Blog - Superior Self

The Incredible Edible Artichoke

10/31/2022

The artichoke is the official vegetable of California. It is a member of the daisy family, and native to the Mediterranean region of the world. Originating from inedible thistles (thorny sharp plants), the artichoke is the product of long and intensive cultivation that has created not just a tasty food, but an incredibly nutritious one as well. It is my favorite vegetable. Most artichokes are green, but there are some purple varieties as well. On a recent walk around San Francisco, I witnessed the flowering vegetable in full blooming glory.

The edible part of the plant comes from the softer middle to bottom of the flesh of the green petals, the center of the stem, and the inner artichoke heart. The thistly portion in the center looks like pale green or purple hair, so pull that part off before enjoying the luxuriously velvety textured heart. After boiling, steaming, grilling, or baking, we eat the vegetable by turning the petals over and scraping the inside edges against our front top and bottom teeth. Some folks like to dip the bottom of the petals in olive oil, butter, mayonnaise, herb aioli, or salad dressing, one petal at a time. I prefer a bowl of melted butter. The slow process of eating a whole artichoke can be a mindful eating activity. It is a satisfying and slow meal time. The largest artichokes may take up to an hour to steam or boil, so prepare some appetizers while you wait for the hero!

The artichoke is extremely nutritious. It has phytochemicals, antioxidants, magnesium, potassium, niacin, and folate. Artichokes contain a lot of fiber, some of which comes in the form of the fabulous prebiotic fiber called inulin. A prebiotic feeds the probiotics living in our intestines. We cannot digest the fiber, so the plant fiber makes us have a bowel movement, but the healthy bacteria living in the the gut microbiome eats the fiber as their meal. Probiotics living in the intestines help us absorb the nutrients from the foods we eat.

If you don't want to take the time to prepare fresh artichokes, canned and frozen artichoke hearts are also available. Be mindful of the ingredients list on the packaging. They often have added salt and preservatives which alter the flavor. It is also fun to try jarred marinated artichoke hearts from Spain and Italy. The olive oil and herbs they are held in add to the flavor of any dish made. Try adding the marinated jarred variety to salads, pizzas, and artichoke dips!

How do you like to prepare your artichokes? I want to hear from you!
Blessings,
KJ Landis
SuperiorSelf channel on YouTube

Some Final Thoughts on Healthcare in the USA

10/24/2022

As I wrote the past 8 blogs about my spinal health issues and emergency surgeries, I was reminded by a close friend that I needed to back up and see the bigger picture. When we are immersed in pain and suffering, we can only see and feel that at any moment. When the pain is chronic and acute at the same time, it is all we know and understand. I felt like I was being disregarded and personally attacked on so many levels during my time in the Kaiser hospital system. Someone outside of ourselves, such as a loved one or counselor can help us to realize, we are not our feelings. We can acknowledge them, yet move on. We can move forward, and by being a health advocate for ourselves, we can fully take care of our overall wellness, being a partner with the experts. Isn't that what I try to do when I teach yoga and Pilates, personal training, and meditation? I try and give personal empowerment to each and every student. My personal motto for the students is always the same: LOVE YOURSELF INTO A BETTER EXISTENCE.

Now that the fog has cleared, and some time of healing has occurred, I can see the bigger picture, the 30,000 foot view from the clouds. Healthcare workers in the USA (and worldwide) have been extremely overworked and driven to exhaustion over the past 3 years since the pandemic began (even before the virus was identified, thousands of people were overtaxing the healthcare system with a mystery illness). They have been forced into overtime, not compensated for their own pain and suffering, and many couldn't even go into their own homes to be with their families after their extra-long shifts (due to safety concerns or short turnaround times between shifts). Many weren't given the mental or physical support by the management that they needed. Workers' face masks had to be used over and over again! Simple procedures all of a sudden became complicated ones, there were too many questions and not enough answers surrounding the pandemic virus and its variants.

Everyone was playing the blame game. Even the politicians were playing the blame game, from the top down, and that wasn't helping heal the sick or help the healthcare workers partner up and solve any of our systemic problems. All it did was show how broken we are in our healthcare system overall. Many healthcare workers left the industry. So, who was left? Now, near the end of 2022, most hospitals, clinics, live-in facilities, and short term care units are severely understaffed. There is such a need for staff that many are seeing the financial benefits of becoming traveling nurses, travelling medical social workers, and all support staff, even down to the cleaners and food service workers in the healthcare industry. Finally the money is there to support some of the desired incomes, but the solidarity of a consistent work environment and common goals shared in many settings is gone. There is a lack of comradery. There is a lack of community. When a group of workers share the same or overlapping shifts together for years, they become a family. There is a sense of knowing and trust. I have experienced this myself as an employee of 25 years at the Hilton in San Francisco.

I do not think the people who choose to go into the healthcare fields do so just to make money. I think they truly want to help people. The amount of schooling and dedication is large and long. The education and training is expensive as well. Now it is time to back up even further to see the world view as we move forward in the care of our world citizens. Let us take better care of the professionals who take care of us.

Blessings,
KJ Landis
SuperiorSelf channel on YouTube

Spinal Surgery Diary, Part 7

10/19/2022

After a few days at home, my physical therapist came to my home. Luckily for me, he was the same person who was helping me last year after my total knee replacement surgery. I immediately felt better taken care of than when I was in the 2 hospitals. I made great progress, and within a week I was able to walk up and down my stairs, and also was able to walk to the corner of my block with a cane and my physical therapist as my companion. Getting in and out of my bed was the most painful experience in the 24 hour cycle of healing. I began to get "moon face," a condition caused by the steroids in my system. My face puffed up, even though the rest of me was wasting away from inactivity. I lost all of my muscle strength. I called my new condition, "flat-ass-itis," to try and inject humor into my lack of exercise.

At day 12 of home healing, my physical therapist thought it was time to learn how to sit in a chair. Up until this point I had been flat on my back or walking upright a few minutes here and there. I was successful at sitting 2 minutes at the kitchen table without pain. It made me realize that humans are not meant to be sitting at desk jobs all day long. This is why lots of lower back aches are caused by sitting, driving, etc. We are meant to be moving upright, all day long!

I was so thrilled not to be eating flat on my back. Later that day I ate dinner at the kitchen table while speaking to a friend on FaceTime. I lost track of time. Maybe it was about 20 minutes of seated activity? It was definitely too long to be seated in a chair. A few hours later, my right buttock and leg began to hurt incredibly, and by morning the level 9 to 10 pain with electrocution was back. The crying ensued. I called my Kaiser surgery team and they doubled my prednisone and told me to stop sitting up altogether. After a few days I felt some relief. By the time 3 weeks had rolled around, I still was not comfortable. We drove back to San Jose and had my stitches taken out. It was still hard to move comfortably, especially in and out of bed. I still was either flat on my back or standing tall. After another MRI, it was shown that my disc had reherniated. The plan was to have a more invasive surgery, a spinal fusion. The only issue was with the pre-operative appointments by phone. My surgeon wasn't available for more than 3 weeks, just to talk! I immediately let the staff know that I wasn't prepared to suffer this deeply for another month. They somehow had to make it work.

Miracles showed up, and there was a cancellation for a phone appointment just a few days later. When I asked about if I could just skip the chat and have the surgery instead, the phone scheduler laughed. Then she got more serious and said, actually, there was a free spot for surgery two days after my phone appointment. Winner, winner, chicken dinner! Talk about manifestation!

My spinal fusion surgery was scheduled for September 8, less than 4 weeks after my initial surgery. I knew relief was in sight. Spinal fusion is when they take the disc out completely, substitute a rubber disc, and stuff pieces of bones and ground up bones in between. Then they create a metal cage around the lumbar 5 and sacrum 1 bones, add screws, and sew the back up again. The bones will grow into the screw threads and there is no more disc to leak. There will be no more movement between the L5 and S1 bones. They also planned on fixing the broken L5 vertebra. More stability and less electrocution was in my future!

