the journey is all part of the fun, so if you can learn to love the process, you’ll be much more likely to succeed in the long term.

Say you’ve been eating plant-based for a month, and one evening you’re out for dinner, and your friend orders steak. You start drooling; steak is the one thing you really miss. And so you decide that you’re going to let loose this evening, and you say to the server, “Make that two steaks.”

After dinner, your stomach doesn’t feel well, and you think to yourself that it wasn’t worth it. Or maybe you enjoyed it, but those guilty feelings are getting you down. The key is to not throw away all your hard work because of a tiny hiccup. Consistency is far better than perfection. Don’t let perfectionism be the enemy of the good. Pick yourself up and keep going. And if you enjoy flesh once in a while, plan for it and enjoy it without guilt. I say if we plan ahead, it is a treat and not a cheat. Your life, your choice.

It’s also really important to have an open and positive mindset. If you dwell on all the things you’re missing out on, it’s going to be extra challenging for you. Focus instead on the things you like about the new diet/lifestyle and what you’ll be gaining in terms of health. That may be key to making it easier for you. You’ll be surprised, a few months down the road, your new habits and choices will become second nature, and you will love how it makes you feel. Now you can redo those medical tests and look at how the results have changed for the better.

Grandma was right when she encouraged you to eat your vegetables and then go outside and play!

Blessings,
KJ Landis

-Author and Creator of the Superior Self Series
-CPT, CFI, Life and Wellness Coach
-Nutrition Educator
www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com
-SuperiorSelf on YouTube
-superiorself on Instagram, Twitter
-KJ Landis on LinkedIn
-Superior Self with KJ Landis on Facebook
Books available wherever books are sold.
. Whatever gets us eating healthier will help us in all facets of our lives because what we eat becomes us.

What is Amaranth?

2/13/2023

If you avoid gluten in your eating lifestyle, try adding amaranth. It is a gluten-free seed. Amaranth is easy to prepare and versatile, serving as a base for both sweet and savory dishes. Amaranth delivers a powerful nutritional profile, has a distinctive, nutty flavor, and looks fabulous while growing (not that I plan on growing it, but the pictures are pretty). If you’re new to amaranth, you might be wondering just what it tastes like, how to prepare it, and what kind of nutritional benefits it provides — as well as if there are any side effects to amaranth consumption. So let’s take a look at this tiny and mighty food.

What Is Amaranth?

Like rice, corn, quinoa, and millet, amaranth contains no gluten and is considered a whole food, unprocessed, so it is not like white rice or refined wheat. The amaranth family also includes beets, chard, and spinach. When it comes to quinoa vs amaranth — quinoa has a richly deserved reputation as a nutritional powerhouse, but amaranth holds its own as well. Quinoa has eight grams of protein per cup and amaranth has nine grams. Quinoa has three grams of iron per cup and amaranth has five grams. Amaranth looks like a sand dune of tiny, pale golden or tan seeds. It can be used both whole and as flour, but amaranth greens are also edible. And you can heat amaranth seeds, turning it into puffed amaranth — a crispy, nutty snack like popcorn. Raw amaranth can be germinated for sprouts and microgreens.

Amaranth is native to Central and South America, where they traditionally served as staple crops for the Incan, Mayan, and Aztec civilizations. The Aztec made religious offerings not just of the seeds themselves, but also of sculptures of their deities made from honey and amaranth dough. It was sacred to them. Ethiopians use the seeds to make an unleavened bread called kita, an alcoholic beverage called tella, and fermented porridge known as borde, which nourishes new mothers and their babies. Amaranth also features in Indian (where it’s referred to as rajgira), Vietnamese, and Mexican cuisine, including the calaveras or “skulls” with raisin eyes and peanut noses traditionally eaten in Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations.

