Learning How to Learn.

My first piece of artwork using the program Paper53.

One of the most important meta-skills in life is learning how to learn.

I’m excited to be collaborating with some amazing and talented artists for future projects this year. They are extremely well-versed in digital design, data visualization and visual thinking in general. Of course! This is their specialty and profession. I had to remind myself of this as I navigated and fumbled around a new app, Paper53. I watched Youtube tutorials and took a Skillshare course with Shantell Martin. She used one of the fat markers and doodled squiggly lines and reminded me to “PLAY! HAVE FUN! TRY EVERYTHING!”

I had to gently remind myself that my education was in calculating tube feed rates, being able to look at a set of lab parameters and determine what formula to give a patient, how to calculate energy needs using adjusted body weight, and now, using motivational interviewing to promote behavior change. My education wasn’t rooted in color palettes and shading and formatting.

I relaxed. Every master was once a beginner. And so I played, and got frustrated, and started again, and found my rhythm and also the humor in learning and being a student again. It’s humbling. But everything truly is ‘figureoutable.’

Ancora Imparo. Still, I am learning.

It’s a long road. Today I took a few steps, and made this piece of art on Paper53 which was really fun. (Also, kudos to all the psychologists and therapists out there. We need you, especially during this time).

Sacred Vessels.

Today’s art was brought to you by dried beech mushrooms.

“Our bodies
are not projects
that we must work on
to fix or improve
or starve

Our bodies
are sacred vessels
made to liberate
educate
propagate the hopes and dreams
of future generations
who recognize
America is not great-
She is sick

All along the world has told us
we need to change our bodies
But now, we must use our bodies
to change the world.”

— Julianne Kanzaki

Please vote.

Alchemy.

A huge thank you to all the firefighters and crew working tirelessly to save our homes, historical structures, farms, businesses and forests.

“the redwoods
that held me
whispering their wisdom
through the breeze of their leaves
sheltering me from the sun and rain
reminding me to stay rooted
holding me
with their steadiness and strength
in their sovereign knowingness
now
they are gone
transformed
their smoke rises
ash falls
like snow
may we uphold
the wisdom of our ancestors
and promise
to
do
better”

— Julianne Kanzaki

Non-Attachment.

The biggest lesson in non-attachment- packing your evacuation bags.

Looking around at what I owned, I realized how my expensive material belongings bring me little overarching joy and satisfaction in life. Stripped to the core, it was the irreplaceable, twenty-year-old (!) pieces of paper stored in a precious letter box that hold the most value for me. Handwritten cards from my 100-year old grandmother written in her shaky yet seemingly perfect font. Letters from my other grandmother when her Parkinson’s forced her to resort to the typewriter. She was a fierce spirit trapped in a slowly dying body as she processed how her life was coming to a close. I was in college feeling like my life was just beginning. She wrote to me about her doctor’s appointment, the endeavors of my various cousins, how proud she was of all of us- and always encouraged me to always have a Plan B, a Plan C, and a Plan D. “Always give yourself options". That advice has stayed with me. Wisdom from a brave and courageous woman who applied for a college scholarship to escape the internment camps. Education was literally her ticket to freedom and building a new life.

I packed all of these letters, as well as the vases and pots made by my dad and the ceramics we created together.

When everything is at the danger of being stripped away, there is a window of opportunity to reassess the things that truly hold value. The things that really matter.

Integration.

Montara Mountain, McNee Ranch State Park

Last Monday I combined my love of teaching and nutritional science for a company’s Wellness Week. I presented studies, told personal stories and illustrated my entire slide deck to make it playful and fun- something the “old me” of a few years ago probably would’ve never even considered or been brave enough to do.

But here I am, loving it. Finally seeing how all my interests and passions are snapping into place like puzzle pieces.

I wonder how many hidden talents, how many skills and strengths sit waiting, locked inside us. How much untapped wisdom and character is bound in us, waiting for the right time and circumstance to release it. Perhaps illness will do it. Breaking us down in order to show us our resilience and intense desire to heal. Or motherhood. Revealing deeper wells of sacrifice and unconditional love you didn’t know existed. Or singleness. To uncover your own confidence, power and independence that you lacked when you were in partnership. The loss of a job. The cross country move. The puppy you adopt.