Please share this with loved ones and your social media. It is important to speak up for your own health.
Blessings,
KJ Landis
SupeiorSelf channel on YouTube

Spinal Surgery Diary, Part 8

10/19/2022

On September 8, we woke up early and drove to San Jose, about an hour away. This time I was sent 2 preoperative kits in the mail! I was fully prepared with my cleansing wipes and special carbohydrate drink! When I arrived, the admitting and surgery team were very accommodating, especially compared to the last surgery and hospital experience. For full disclosure, between surgery one and surgery two I called the county health department in San Mateo and San Francisco, in order to share my experiences and disappointment with my care at Kaiser. Later on, after the second surgery, I also made a full report with Kaiser grievance department too. In order for me to stop crying and feeling like I was not hear, seen, or cared for, I needed to release in an official manner.

I stayed in the San Jose Kaiser for 3 days. Some of the same staff was there to take care of me again, and they were my favorite nurses! The day I was to leave, I lost all control of my right leg and fell. Lucky for me, nothing was seriously damaged. A nurse and a passerby helped pick me up and put me back into bed. Even though I fell, my prognosis was so good that I was released off of the Prednisone, which was creating "moon face" and mood swings. My beautiful teenage daughter brought me home, and laid with me in my bed for a little while. I could actually feel the spine stabilizing and I could also move around the home with less pain. The exiting and entering of my bed was much less painful even 1 day after surgery! I was able to sit at the kitchen table the day after I got home! I was told to literally do nothing except walk to my bathroom and back to bed for 3 weeks. For an active human like me, this was difficult. I was distracted by a steady stream of loved ones visiting me.

I had forgotten how many weeks it had been since the fusion surgery, and due to the medications I was on, somehow thought I was further along than I was. I walked too long outside with my husband about a week after surgery and the next morning woke up with a huge pear shaped swell at the incision site. I was told by telephone from a physician's assistant to put heat on it to improve circulation. After a week, the swelling still wasn't deflating. Then I went in to have my stitches removed. The other physician's assistant said cold compresses are for reducing swelling and hot was for stiffness. So, I was given the wrong information initially. Wow. I said that I hoped there was a conversation to be had with the initial advice. The response was a smile and silence. After all, they are in the exact same surgery unit and hold the same position...

Now, I am 4 weeks into my home healing journey. I can walk about 20 minutes around the block without a cane. I am off of all pain medications. When I went off of the heavy medications I had diarrhea for 4 days. I suppose this was the release I needed. I had constipation for days off and on since the initial pain began in May. Narcotics will do that to a person. Also for the first time in my life I had hemorrhoids. I am currently on medication for those, and being tested for a bacterial infection in my colon. When a person takes antibiotics in the IV for lengthy periods of time, usually during hospitalizations, it is easy to wipe out all of the good bacteria when killing the bad bacteria. I feel so much better all around, though. My physician's assistant said that my back and leg will never be completely without pain for the rest of my life. I will have good days and bad days. I will be able to be active again, but there is a chance the disc above the fusion will herniate later on in life. I must be mindful with my movements.

Isn't that part of our wellness goals anyway? Be mindful in words, deeds, actions, and thoughts...
Please share this with your loved ones and on your social media channels.

Blessings,
KJ Landis
SuperiorSelf channel on YouTube

Spinal Surgery Dairy, Part 6

10/17/2022

Finally, surgery day was here! On Thursday, August 11, I woke up at around 8 am, asking for my carbohydrate drink once again. This particular drink is given to enhance surgery and recovery, and is routinely drunk given a few hours before surgery. Once again I was denied because the intake doctor from the previous evening was not listening to what happened at the previous hospital, how it was supposed to be traveling with me. Then I was told it would be sent to my room at the Spine Specialty hospital in San Jose. The surgery nurses could only exclaim, "Too late now!"

The lumbar laminectomy and discectomy surgery is where the surgeon removes parts of the spine that are close to the spinal cord in order to make more space as the nerves and cord heal from the foreign matter breaking off of the disc, disc center, and broken bone bits, pressing upon my nerves. The surgery team also removes all of the foreign bits off of the nerves. Afterwards, there is more room around the spinal cord, and within a year the nerves should stop the feeling of numbness, tingling, and electrocution. Luckily for me, I only had to ask a few times for the catheter to be inserted before surgery. I knew I would have a problem if I couldn't relieve myself for hours. They gave me general anesthesia and then flipped the whole table over, like I was the center of the sandwich with my face down.

After surgery, I remained in the hospital 3 more days, for a total in-patient of 8 days, not including the off and on ER visits. When my husband came to pick me up at the hospital, I remember the discharge nurse specifically saying I was off of all chores for 6 weeks. That was a blessing! The ride home was interesting, as I was laying down as flat as the seats would allow. I was reminded of my childhood vacation rides, traveling along the highways and staring at the electrical wires as they danced along the skyline. I appreciated the clouds, the sky, and the trees. I appreciated the sun warming my skin through the window as we traveled from San Jose towards San Francisco.

When we arrived home, I had a walker and a cane to help me maneuver back into the house. Soon after settling into my bed, my home health physical therapy team called and set up weekly appointments to help me get in and out of bed, and to learn how to safely walk around the house a minute or 2 every hour. I was still suffering from the electrical shocks, but knew they would subside over the next year. I felt positive about my future. The hardest part for me, mentally, was, now, my extremely active lifestyle was to be completely placed on hold. It was really difficult to swallow that information, as my whole life is wrapped up in movement and meditation, in work as well as in play. How do I define myself without movement? For the weeks to come I cried all day long, off and on, due to the pain medications, my healing process, my pain levels, the intense level of Prednisone steroids in my body, and my lack of independence. My husband tried to make me laugh every day. He would mention that my 10 minutes of feeling sorry for myself was almost over, so it was time to change my attitude again. Bless that man, my ride or die for 33 years!

Please stay tuned for part 7 of my spinal surgery diary! Share these with your loved ones, and on your social media.
Blessings,
KJ Landis
SuperiorSelf channel on YouTube

Spinal Surgery Diary, Part 5

10/14/2022

After a night with multiple pee pads taped to my body like diapers, I finally received antibiotics in my IV for the UTI. Wednesday morning, I had a few more phone and Zoom visits with the surgery staff at San Jose Kaiser. They were setting me up for Thursday's surgery. I was really ready to move to a specialty center. Perhaps there I would be treated as a suffering human instead of dismissed as a person who was annoying the staff. I still had not figured out the state disability application on line with EDD. Luckily for me, a nurse who had surgery the year before helped me out as he passed by my room to see if I needed anything. Hip, hip, hooray! I am grateful for the miracle.

I was visited by a floor doctor, patient care coordinators, and daytime staff of nurses, cleaners, assistants, and food service staff. I could only drink broth, and it was delicious. I kept asking for the surgery kit with the special carbohydrate drink, and after 4 requests, I was told that now I would receive it in San Jose as soon as I arrived. I made them pinky promise. I also asked multiple times when my ambulance transport was going to happen, and I was put off multiple times without an answer. I asked for something to help me make a bowel movement. After 4 hours I was finally given something to help with the pressure in my belly. Remember, I could not put any pressure on my right foot or leg. I could not stand or sit. I was handed a bed pan to handle lifting my body all by myself in order to defecate without any assistance. At least I was issued 4 diapers for the transportation to San Jose.

At 5:15pm, exactly in the middle of rush hour on a weekday, the ambulance arrived to transport me to the other hospital. It took 2 hours plus more time to set me up in the new hospital room. The ambulance staff were incredibly kind. Unfortunately my UTI was not so kind, and I urinated through all of the diapers, pads, and onto the gurney. Perhaps the floor was wet too. I kept crying, saying I am so sorry, ashamed, and embarrassed. The ambulance staff lifted my spirits up, telling me that it was their job to assist, and to release any negative feelings about my condition during the travel.