Amaranth is a rich source of the essential amino acid lysine, which can sometimes be challenging to get enough of. Symptoms of lysine deficiency can include frequent cold sores, high blood pressure, hair loss, and fatigue, so it’s a good nutrient to make friends with. In fact, amaranth is a complete protein, and has bragging rights for containing adequate amounts of all 9 essential amino acids. Amaranth also has other important nutrients, including fiber, B vitamins and vitamin E. It holds the minerals calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese that the plant extracts from the soil.

The simplest way to cook amaranth seeds is to simmer them in liquid, such as water or vegetable broth, like you would cook rice or quinoa. Amaranth cooks relatively quickly (roughly 20 minutes simmering). For a dry pilaf, add 1.5 cups of water to every cup of amaranth. Add savory ingredients like onions and garlic, mushrooms, and chopped veggies for a tasty and filling amaranth side dish. For a wetter cereal or amaranth porridge, use 2.5 cups of water per cup of amaranth. Season it like oatmeal, with dried, fresh, or frozen fruit, cinnamon, raw nuts, and seeds. My favorite way to eat it is with butter and maple syrup on a cold day.

Have you cooked amaranth? What is your opinion about its flavor? I want to hear from you!
Blessings,
KJ Landis
SuperiorSelf channel on YouTube
KJ Landis on LinkedIn
superiorself on Instagram and Twitter
Superior Self with KJ Landis on Facebook

Fight Inflammation!

2/6/2023

The word inflammation has been in health and fitness news a lot recently. With so many opportunities to learn more about our health through clinical studies and through the internet, we can learn the difference between good inflammation and bad inflammation. Here is an example of good inflammation, acute inflammation caused by injury:

As a child, when I fell and scraped my knee, my body sent blood and other fluids to the knee to help heal the area. The inflammation caused by the increased circulation and internal chemicals made the area red and swollen. Then my mother rubbed antibiotic cream on and covered the area. I usually healed pretty fast because the body knows what to do.

On the other hand, science has proven that chronic, low-grade inflammation throughout the body can turn into a silent killer that contributes to cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and other conditions. The fact that three out of five people around the world die from a disease linked to chronic inflammation raises serious red flags. Thankfully, there is plenty we can do to fight back.

You might be surprised to learn that diet plays an important role in chronic inflammation-- digestive bacteria release chemicals that may spur or suppress inflammation. The types of bacteria that populate our gut and their chemical byproducts vary according to the foods we eat. Some foods encourage the growth of bacteria that stimulate inflammation, while others promote the growth of bacteria that help suppress it.

Here are some of the foods and beverages that have been linked to less inflammation and reduced risk for chronic diseases:

Vegetables and fruits: Most fruits and brightly colored vegetables naturally contain high levels of antioxidants and polyphenols—potentially protective compounds found in plants.
Nuts and seeds: Studies have found that consuming nuts and seeds is associated with reduced markers of inflammation and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Beverages: The polyphenols in coffee and the flavonols in cocoa are thought to have anti-inflammatory properties. Green tea is also rich in both polyphenols and antioxidants.

Studies have shown that polyphenols have multiple anti-inflammatory properties. A review published in the British Journal of Nutrition summarized a number of studies supporting the notion that dietary polyphenols may lower inflammation in the body and improve the function of cells that line blood vessels. Foods high in polyphenols include onions, turmeric, red grapes, green tea, cherries, and plums, as well as dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, and collard greens. In addition, olive oil, flaxseed oil, and fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel offer healthy doses of omega-3 fatty acids, which have long been shown to reduce inflammation.

Foods that Increase Inflammation

The foods that contribute to inflammation are the same ones generally considered bad for other aspects of our health. These include sugary sodas and refined carbohydrates (like white bread and pasta), as well as red meat and processed meats. Such unhealthy foods are also likely to contribute to weight gain, which is itself a risk factor for inflammation. In addition, certain components or ingredients in processed foods, like the emulsifiers added to ice cream, may have effects on inflammation.

To practice anti-inflammatory eating, it’s best to focus on an overall healthy diet rather than singling out individual "good" and "bad" foods. In general, a healthy diet means one that emphasizes, vegetables, fruits nuts and seeds, fish, and healthy oils. Try to limits food loaded with simple sugars (like soda and candy), beverages that contain high-fructose corn syrup (like juice drinks and sports drinks), and refined carbohydrates. We all are generally aware that regularly consuming junk food is not healthy for the body!

Be well,
KJ Landis

New Year, Love You

1/30/2023

We are near the end of January. Many of us have created New Year Resolutions on December 31st. Many of us have left them behind by now. When I think about New Year resolutions, I feel failure seep into my bones. The word resolution literally means to re-solution. That is to create a solution repeatedly. If I had the right solution the first time, I would not have to keep making these impossible resolutions again and again over the years. I know I am not alone.

This discussion is more about who you are, really, at your core, and honoring those parts of you which you want to nurture. New Year, Same You. Let us celebrate who you are at your soul spot. We obviously have goals in life, which are great, so let us change the language of new year resolutions in order to change the way we feel about them on the journey. I like to make new year promises to myself instead. I don’t choose unattainable actions with a short time line. I focus on my strengths and create baby steps which won’t cause me more anxiety and stress along the way. I choose 3 goals at a time which reflect my strengths, while stretching my comfort zone.

In order to keep these promises to myself, I write the 3 down on a little post-it note pad or tiny note book. Here are some examples:

I am eating the most nutrient dense foods to give me strength and energy.
I am breathing slowly and deeply and counting to 10 before reacting.
I value my worth and ask for it in my work space.

Do you see how these are based upon my personality and strengths within me that I can nurture? I did not write, “I will lose 20 pounds this year.” I did not write, “I am going to make a million dollars by the end of the year.”

I hand write these 3 doable promises 3 times, meaning 9 sentences in all. Writing these down and saying them aloud multiple times a day creates in you a new thought system, and a new belief system. Eventually our everyday choices will model the new belief system. Writing by hand confirms the mind-body connection. Connecting the thoughts with the physical activity throughout the body is powerful and part of this practice. The science behind these positive affirmations show that throughout the repeated practice our brains begin to develop new neural pathways which are in alignment with the new thought patterns.

Keeping the list short assists, preventing us from adding pressure to our daily lives. When we actualize one of the promises, we can eliminate that particular affirmation sentence and choose another sentence to write down, a promise to ourselves, which tends to our internal garden once again.

In January of each year, there is no better time to take some space and time for reflection as well. Reflect upon the year which has passed. Thank yourself for your development and devotion to yourself which has brought you to this moment. You may want to develop your goals after this reflection period. Feel free to pat yourself on the back. I thank my body for its service. I thank my mind for its service. I thank the universe for supporting me. I thank Mother earth for food and water.

I sit quietly, light a candle, and write a list of things I no longer want in my life as well, like things that just suck my time, or people who are energy vampires. Use the last 12 months’ experiences to sort out and create a more fulfilling year this year. Write a list of what you achieved this past year. Include even the smallest achievements. Then, literally cross out what you have finished to indicate the task is completed. It is amazing how seeing that a task is completed helps decrease stress and is powerfully motivating. Write down what you consider to be personal failures too. It is important to look at this list and recognize what you learned from them. Write down the lessons they taught you. I take my pages of lists and go outside and burn them in a clay pot. It feels good to see with my own eyes the dissolution of the things, people, and actions which no longer serve my higher purpose.

This activity frees you up to be motivated. You are creating an internal space for more energy. The more energy we have, the more energy we have, to give to others, the others whom you do want to devote yourself to, that is, without resentment.

Remember, you are not alone. Perhaps bonding with a trusted family member or friend can enhance the accountability. I know with my Pilates and yoga teaching taking up most of my time, I have a hard time getting outdoors to nature. I crave it in my deepest parts of myself, yet I am not there. I have a hard time developing my cardiovascular strength. So one of my promises to myself is to go hiking weekly with my hiking partner. He and I made a pact during the weeks of reflection. After reflection, it became clear to me what I wanted and who I wanted to be bonded with in the accountability. What a blessing!