When I arrived in San Jose, there was only one nurse who came in to see me after almost 45 minutes. It was too late for any food or water, except for my carbohydrate drink, which was to be taken the next morning. I hadn't eaten anything since August 4th except broth on August 7th. The nurse explained that they were extremely understaffed. At around 8:45pm, a doctor came in, saying he was my intake doctor who would put all of my information in their computer from the other hospital. I was asked to share why I was there. After 60 seconds I was abruptly told to stop talking. He said he could not do his work if I was talking. Wow. Just wow. He had a horrible bedside manner and obviously did not care about the patient at all. After he left the room, 2 nurses came in to finish the intake of my situation. They were much better at listening. I asked the doctor about my pre-surgery kit with the special carbohydrate drink which was supposed to help healing during the surgery and afterwards. He said that he didn't see it in the medical orders, so he was not going to give it to me. This is standard procedures for any surgery. I kept asking for my regular medicines as well, which were to be put in the IV and also given to me by mouth. This intake doctor either eliminated or changed some of my medications without even confirming with me what I was already taking! He completely dismissed me when I asked for the carbohydrate drink again! I think I cried a river of tears since August 4th. Both of the night nurses shared that this particular doctor was not compassionate or caring. He was not a favorite among the staff there. I cried myself to sleep. I prayed that the next morning's surgery would be guided by God.

Stay tuned for part 6 of my spinal surgery diary. Please share with your loved ones and on your social media.
Blessings,
KJ Landis
SuperiorSelf channel on YouTube

Spinal Surgery Diary, Part 4

10/13/2022

On Tuesday, August 9, 2022, I was still in-patient at Kaiser, South SF. The afternoon was full of visiting staff, making certain that I was aware of my Zoom appointments imminent. I was scheduled for a laminectomy and discectomy for Thursday in San Jose Kaiser. This particular hospital is a spine specialty center. I was to be transferred by ambulance on Wednesday. The patient care coordinator told me that there is a special carbohydrate drink I was to carry with me and take 2 hours before surgery to ensure rapid healing. I asked if they were going to bring me the kit or should I send my hubby upstairs to get the drink and special wipes for sanitizing my body. The staff assured me that I would have everything ready before the ambulance took me to San Jose on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the social worker came into my room and quickly gave me the rundown of the disability forms I was to fill out on line. I was given 2 weeks disability at first, and then 6 weeks total with this surgery. Unfortunately, with all of the pain medicines inside my IV, and now feeling like I had a UTI as well, I was not understanding the social worker well. I felt overwhelmed with all of the tech instructions. I asked for her phone number or office extension so that I could contact her in case I became stuck while applying on-line. The reply was that she didn't have an office or phone number because she was a floating social worker amongst many Kaiser hospitals and therefore could not assist me. The suggestion was that I get a tech savvy friend to help me. After the social worker left, I tried many times to make the disability application complete, but my skills were limited due to the drugs in my system. I began to cry again. Also at this time my catheter was really irritating me something fierce.

I asked to have the catheter removed. After it was removed, there was blood in my urine. I still couldn't walk due to the electrocution pulsing through my right buttocks, leg, and foot. I asked for a UTI test. They gave me an external catheter. It really is a cool invention. It looks like a white hot dog made of thick gauze in a blue rubber hot dog bun. I was to place the entire thing between my legs into my crotch. When I felt like I had to urinate, the suction began, and the urine is taken to a container on the wall behind my bed through a tube. The UTI test was given. I had not pooped in 6 days at this point. I was feeling pretty sorry for myself at this stage of my visit. I still wept on and off all day and night, just as much for the medical system not believing me for days as I suffered in pain as the pain itself. Maybe Kaiser ER thought I was a drug addict looking for pain meds when I went to the ER multiple times? This was the first experience in 25 years with Kaiser where I was not treated as a human telling the truth.

Late Tuesday evening, a night nurse introduced herself. She said that she was a visiting nurse from Texas and was used to critical care in the cardiac unit, so there wasn't much to do here. She said that she was right outside my door if I needed anything. However, when my external catheter wasn't working correctly, I peed the bed multiple times. Her tune changed quite dramatically. My night nurse didn't even offer me adult diapers to make me more comfortable. I was chastised for not having the external catheter in exactly the right spot to work correctly. The team had to change my bedding, my outfit, put pads under me, and eventually decided to tape the bed pads around my torso like a diaper. This was so they had less visits to make to my room. Meanwhile, I asked for the results of the UTI test. After it was shown to be positive, I asked multiple times in the wee hours of Wednesday morning for the antibiotics for my UTI. Between 1am and 3am, the nurse telephoned the on-call doctor 3 times at his home asking when the pharmacy was going to be sending it up to me. After the 3rd time, my night nurse came in to tell me that I had to chill out because she was being yelled at by the doctor, telling her to stop bothering him at home. Meanwhile I was still suffering from the UTI! So when the test came back earlier, and was shown positive at around 5:45pm, nobody had given me the results information or medicine to help with relief...

Please stay tuned for part 5! Please share with your social media and friends and family. We need to be our own health advocates when we are really in the weeds (and any time we have a health concern)!
Blessings,
KJ Landis
SuperiorSelf channel on YouTube

Spinal Surgery Diary, Part 3

10/12/2022

As I loudly screamed and cried in the ER on August 7, 2022, around 12:45pm, the ER doctor in charge and a head nurse took turns coming into the area where I was being treated and yelled at me more than once. They said that I had to calm down because I was frightening the other patients! They finally subdued my rants with ketamine in an IV. I didn't know what that was, but it was stronger than anything else they had previously given me in the past 2 visits. So this was proof that when they told me on day 1 and 2 that they had given me the strongest available legal pain killer in the ER, they were lying. This was my 3rd visit to the ER within 4 days. I softly wept and for over an hour begging for a catheter. At this time, it had been more than 6 hours since peeing and I have a history of bladder retention. Remember, I also hadn't pooped in 4 days.

Once again, they didn't believe me. The staff took their sweet time, ordering a sonogram to see how much fluid was actually retained in my bladder. Only after this procedure did they assess that my hollering was for a legitimate reason, and gave me a catheter. Immediately, almost a liter was emptied. I could feel the plastic tubing scraping the insides of my body which later on provided me with a gift of a urinary tract infection on top of everything else that was going on. As I wept more quietly, I changed the the mantra to, "I neeed an MRIIIIII!" After an hour and a half more, I was rolled into the MRI area and also had an XRAY of my back. As I suspected, the spondololysthesis weakened the spine, and there was a disc herniation between my lumbar 5 and sacrum. In my case, the center of the disc leaked onto the main nerves controlling the muscles in the buttocks and legs. The gel, particles of hard disc, and broken lumbar bone were entering my nerves, creating the severe internal electrocution of the right lower parts of my body.

I was admitted to the hospital while they were trying to figure out what to do next. I continued to cry, my jars of tears collected from the fact that for days the medical professionals didn't believe me, as much as from the continuous pain and suffering. Luckily for me, I was scheduled for an emergency epidural the next day, a Monday, To my surprise, my regular chronic pain doctor was there to administer the steroids into my spine on the right side. An epidural puts steroid medicine precisely into the area of the spine to help relief the pain for months. It is not the same as a completely numbing epidural when a woman chooses this in labor and delivery. The epidural gave me some relief for about 24 hours. I still was not permitted to get out of bed, as I could not anyway. It was physically impossible.

My chronic pain doctor checked in on me on Tuesday afternoon in my room. He set up an appointment for later in the day with a spine surgeon specialist by Zoom. Hallelujah!

Stay tuned for part 4. Please share this on your social media and with anyone you love.
Blessings,
KJ Landis
SuperiorSelf channel on YouTube

Spinal Surgery Diary, Part 2

10/11/2022

After my second dismissal and disbelief from the ER at Kaiser South San Francisco on August 5, 2022, I went home. My soul sisters came over in the evening and brought an infrared heat lamp, CBD creams, and love. As I cried, they massaged my body and added their magic. I was finally able to sleep without crying for a few hours.