As you continue with the positive affirmations process, you will start seeing a theme for your life emerging. These are your strengths and personality traits coming through in a way that encourages you to flow, rather than always fighting with yourself, deep within. The self-sabotaging and self-deprecation will ease up. The inner friction will lessen.

Just as your home is your sanctuary, your body, your vessel, is your sanctuary. I call my body the Garden of Eden. I am a divine entity in this vessel. I need to take time daily to tend to my Garden of Eden. When I was a child, most of us had grownups who taught us to how brush our teeth daily. When I was in elementary school, there were school-wide assemblies yearly with dentists and shows that were fun and encouraged our dental care, teaching us how to correctly brush and floss our teeth. I cannot imagine a life where I did not wake up and immediately think about brushing my teeth. The encouragement and training of the brain patterns were instilled in me. As an adult, we can train ourselves. Take the opportunities that are just in front of you, but invisible, slightly out of reach. They are like ghosts dangling a carrot which we want to capture with our drive, our might. You have the chance to breathe life into the ghosts. Take it.

Love,
KJ Landis
SuperiorSelf channel on YouTube

Internet Healthcare

1/23/2023

People have been using telemedicine for years, but the pandemic has caused interest in this area to skyrocket. Telemedicine is expected to grow from $49.9 billion in 2019 to $277.9 billion by 2025. Virtual healthcare services were already growing before COVID-19. When one couldn't go to the doctor's office because of other commitments, one could call the doctor's office and have a phone consultation and a plan of action for a lot of situations in one's health care. Then the visual applications came along and made the appointments more personal and engaging. If one couldn't get a virtual appointment with their regular provider, a number of startups could fill the gap, sometimes at a better price point too.

Two examples of these companies are For Hims and For Hers. They provide virtual medical visits with general practitioners and dermatologists, as well as mental health care. They also offer psychiatric consults, consults for prescription hair-loss medicine, prescription acne cream and more. These are all presented via an ecommerce-style website.

Of course, for Americans, the biggest question is always “Will my insurance cover it?” In the the case of telehealth, the answer is “yes”: 42 states (and Washington, DC) legally require private insurers to cover telehealth services. This is an important development: according to Accenture, 62% of consumers would prefer a virtual healthcare option in at least some instances.

Why? Millenials are computer savvy, and spend more time working than the generations before them. Millennials prioritize self care and don't mind spending money on it since they work more hours than the generations before them. They are seeking a work-life balance and telehealth saves time and time is money to them. Actually, 9 out of 10 Americans practice some kind of self-care.

Americans are investing more time and money into self-care than ever before. The pandemic has left a lot of folks still working remotely and so why not see their health care providers remotely too? Many folks have not returned to the gym after the global stay at home orders, prefering to get their fitness remotely. Is telehealth here to stay? Yes.

What do you like or don't like about telehealth? I wanna know!

Blessings,
KJ Landis
SuperiorSelf on youTube

Prevent Falls as We Age

1/16/2023

When we age, falling is a real risk for mortality. If someone age 65 or older suffers a fall, it is the number one cause of injury-related death in this age group. The CDC states that falls create life-altering lifestyle changes in that age group due to broken bones or a head injury. We can help ourselves by focusing on improving stabilizer muscles, core strength, and balance issues.

Stabilizer muscles
The stabilizer muscles keep us upright and allow us to easily change directions. Two essential stabilizers for fall prevention are the gluteus medius, located on the sides of the hips, and the gluteus maximus, which are the largest buttocks muscles. These work both together and independently to allow us to stand upright and stabilize the back and pelvis as we move during activities.

Core strength
Core strength is vital for fall prevention, as the body’s core is the epicenter from which every movement revolves. As we walk, our bodies have to adapt to ever-changing ground levels. Adequate core stability and strength help us better react to these sudden changes and prevent potential falls. The core consists of several muscle groups: the rectus abdominis (the six-pack); the obliques, located on the sides and front of the abdomen; and the transverse abdominis muscles, which lie under the obliques and attach to the spine. These muscles wrap around the body and protect the spine and lower back. They also create a wall to protect the organs. Stabilizer and core muscles weaken over time as we naturally lose muscle mass, a condition called sarcopenia. Please read the blog I wrote about sarcopenia. Our generally modern, sedentary lifestyle weakens theses areas as well. We have to consciously attend to exercising these areas,

Balance
Our sense of balance naturally wanes over time, as do reflex times and coordination. This makes it easier to topple over and harder to catch ourselves if we do have a misstep. Another cause of poor balance is deterioration of the inner ears' vestibular system. It feeds information to the brain about motion and spatial orientation. This affects how we move through the world, and our awareness of it, called proprioception.

You can check your fall risk with some simple tests. Place one foot in front of the other so the toes and heel touch (like how you would measure distance on the floor) and try to stand without losing your balance for up to a minute. Another version is to walk heel-to-toe, like on a tightrope, for 20 steps. If you have trouble maintaining balance and stability with either of these, you should discuss it with your doctor.

Yoga, tai chi, mat Pilates, and strength training with our own body weight or weights are ways that we can improve our, balance, core, and stability. Seek out different types of movement for a natural and easy way to cross train. Also, cross training keeps us from being bored. Find a partner to exercise these areas with you. When someone is counting on us to suit up and show up, our accountability is stronger.

Blessings,
KJ Landis
SuperiorSelf on YouTube
KJ Landis on LinkedIn
superiorself on Instagram and Twitter
Superior Self with KJ Landis on Facebook

A House is Not a Home...

1/9/2023

The great mystic Rumi wrote on many things, both practical and spiritual. Our bodies are guest houses for our spirits, our intellect, our emotions, our physicality, and how we move throughout our lives, whether a short or long life. Are there lessons in every moment? Yes. Do we acknowledge those lessons or even become aware of them? Rarely. It is only with great focus, placing our attention upon our intention to learn from these experiences do we begin to have the a-ha moments. I invite you all to slow down this year, jus a little bit each day, long enough to ask, "What have my experiences and choices taught me today? Is this for me or for me to share as well? Make our vessel, our house, our true home.

Enjoy the poem below by Rumi. Let me know how your journey fares.

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
Meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
Because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
-- Rumi

Everything that comes our way in this life, good or bad, holds a teaching if we are mindful enough to give it our attention. If we give ourselves presence, we gift ourselves immeasurable presents.

Blessings,
KJ Landis
SuperiorSelf on YouTube

Stay Warm with Winter Meals

1/2/2023

Happy New Year! San Francisco is finally getting some cold and rainy days, which we desperately need to get out of the drought. If you’re curious about what to make on a chilly night, I have seven delicious plant-based recipes to warm you from the inside out. These recipes were reprinted from the Food Revolution Network. If you are going gluten free, choose grains that are gluten free. Our healthy, winter dinner recipes are all about fresh seasonal ingredients that turn into nourishing and tasty comfort dishes! Whipping up a delicious dinner doesn’t have to be difficult, either. In fact, a few of these recipes only require one pot and a little bit of prep time before you’ve got a cozy and delicious meal to dish up for you and your loved ones on a cold winter’s night. Click on the title to link to the whole recipe.

1. One-Pot Butter Bean Soup

One-pot meals are an easy and delightful go-to during cold winter months. Butter beans create a layer of rich creaminess that makes this veggie-centric soup (think carrots, onions, and Swiss chard) all the more nourishing. Make it for the week or freeze it in individual containers so you have soup for the cold winter months to come.

2. Moroccan Spiced Sweet Potato and Spinach Stew

Make a winter meal feel extra cozy by taking advantage of warming spices, rich and starchy root vegetables, and healing leafy greens in our Moroccan-inspired and oh-so-satisfying stew. A delicious balance of sweet and savory flavors, it’s made with onions, carrots, sweet potato, chickpeas, and spinach, flavored with toasted spices, and finished with fresh herbs. With its variety of flavor and texture combinations, this just might become a go-to dish when you’re wanting some nourishing warmth.