By August 6, 2022, a Saturday, I could not drive at all. I was unable to get a substitute teacher for the yoga and Pilates classes I had to teach. I took an Uber to the studio and explained to the students that I would explain in great detail the movements and the advanced students would model the moves. I was able to keep myself together without melting down in tears and screams. After the last class, the electrocution was as if I was struck by lightning. I crawled on the floor to the lounge bed and called Kaiser. The advice nurse said that a regular doctor could prescribe narcotics and also admit me so it would be better to get an urgent care appointment for the following day, Sunday. Great! I had a 2:10pm appointment for Sunday, August 7, 2022. I called for an Uber and somehow made it home. The Uber driver sensed something was wrong and he prayed with me. I felt so very grateful.

I couldn't eat, and couldn't sleep well because I was crying so much. My husband said I was whimpering in my sleep from discomfort. The next morning, at 7am, I couldn't put any pressure on my right foot at all, I crawled to the bathroom and tried to pee. It sent me to another planet, and not in a delightful way. After a few attempts and a slight success, I crawled back to bed. My husband was out of the home for a little while. I cannot remember why. I was crying and talking to myself until about 10am when he came home. I then asked him to help me to try to pee or poop. We were unfruitful and my screams amplified. I then ranted that I could not walk, pee, or poop, and I screamed for a catheter. Now it had been 4 days since my last bowel movement and hours without urinating. I begged for him to call 911, because I couldn't move. If I were an actor in a film, I definitely would have won an award. I felt my internal soul bleeding out, guttural screams and tears, snot and tear stained clothes, perspiration pouring out of me.

My husband knows I am dramatic by nature, so he begged me to just let him take me to the appointment we already had set up for 2:10pm. I screamed that I could not make it even down the stairs to the car! Please, please, please call 911. After what seemed like hours, he called 911 and asked their advice. He sked if they could send an ambulance to carry me to their vehicle and to my appointment. The operator firmly told him that the protocol was not in the style he preferred. They would take me back to the emergency room at South San Francisco Kaiser! A little after 12 noon a team arrived and caried me into the ambulance and to the hospital once again. Finally, they believed me! I was rushed into a separate area of the ER, the ICU part of the ER.

Thank you for reading this. Please stay tuned for part 3. Please share with your loved ones and on your social media. We need to share our health care stories so the system is held accountable.
Blessings,
KJ Landis
YouTube channel is SuperiorSelf

Spinal Surgery Diary, Part 1

10/10/2022

Dear Tribe,
I have not written a blog in 2 months. Unfortunately, I had emergency spinal surgery on August 11, 2022, and again on September 8, 2022. I will try and keep the blogs short, and write more often to share my journey to healing. I have been flat on my back and in bed, on pain medications which keep me from thinking clearly enough to write. Now the fog has cleared and I can share my life once again.

In late May, early June, 2022 I had an ache in my right buttock cheek. I assumed I worked out too hard, or taught too many movement classes. By July 14, the ache was strong. By August 4, after my last personal training client, I knew something was abnormally wrong with my body and drove myself to the ER at South San Francisco Kaiser Hospital. I could barely enter or exit my car. The ache was moving down the right leg and into my foot. It began to feel like a mild electrocution. It was painful in the body to urinate or defecate. I hadn't made a bowel movement in 2 days. The ER staff didn't do much except put Ibuprofen IV in my arm for 4 hours and send me home with spasm medication. I was there from about 6pm until after 10pm. I wasn't having spasms. The pain got worse overnight.

On August 5, I told my husband to drop me off at the ER again because the pain and electrocution feeling was getting stronger, level 9 pain, on a scale from 1-10. I was weeping continuously from the pain. I still couldn't make a bowel movement as the pain of pushing sent electrifying shocks down the buttocks and right leg into the foot. There was numbness and tingling all over the leg as well. I suspected my childhood spondololysthesis condition was the source of the issue. This is where a vertebra is slightly out of place and pushes upon the bones or nerves around it, causing pain or numbness. I had left leg numbness and back pain over the years off and on, but never right side pain, ever.

I was sobbing, begged the ER nurses for hours for stronger pain medication to be put in the IV. They lied and said that the medication I was given was the strongest available to them. After more than 3 hours of begging, I was given Dilaudid. It made me dizzy for 20 minutes, but did nothing for my pain. I also begged for an MRI because that would show the issues with my spondololysthesis condition, and the soft tissues affected.

The ER nurses refused, saying quite plainly that they don't have time to take me for n MRI, when they need to save that test for heart attack patients, for people with severe emergencies. Hmmm, even I know heart attack patients don't receive an MRI. Then they continued to say that they don't give heavy medication to people with back aches. I never once told them I had a back ache. I did not have a back ache. I said this out loud to the staff. I was consistently dismissed and was not taken seriously on the 4th or 5th of August. I was again released after about 4 hours with another prescription for the same anti-spasm medication. My husband brought me home, and I crawled into bed, weeping.

I think Kaiser staff didn't believe me because I am youthful looking, muscular, and vibrant, especially for my age. This is due to my active lifestyle. I was blinded by pain and suffering, yet was not taken as a person telling the truth. As a woman in her mid to late 50s, I know my body very well. I have deep women's intuition and practice yoga and Pilates. I am mindful of what I feel and how I move.

Thank you for reading. Stay tuned for part 2 of my spinal surgery diary. Please share with your loved ones and your social media. We need to be advocates for our own health!
Blessings,
KJ Landis

Emotional Distress and the Gut

7/20/2022

For about 10 or more years now, we have been hearing in the health news how emotional distresses can affect the intestines negatively and how the food absorption rate influences our brain, our hormones, and then of course every other system in the body. Given how closely the gut and brain interact, it might seem obvious that the pair often influence each other. Some people feel nauseated before giving a presentation; others feel intestinal pain during times of stress. In any case, emotional and psychosocial factors play a role in functional gastrointestinal disorders. When the digestive system is running smoothly, we tend not to even think about it. Once trouble begins, your gut — like a squeaky wheel — suddenly demands your attention. Here are some of the major sources of gastrointestinal distress: irritable bowel syndrome, gastric reflux, upset stomach, constipation, diarrhea, and excess gas.

Stress-related symptoms felt in the gastrointestinal tract vary greatly from one person to the next, and treatment can vary as well. For example, one person with gastroesophageal reflux disease might have an occasional, mild burning sensation in the chest, while another experiences excruciating discomfort night after night. As the severity of symptoms varies, so should the therapies, medications, self-help strategies, or even surgeries used to relieve them. Please consult a health practitioner before embarking upon any protocol.

Many people have mild symptoms that respond quickly to changes in diet or medications. If symptoms do not improve, a clinician may ask more questions about your medical history and perform some diagnostic tests to rule out an underlying cause. For some people, symptoms improve as soon as a serious diagnosis, like cancer, has been ruled out. That is how strong the emotions can play a role in our health. A doctor may also recommend symptom-specific medications. Sometimes treating the symptoms are not enough. As symptoms become more severe, so does the likelihood that you are experiencing some sort of psychological distress.

Often, people with moderate to severe symptoms, particularly those whose symptoms arise from stressful circumstances, can benefit from mind directed therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and relaxation techniques. Some people are reluctant to accept the role of psycho-social factors in their illness. It's important to know that emotions cause genuine chemical and physical responses in the body that can result in pain and discomfort. Behavioral therapy and stress reduction treatments help manage pain and improve other symptoms in ways that are different from how drugs act. The goal of all therapies is to reduce anxiety, encourage healthy behaviors, and help people cope with the pain and discomfort of their condition.

Engaging in mindfulness base exercise like yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates, and walking with intention can be a big help too. Dancing provides lots of feel good hormones. Playing with kids can bring back joy, humor, and connection to one's youthful and carefree memories.

Blessings,
KJ Landis
SuperiorSelf on YouTube

Post Covid 19 Lingering Symptoms and Long Term Effects

7/11/2022

I have had Covid recently with just a stuffy nose and tiredness. My daughter and husband had it after me, but with more cold symptoms. None of us lost our sense of taste or smell. None of us had a fever. It was more difficult to stay isolated when we felt all the way healthy yet still tested positive. Now, one of my nieces has the virus, with more flu-like symptoms than we did. I cannot imagine the deep pain and suffering our family would have suffered had we not been vaccinated and boostered.. My father in law's uncle was 101, caught Covid on a Friday and was dead by Sunday. He was a robust man, lived alone in an apartment building, had a car, and was fully independent. My father in law was not permitted to go into the ICU unit to see or say goodbye to Uncle Charlie. He was not allowed to participate in the cremation or goodbye services, where he chose to have his uncle's ashes sprinkled on to the Bay of San Francisco. This was in November 2020. It was too risky and less was known about the virus. My dear friend has just recovered from Covid, but yet does not feel normal in many ways. I began to do some research on the long term possible effects of Covid 19 after one had tested negative again.

This information had come from the Mayo Clinic research studies.

Some people continue to experience health problems long after having COVID-19. Understand the possible symptoms and risk factors for post-COVID-19 syndrome. Just know that new information is being discovered daily as the virus mutates in order to protect its life. So, as the science changes, we continue to report as we learn new things about it, and us.

Most people who get coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) recover within a few weeks. But some people — even those who had mild versions of the disease — might have symptoms that last a long time afterward. These ongoing health problems are sometimes called post-COVID-19 syndrome, post-COVID conditions, long COVID-19, long-haul COVID-19, and post acute sequelae of SARS COV-2 infection (PASC).

Post-COVID-19 syndrome involves a variety of new, returning or ongoing symptoms that people experience more than four weeks after getting COVID-19. In some people, post-COVID-19 syndrome lasts months or years or causes disability. Usually those with underlying conditions or weakened immune systems are more prone to the long term effects.

Research suggests that between one month and one year after having COVID-19, 1 in 5 people ages 18 to 64 has at least one medical condition that might be due to COVID-19. Among people age 65 and older, 1 in 4 has at least one medical condition that might be due to COVID-19.

What are the symptoms of post-COVID-19 syndrome? The most commonly reported symptoms of post-COVID-19 syndrome include:

Fatigue
Symptoms that get worse after physical or mental effort
Fever
Lung (respiratory) symptoms, including difficulty breathing or shortness of breath and cough

Other possible symptoms include:

Neurological symptoms or mental health conditions, including difficulty thinking or concentrating, headache, sleep problems, dizziness when you stand, pins-and-needles feeling, loss of smell or taste, and depression or anxiety
Joint or muscle pain
Heart symptoms or conditions, including chest pain and fast or pounding heartbeat
Digestive symptoms, including diarrhea and stomach pain
Blood clots and blood vessel (vascular) issues, including a blood clot that travels to the lungs from deep veins in the legs and blocks blood flow to the lungs (pulmonary embolism)
Other symptoms, such as a rash and changes in the menstrual cycle

Keep in mind that it can be hard to tell if you are having symptoms due to COVID-19 or another cause, such as a preexisting medical condition. It's also not clear if post-COVID-19 syndrome is new and unique to COVID-19. Some symptoms are similar to those caused by chronic fatigue syndrome and other chronic illnesses that develop after infections. Chronic fatigue syndrome involves extreme fatigue that worsens with physical or mental activity, but doesn't improve with rest.

Why does COVID-19 cause ongoing health problems? Organ damage could play a role. People who had severe illness with COVID-19 might experience organ damage affecting the heart, kidneys, skin and brain. Inflammation and problems with the immune system can also happen. It isn't clear how long these effects might last. The effects also could lead to the development of new conditions, such as diabetes or a heart or nervous system condition.

The experience of having severe COVID-19 might be another factor. People with severe symptoms of COVID-19 often need to be treated in a hospital intensive care unit. This can result in extreme weakness and post-traumatic stress disorder, a mental health condition triggered by a terrifying event.

What are the risk factors for post-COVID-19 syndrome?You might be more likely to have post-COVID-19 syndrome if:

You had severe illness with COVID-19, especially if you were hospitalized or needed intensive care.
You had certain medical conditions before getting the COVID-19 virus.
You had a condition affecting your organs and tissues (multisystem inflammatory syndrome) while sick with COVID-19 or afterward.

Post-COVID-19 syndrome also appears to be more common in adults than in children and teens. However, anyone who gets COVID-19 can have long-term effects, including people with no symptoms or mild illness with COVID-19.

What should you do if you have post-COVID-19 syndrome symptoms? If you're having symptoms of post-COVID-19 syndrome, talk to your health care provider. To prepare for your appointment, write down:

When your symptoms started
What makes your symptoms worse
How often you experience symptoms
How your symptoms affect your activities

Your health care provider might do lab tests, such as a complete blood count or liver function test. You might have other tests or procedures, such as chest X-rays, based on your symptoms. The information you provide and any test results will help your health care provider come up with a treatment plan.

In addition, you might benefit from connecting with others in a support group and sharing resources. Connecting with others has always helped me in any mental, emotional, or physical challenge.

Best,
KJ Landis
SuperiorSelf on YouTube
@superiorself on Instagram and Twitter

Soy on the Skin?

7/4/2022

In this blog and in my books, I have written about soy and its use in keeping monks celibate since the ancient days of over 5000 years ago. Well, ingesting soy is different than placing soy on the skin. Recently I learned that the estrogen in soy and its products can create more youthful looking skin. If you have melasma, however, soy may not be a preferable choice. So, let us look at soy on the skin.

Soy and its derivatives are loaded with isoflavones. Rich in amino acids, these flavonoids aid in wound healing and stimulate collagen and elastin synthesis. They have also been known to inhibit trypsin, one of the enzymes responsible for melanin synthesis, which could help brighten skin in cases of hyperpigmentation. Soy mimics estrogen in the body, and this is what can contribute to weight gain in men and women who eat too much soy. There may be an imbalance of hormones. The skin being the largest organ in the body, we can absorb medicines and compounds, both good and bad through the skin. I love what coconut oil does for my skin. I never thought of seeking out soy oil or other soy creams because of the estrogen imbalance it may cause through eating it! Well, this does not make sense. They are 2 different applications. So I am on a journey to experiment with soy oil and creams on my neck and chest.

However, in a cruel twist of fate, if one has have melasma, these same isoflavones could have the opposite effect. That’s because unlike hyperpigmentation, which is usually the result of UV exposure or a response to inflammation, injury or irritation, melasma is generally hormone-related and the isoflavones in soy are phytoestrogens, plant compounds the have an estrogenic effect. I have melasma on my cheeks. They are dark streaks caused by hormones, but look look like regular sun spots, also called age spots, or stripes, and usually caused from exposure or sunburn when I was young. The melasma is not the same as hyperpigmentation, although they look the same. Melasma doesn't respond well to laser treatments, which I used for 7 treatments. The streaks came back. Then my doctor determined my darker streaks are from my aging hormones. So I was guided by a physician to use prescription strength hydroquinone cream, custom made by my dermatologist. I currently use 4% for 6 weeks and take 2 weeks off. I was told that a high SPF is mandatory daily when using the hydroquinone (and forever more).

Because melasma is generally an estrogenic effect, estrogen is capable of accelerating the synthesis of melanin in the skin by enhancing the activity of tyrosinase leading to a darkening of pigmentation. We don't want to create more darkening if darkening is a problem for you. The effects of estrogen levels on skin are most evident during pregnancy when women’s hormones surge. Melasma is often referred to as “the mask of pregnancy” because so many women experience it for the first time during their term. Studies have even shown that estrogen can even affect the colors of birds' feathers!