3. Slow Cooker White Bean Chili

Just about everyone could use a delicious, plant-based chili recipe in their back pocket, and this one might be yours. Loaded with creamy white beans, millet, root veggies, and spices, it’s a healthy and comforting spin on a traditional tomato-based chili. Pile on creamy avocado and a dash of hot sauce (for a bit of heat and totally optional) to enjoy on a cold winter’s night.

4. Lentil and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

A colorful bundle of essential nutrients in one hearty package, Lentil and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers are a delicious and fun source of healthy comfort. The star ingredients bring plenty of fiber, protein, and phytonutrients to this easy-to-make main dish. And broccoli, tomatoes, and peppers serve up a generous amount of vitamin C to help keep your immune system in tip-top shape.

5. Tuscan Beans and Kale

A deeply satisfying stew, Tuscan Beans and Kale is filled with nutrient-rich beans and greens simmered in a robust tomato and root vegetable sauce. This is a great dish to customize to your individual needs or your family’s preferences. For example, swap the butter beans with chickpeas or substitute spinach for kale. With so many delicious ways to make it your own, this recipe is surely one to keep on hand for the winter season.

6. Vegetable Cassoulet

Squash, root vegetables, potatoes, and white beans are seasonal and nourishing ingredients that provide plenty of plant power to warm you from the inside out. Our Vegetable Cassoulet takes some time to cook, but the prep time is minimal and the aroma that fills your home will make it worth the wait — we bet you’ll be counting down the seconds before you can dish it up for a bite!

7. Spinach and Mushroom Enchiladas

Healthy comfort food on a cold and frosty night has got to be the ultimate win, and our Spinach and Mushroom Enchiladas check both of those boxes! Their enticing aroma, delicious flavor, and satisfying texture can lift your spirits and keep you feeling warm and cozy. Once these bubbly beauties come out of the oven, top them with creamy avocado and an extra drizzle of savory sauce for an unforgettable, satiating, plant-based meal any night of the week!

Enjoy Hearty Comforting Meals Year-Round. You don’t need meat or dairy to create delicious, healthy winter dinner recipes that the whole family will love. Instead, turn to recipes packed full of veggies, legumes, and whole gluten free grains to make your suppers super nutritious and healthy. Doing so will not only take the chill off your bones but also satisfy your craving for a hearty meal that delivers warmth and comfort for mind, body, and spirit. By following these tips and recipes, you’ll have a variety of winter dinner meals that are hearty, nourishing, comforting, and will keep you warm and healthy during the coldest months of the year!

Blessings,
KJ Landis

Movement is Medicine

12/26/2022

I hope and pray your Chanukah and Christmas were filled with peace and reflection. May your Kwaanza and Eid bring you family moments filled with joy and laughter. My mother in law (85) was chatting with me on the phone the other day. She has stiff hamstrings to the point where she uses a walker. I am still healing from my knee replacement and the 2 back surgeries. She said, "Movement is medicine." I agree. In yoga, there is a saying, "Motion is the lotion." The more we move, the more the joint fluids get activated and moving around the body to help keep everything smooth and supple.

Yesterday, I was at my son's 24kGoldn Giveaway at Civic Center Plaza. I danced all day and gave away toys and games to kids for hours. I had such a great time moving that my back didn't hurt. Remember, I just had spinal surgery 4 months ago! I am only back to work about 3 weeks ago. This is the only way I could have been a volunteer, that is, to keep on moving. Even sitting at this desk is more painful in 10 minutes than A day of movement. So, in the New Year, rather than make a fitness or diet goal, just encourage yourself to move more than last year. Take the pressure off of yourself to meet a big struggling goal, and enjoy the journey of baby steps toward a healthier and happier you.

Be your superior self.
Blessings,
KJ Landis
SuperiorSelf on Youtube, IG, Twitter