Soy already has the highest concentration of phytoestrogen isoflavones of any plant, but when used in skin care and cosmetic products, the isoflavones are isolated and concentrated, making them even more potent. In fact, soy isoflavone products are used to aid in estrogen replacement for menopausal women. So, while I will be using the soy creams and pure oil on my aging neck and chest, I will not be using the soy products on my face, where the melasma is.

What to avoid when melasma is a consideration:

Tocopherol (TCP) is vitamin E that is extracted from sunflower, palm, or soybean. Labels usually don’t say which, but it’s often soybean oil because it’s cheap and plentiful. TCP is found in many foods and cosmetics. It may appear on the label as tocopherol acetate, tocopheryl linoleate or tocopheryl nicotinate.

Soy derivatives genistein or daidzein, found in moisturizers and anti-aging compounds.

Glycine soja (a soybean seed extract), laurdimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed soy protein are other identifiers you may see.

While there is disagreement on this topic, it is worth exploring if you are prone to melasma. Try eliminating products and foods with the isoflavone component and see if you see a difference.

I will let you know what my months of experimentation result in, on my neck and chest. I do not have melasma on my neck or chest.

I want to hear from you!
Blessings,
KJ Landis
SuperiorSelf on YouTube

Sarcopenia

6/28/2022

Ah, youth! We fall down and scrape our knees, get up, wipe our tears, put a bandage on, and keep on playing. As an adult, when we fall, it is scary. We weigh more, we have more gravitational pull, and our mamas aren't always there to kiss our boo-boos and wipe our tears. Our muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, and skin are more pliable when we are young. Healing occurs faster, and muscles build faster than when we are adults too. As the years pass, muscle mass in the body usually shrinks year by year. Strength and power decline. Flexibility and agility are harder to maintain.

This process begins earlier than you might think. Sarcopenia—defined as age-related muscle loss—can begin at around age 35 and occurs at a rate of 1-2% yearly on average. After age 60, it can accelerate to 3% a year. The loss may be mild or muscles can remain in the normal range. Adults who don’t do regular strength training can expect to lose 4 to 6 pounds of muscle per decade. We are sedentary humans compared to our ancestors due to the conveniences of modern living. We need to be aware of the shifts and then be mindful to take action. We ned to be a partner in our wellness. Most people don’t see the number on the scale going down, which means they are replacing that muscle with fat. Fast-twitch fibers, which provide bursts of power, are lost at a greater rate than slow-twitch fibers, so there is a higher possibility of not only growing weaker, but also getting slower.

Weakened muscles can make it more difficult to do normal daily activities, and to balance. One in every three adults ages 65 and older falls each year. Falls can lead to bone fractures, admittance to long-term care facilities, and even death from complications. Do not despair, my friends! Strength and power training can help. People with stronger muscles are less likely to fall and if they do fall, are less likely to sustain a serious injury. This is why strength training with resistance and stretching activities such as yoga and Pilates are increasing in popularity as our world population lives to longer and longer ages.

Here are my suggestions for strength, agility, and flexibility to ward off sarcopenia:

yoga
Pilates
hiking up hill
race walking with longer strides, mindfully
biking
swimming
dancing
playing with kids
walking
weight training with free weights or bands

I hope this helps you!

Blessings,
KJ Landis
SuperiorSelf on Youtube

Pilates for Performance

6/13/2022

You all know that I teach Pilates. I teach Pop Pilates, Inferno Pilates, Classic Mat Pilates, and my own version mixing yoga into Pilates which I have named Pilates Plus. I learned years ago that the second half of a traditional Jane Fonda era aerobics class was actually hips, thighs, arms, back, and abdomen exercises from Joseph Pilates. We just used to call it the second half of aerobics, or the floor series. I taught aerobics in 1979 onwards, at Elaine Powers Fitness Studio in Pittsburgh, PA. Now Pilates is very popular. Some inferno Pilates classes and other styles actually use weights. Back when I learned, there were no equipment or weights used. Our body was our weight, our instrument, and our motivation. When I was recently re=certified there were no weights used in certifications.

Do not feel as if you have to buy the reformers or rings or bands to be a fit human. Pilates is for everyone. It helps us with other activities we do on a daily basis. Like yoga, it uses stretching, breathing, and repetition to grow the body stronger and more flexible.

We know that an athlete needs to train with discipline and good endurance to ensure optimum sports performance. Before a game, they need to ensure that their body is not too weak or bloated for the event, and they make conscious decisions about food and regular activity.

While many coaches generally prescribe high-intensity exercises to increase sports performance, less intensive practices like yoga and Pilates can also boost your sports performance. This benefits not just a person's physical features but also their mental and psychological well-being.
Professional athletes of all types have found that including Pilates in their training improves their performance, reduces injury, speeds recovery, and keeps their hardworking bodies balanced and healthy.

~Provides Flexibility
Brief hamstrings are common side effects of sports like football and sprinting, which require short bursts of explosive force and speed. This is terrible news for athletes who compete in these sports; stiff muscles can reduce agility and quickness. Unlike other exercises performed with pace and power, performing pilates means taking time to enjoy the moment.

Pilates emphasizes the importance of a smooth flow or pausing for a few seconds before moving on to the next. As a result, you will experience yourself pushing your physical limits without putting undue strain on your body. This gives you a lot more versatility. Pilates works for every muscle group in the body, allowing athletes to attain more natural mobility, relaxed muscles, and smoother transitions. It can also help you improve your upper body flexibility, particularly significant for golfers whose sport requires a forceful spine rotation.

~Builds Endurance
People understand the importance of breathing for physical health, yet they often overlook it when engaging in sports or regular workouts. On the other hand, Pilates emphasizes good breathing practice while moving, which helps athletes maintain their stamina.

Injuries in games are unavoidable. While many athletes deal with minor bruises, scrapes, and scratches, Pilates teaches them how to build strength and push their personal boundaries without hurting themselves. They are allowed to make adaptations and move at a tempo that respects their abilities at any given time.

~Creates Balance
When athletes combine a passive job with their sport, they often develop muscle imbalances and bad posture. Pilates is the ideal remedy to these issues since it moves the body in all planes and orientations, strengthens any underused muscles, and emphasizes hip, lumbar, and thoracic extension.

Rotational athletes like tennis players or golfers follow the same approach. Because their actions are uneven, misalignments and strength imbalances can occur on either side of the body. To cross-train the body and enhance symmetry, a set of Pilates can focus on the ignored side of the body or work on the opposite movement pattern. As a result, it's a good technique for restoring body balance.

~Builds Core Strength
Greater lumbopelvic and hip stability in athletes can improve flexibility, produce power for throwing or rotational sports, and reduce lower–back pain and injury. It improves dynamic core stability and intends to strengthen the trunk in all planes of motion.

Pilates' emphasis on the core, or "powerhouse," creates a foundation of lumbopelvic stability. It also strengthens and stabilizes the hips and trunk while targeting the deep stabilizer muscles. Tennis players and footballers benefit from this because it allows them to maintain balance and produce power even when they are off-balance.

~Recovery and Rehabilitation
Pilates has been utilized in rehabilitation settings to assist injured athletes in healing and post-rehab training. Pilates' relatively leisurely tempo, full range of motion, light myofascial system stimulation, and symmetrical movement patterns assist the body in recalibrating after the speed, stress, and unexpected forces of a game day.

In addition, a well-balanced workout can help restore the body's natural movement patterns and relieve the aches and pains of a strenuous workout.

Pilates should be a part of all athletes' routines, whether they are seasoned or prospective athletes. It prepares them both physically and mentally. They experience quicker movements, keener thinking, and a more positive mindset.

Blessings,
KJ Landis

How to Share Alzheimer's News

6/6/2022

Have you noticed memory problems piling up in ways that affect daily life in yourself or someone you love? Do you find yourself struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word, becoming confused in new places, or botching tasks that once came easily? More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, and estimates suggest it will affect 13.8 million by 2050. Already, it is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

It's not just your loved one's life that changes with an Alzheimer's disease diagnosis. Your own life is also dramatically altered as you assume the role of caretaker, legal guardian, friend, family, or helper in any capacity. Several important issues should be addressed as soon as possible. You must also learn how to handle the day-to-day challenges of caring for a person with Alzheimer's disease. "Handling" means your own mental health is also at stake, the gamut of emotions run wild, you may have more questions than answers.

I am keenly interested in this subject and have written about it before. Parts of this blog have been taken from a newsletter form the Harvard Medical School. At the end there is a link to look more into the disease with a small book or e-book. I am not making any income from sharing this information.

Both of my parents had senior dementia eventually leading to Alzheimer's and then ultimately, death. Most experts say that if the affected person asks you what's wrong with them, you should be honest. Knowing that the problem is a disease, not "insanity," is often a relief for the person affected. Telling someone who has not asked may be helpful, particularly if the person appears troubled about his or her condition. Generally, it's best for the physician to explain the diagnosis. New information doesn't always "stick," however, so don't be surprised if someone with Alzheimer's disease continues to ask what's wrong. In such cases, you can offer a reassuring but brief explanation.

You may also need to talk to family and friends. People with Alzheimer's disease often look quite healthy in the early stages of disease, and people outside the household may be unaware that anything is wrong. But it's important to tell other family members and friends about the diagnosis as soon as possible for two reasons. First, they need to know that any unusual behavior is caused by disease, not by "craziness" or "meanness," and that they'll need new ways of responding as the person's cognitive abilities decline. Second, you and any other caregivers need emotional support and practical help from others.

For more information on caring for a loved one with AD, read Alzheimer's Disease: A guide to diagnosis, treatment and caregiving from Harvard Medical School.

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

Incredible Quinoa

5/30/2022

My favorite experience with quinoa came 2 summers ago when I was visiting my girlfriend Suzette in New York. She was gushing over how many vegan recipes there were using quinoa and she was happy to make a batch of quinoa salad with green apples, nuts, and chick peas, eating this delightful dish all week long as a side dish or entrée. I had only made quinoa in the style of white rice, rice with lots of butter and salt, so I was open to eating this seed, and enjoying it vegan style. The nuttiness in the flavor reminds me of buckwheat groats, another earthy and nutty seed I ate (cooked) as a child. We did enjoy this salad almost every day of my vacation, and I had energy to walk around New York City and the suburbs all day with my powered up nutrition.

Quinoa is an ancient seed which sometimes mistakenly called a grain. It originates from Peru, and is said to have given the Incas their strength and stamina for many centuries. This edible seed has become increasingly popular over the past 20 years outside of Central and South America. It’s loaded with many important nutrients, including fiber, protein, folate, and magnesium.

Quinoa contains flavonoids, including quercetin and kaempferol, which have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in the body. Quinoa is high in fiber, a nutrient that’s important for health. The more fiber a food has, the slower the energy moves through the body, so you will have energy that is even and well-balanced, and feel full for a longer period of time after consumption. Adding more fiber-rich foods into your diet can help support gut health, body weight maintenance, and more. Quinoa is naturally gluten-free. Using it in place of highly processed gluten-free foods can increase the nutrient value of your diet when you’re avoiding gluten. Quinoa is also a good source of protein and can help you meet your daily protein needs.

Quinoa is very high in minerals, but it also contains some antinutrients like saponins and phytic acid. These can cause the quinoa to taste bitter. I really like bitter foods: coffee, wine, dark chocolate, eggplant, some peppers, but if you don't enjoy bitter tastes, then rinsing, soaking, and sprouting helps reduce these antinutrient compounds. When you enjoy it as part of a well-rounded diet, quinoa can help support overall health and may improve certain disease risk factors, like high blood lipid levels (high cholesterol). Quinoa is widely available, inexpensive, colorful, and you can use it in many different dishes, including sweet and savory options. Enjoy the eating healthy journey with quinoa!

Best,
KJ Landis

HEALTHY QUINOA SALAD with OPTIONS!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Quinoa
2 cups Water
1/2 tsp Salt

FOR THE LEMON GARLIC DRESSING

1/4 cup Cilantro (coriander leaves) or Parsley, finely chopped
3 Garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp Coconut oil or Olive oil
3 tbsp Lemon juice or Lime juice
1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

FOR THE QUINOA SALAD

1/3 cup Coriander leaves (cilantro) or Parsley, chopped
1/3 cup Carrots, finely chopped
1/3 cup Red & Green bell peppers, chopped
1/3 cup Red onions, chopped
1/3 cup Cucumber, chopped
1/2 cup Roasted peanuts

COOK THE QUINOA PERFECTLY

Rinse and drain quinoa thoroughly in water twice.
In a pan, add the drained quinoa along with water, salt and bring it to boil. Cover and cook on a medium flame for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed.
Let it cool down, and you will see how fluffy and perfect these quinoa are.

TO MAKE LEMON GARLIC DRESSING

In a bowl, add parsley (or cilantro or the combination), coconut oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and mix. Set aside.

TO ASSEMBLE

In a bowl, add cooked quinoa along with carrot, bell peppers, onions, cucumber, peanuts, cilantro (or parsley) along with the dressing and mix until combined.
You can serve it immediately or keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.

Tips:

Vary all the ingredients in the dressing and salad to taste. Swap out different beans, nuts, seeds, or meats to add more healthy proteins and crunch. Swap out different veggies, feeling free to sauté onions before mixing.
You can also cook the quinoa in vegetable broth or bone broth to make it more flavorful and to add more protein.
Try adding crumbled Feta or goat cheese (or a vegan cheese) for a creamy mouth feel.

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
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Books available wherever books are sold.

What is a Silent Stroke?

5/23/2022

Is it possible to have a stroke and not know it? My mother had 3 silent strokes when she was in a nursing home in Pittsburgh, PA. We, the family, thought she was in a steady decline of dementia, because she had lost a lot of weight for no apparent reason, and, she was still eating quite well despite her 88 years at that time. Only after some brain scans did the results come back definitively. So, even living in a skilled nursing care unit, being monitored round the clock, the staff missed something. When she was put in hospice care during that time, as we thought it was close to her passing away, it was finally revealed. She ended up going off of hospice care and back into regular care for 2 more years after the strokes.

Those of us not in an environment like that can more easily have a silent stroke or a mini stroke and not know it. The symptoms aren't as radical as a full blown stroke, with garbled speech and loss of functions on one side of the body. A silent stroke is most often caused by reduced blood flow in one of the smaller arteries that feed the brain. It can occur without noticeable symptoms if it affects a part of the brain that doesn’t control major movements or vital functions. A silent stroke may also produce symptoms you mistakenly attribute to something else, such as garden-variety clumsiness or random memory lapses. Similar to reducing the chance of a major stroke, addressing cardiovascular risk factors, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure, also lowers the risk of having silent strokes. A study of middle-aged people with no apparent illnesses or related brain conditions found that about 10% had brain damage from a silent stroke. The damage that happens is permanent, but therapy might help stimulate other parts of the brain so one regains abilities that may have weakened.

The healthy lifestyle I encourage us all to have is also a preventative measure for strokes and silent strokes. Most often, unless a brain scan imagery is done for any reason, it will go missed. As with all chronic diseases, we must be a partner with our bodies and health practitioners. It doesn't hurt to get a yearly checkup and full blood work. It is a good idea to know your family history of diseases, in order to see if there are any tendencies.

I invite you to live the five pillars of health. In my opinion, they are:

Healthy Movement
Healthy Silence
Healthy Fuel
Healthy Hydration
Healthy Relationships

Be well,
KJ Landis

SF Bay Area Hikes for the Newbie!

5/16/2022

I have enjoyed my SF Bay Area hikes for over 10 years now. I began hiking with my friend Johnnie as a way to build up an appetite for a wonderful late lunch out on our days off, which were the same days off years ago. I think these will make you really tune in to your own appreciation of nature in bloom, year round. When I hike or walk in nature, I really observe my 5 senses. Yes, you can taste the air here, as each neighborhood has its own microclimate. I hope you love these hikes as much as I do.

Sweeney Ridge: Sweeney Ridge is a fire trail just off of the 280 freeway in San Bruno. It is about an hour and a half total, up and back. There are a few stunning spots with vistas of the ocean and the Crystal Lake reservoir. It gets steep in some parts , but is fully paved, so you can stop, even sitting down on the provided benches to smell the roses, so to speak. There are other off shoot trails, but I haven't ventured off yet
Guadalupe State Canyon, Crocker Street Entrance: This trail is just at the top of Daly City, beginning with a flat wooded trail ("to Grandmother's house!" LOL). Eventually you make a choice to go up or around the ridge. There are bunnies and geckos regularly spotted here, and lots of foot traffic. If you follow the ridge trail to the very end you will walk 4.5 hours out and back and actually end up at a fence overlooking the freeway in Brisbane. You can see both bridges from the top, and my usual trail is about 1.5 hours total.
Filbert Street Steps: I adore city hikes, and the gardens lining the stairs of SF do not disappoint! I begin at the bottom of Green Street and make my way up, up, and to the top, enjoying vistas, circle around the paved streets and down the Filbert Street stairs back to the Financial District. People generally move to the left for us slow and steady beginners. I go about 2 hours around the city this way, and time flies when you are having fun.
Purissima Creek Trail: In Half Moon Bay there is a creek trail which can be entered from the top or bottom, and both are easy to moderate. There are giant banana slugs here at times, reminding me of Alice in Wonderland! The light shines through the redwood forest just like in the Hobbit movies. I swear I saw fairies the first time I hiked here. It is about a 3 hour hike all the way around, but if pressed for time, I suggest go out and back as long as your time permits. The water flowing alongside your hike is delightful to witness
Mori Point: In Pacifica, I park next to the Moose Lodge on Bradford Way and walk a flat path for about a mile to the Mori Point stairs hidden next to a huge tree that looks like a windswept bonsai tree. Once you climb these stair, which are not more than 3 minutes uphill, you will be rewarded with trail options, views, and picture perfect dotted islands to make people think you live in the Riviera or Mediterranean! The hike time all the way up and back is about an hour, but if you walk along the beach to the pier where people are fishing, 2.5 hours total
Fairy Gates Trailhead: We have redwoods in the city of San Francisco! This hidden gem connects through neighborhoods in the Mount Sutro Open Space Preserve, close to UCSF housing for staff and graduate students. Once you enter the pathways, you will descend into a lull from the noise, hustle, and bustle of the city. After about half an hour you will end up next to someone's home on public stairs going down, cross the street, and continue the magical escape! It takes about an hour and a half total if you hit all of the trails
Corona Heights Park: This city park begins like a playground, but keep following your nose, and you will end up, up, and upwards, the stairs getting narrower an narrower. The wind will pick up, and then as you are wind whipped, you will find bliss in the views! I park near the Randall Museum and make my way up from there. It is south of Buena Vista Park. It takes about an hour to complete.
Roberts Recreational Area, Oakland Hills: My friend had an engagement party in the redwood grove here, just off of the parking lot. It was like entering a movie set, because there was a pool and kids playground to the left, redwoods to the right with bathrooms and picnic tables, and at the end of the parking lot were miles and miles of trails. I actually got lost here once, so the trails are not always clearly marked. You can go as short or long as you like, but I suggest in and out, not looping off onto other trails!
Cataract Falls Trail: Worth the drive to Fairfax, this trail is part of a watershed and boasts 3 (!) waterfalls! This is full of stone steps up and down, so take lots of break and add electrolytes to your water. It took me 3 hours up and down, and I rate this as moderate to hard.

I hope you enjoy these hikes as much as I do.
Blessings,
KJ Landis

Varicose Veins 101

5/9/2022

As a teenager, I looked at my mother's varicose veins on the back of her legs and thought that must be from carrying 5 children in her belly over 19 years (bearing 5 kids over 19 years, not carrying them all inside for 19 years!). I did not think they were grotesque. I saw them as badges of honor, a warrior's medal showing on the outside. Other mommas were in the club, with a smile and a knowing wink or nod during the playground meetups with kids, as she and her friends would chat about the whole 10 months of pregnancy and how it changed their bodies. However, they looked grotesque and painful when I saw them on my non-pregnant male friend who was in his 30s. As we chatted about it, I realized that I had not looked behind my own body to check out the back of my legs in a long time because, well, they are behind me!

The more I read into the varicose veins subject, the more I realized that life is an uphill battle for the veins in your legs because they spend much of their time working against gravity, carrying blood from your feet to your heart. Over the years, the valves inside them may weaken, allowing blood to trickle back toward your feet and pool inside the veins. Over time, the superficial leg veins become twisted and engorged, bulging under the surface of the skin, a condition called varicose veins. Varicose veins are a common medical problem, affect everybody of all ages. They can be a cosmetic problem or cause physical symptoms, such as aches, pains, and a feeling of heaviness. If untreated, they may cause leg swelling, skin discoloration, or open ulcers on the ankle or calf. the ankle or on the calf.

The first hint of abnormal leg vein function often comes in the form of spider veins, red or purplish star-burst-shaped clusters of blood vessels, which are visible below the surface of the skin. Spider veins are primarily considered a cosmetic problem, but may also be an early indicator that the larger veins inside the leg aren’t working as they should. Varicose veins sometimes follow, and sometimes not. They become more common as people age, but can occur at any age if it is in the family genes. If you are suffering in any way, consult your doctor and ask for an ultrasound to determine whether the deeper veins are impacted as well.

How to Prevent Varicose Veins1. Get moving. An active lifestyle is key. We need not to just stand rather than sit, but move. Walking, running, biking, hiking, and dancing are the sorts of movements that will keep the circulation revolving around the whole body.
2. Put your feet up. Give your legs a break after moving and also after sitting or standing all day. Put your feet up and support under the knees with pillows. Ice wraps also provide anti-inflammatory relief. This helps to reverse he blood flow and help the veins do their job. It also allows the pressure in the veins to lessen.
3. Pull on compression socks, sleeves, or stockings. These garments fit snugly on your legs, squeezing them slightly to help keep blood moving. Today’s stockings and socks don’t resemble old-fashioned versions. These leg fashions are available in numerous styles, colors, and compression tightness. They are available in over-the-counter versions at a drugstore or medical-grade options through your health care practitioner.

Treatment optionsIn the past, veins were primarily treated using a surgical procedure known as ligation and stripping. Ligation is a surgical procedure to cut off blood flow to the faulty vein. Stripping, or vein removal, followed. Swollen and uncomfortable healing followed. In the past 12-15 years, the way to treat these vein issues has changed. Now there are less invasive treatments.

The procedure is far less common today. Instead, many doctors have switched to less invasive office procedures that leave little to no scarring. Doctors use laser beams or high-frequency radio waves to heat the inside of the vein, damaging it and causing it to collapse. There is little swelling and a short recovery time. The body usually absorbs the collapsed vein within a year afterwards. Other popular office procedures include using a medical-grade glue to close the vein. In another, called foam sclerotherapy, the doctor injects medication into the vein to treat it. A third in-office procedure, called mechanical-chemical ablation, uses a liquid medication along with a rotating catheter to damage the vein and make it collapse.

While spider veins are a cosmetic issue, varicose veins are a medical problem. Treatment is typically covered by insurance. If you have spider veins and/or varicose veins, reach out to your health practitioner for advice.

To Your Greater Health,
KJ Landis
Research for this subject were gathered in part from the Harvard Medical School Health Publishing Newsletter and Journal.
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