How many aspects of ourselves are patiently waiting to be discovered and explored. How many parts of ourselves we have yet to meet. How going off the beaten path gives us a different perspective but still gets us up the mountain of knowing ourselves.

The Way To Do Is To Be.

This weekend I found my new favorite place to restore my soul.

“Always we hope
someone else has the answer,
some other place will be better,
some other time,
it will turn out.

This is it.

No one else has the answer,
no other place will be better,
and it has already turned out.

At the center of your being,
you have the answer:
you know who you are and
you know what you want.

There is no need to run outside
for better seeing,
nor to peer from a window.
Rather abide at the center of your being:
for the more you leave it,
the less you learn.

Search your heart and see
the way to do is to be.”

— Lao Tzu

Shadow Work.

“We think we need to learn more, have more, be more. But what we really need is stillness. It is only through stillness and silence that the unconscious can become conscious.”

— Julianne Kanzaki

The Fastest Way to Decrease Stress.

Expanding out your focus and gaze is beneficial for your physical and mental well-being.

In states of acute stress (or autonomic arousal), one of the fastest ways to decrease anxiety is to dial out your gaze to panoramic vision. Our visual system is more parasympathetic dominant and regulated by big neurons that transmit information extremely fast (faster than trying to take long deep breaths), so broadening your vision is a rapid way to decrease your autonomic arousal.

If you’re at your computer and feeling overwhelmed and anxious, merely dial out your gaze. Or if you can, go outside and look at the sky and the horizon line. You’ll immediately decrease your fight-or-flight response and feel more calm. Also, taking a few minutes to look at the sky a few hours after sunrise or prior to sunset activates biological circuits that send signals to the body responsible for immunity and circadian rhythms. This is why I highly encourage morning and evening walks- they are so beneficial for overall health and well-being. 

Dress Up Your Toast!

An ode to my childhood days of playing with paper dolls.

If you’re craving a simple sweet/savory snack chock full of fiber, look no further. Sprouted whole grain bread (like Ezekiel’s bread) topped with these combos can provide you with a balanced amount of macronutrients to power you through the mid-afternoon. The healthy fat and carbohydrates (like in nut butter and fruit) are especially perfect for pre-workout when you can utilize the carbohydrates for fuel. Or try a savory combo like hummus and cucumber for a perfect pairing of protein and fiber from the hummus. The food synergy found in the combination of avocado and tomato packs a powerful punch since the heathy fat in avocado helps the body absorb almost 4x the amount of lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant found in tomatoes that helps prevent cancer and cataracts, reduces inflammation and keeps skin looking smoother.

So whether you’re craving sweet or savory, there are many healthy and nutritious combos to try…all which support gut health, stabilize blood sugar, and provide nutrient-dense energy. What’s your favorite combo?

DIY Nourish Bowls.

One of the benefits of spending more time at home is the opportunity it provides people to prepare more home-cooked meals and deliberately choose how and what they will nourish their bodies with. The foods you buy are the foods you’ll eat, so consciously choosing more nutrient-dense, high fiber foods to include in your meals will inevitably increase your energy levels and set you up for success.

I recently received an air fryer as a gift, and this has changed my meal prep process tremendously! It’s cut my meal prep time in half and allows me to enjoy air-fried sweet potato fries (sans oil, but oh so crispy!), roasted chickpea snacks, and a plethora of other roasted veggies to round out my 30+ plant species goal for the week.

It’s recommended to include a diversity of plant species (30-40) per week- this includes fruit, veggies, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, whole grains- as a way to diversify your gut microbiome and make you more resistant to disease and inflammation. So it’s not just quantity of vegetables (aiming for 5-7 servings per day), but in addition, the various types of plants across the spectrum of whole foods.

Some of my most successful clients have changed the focus of their attention away from counting calories to how many plant species they are consuming per week. This is a positive, health-promoting and incentivizing metric that supports optimal energy, health, immune and brain function.

But don’t take it from me. Here’s a recent testimonial of how impactful the right foods and evidence-based nutrition can have on weight and overall health:

“I’ve worked with Julianne for 5 months now to achieve my weight loss goal: Losing 32 lbs of body weight (206->174) and 9.2% of body fat (23.6%->14.4%).

My experience was scientific, impactful and comfortable because of the guidance from Julianne. She helped with several key areas:
- Clarify myths and questions, so I can follow a scientifically proven approach to achieve my goal (e.g., proper protein intake of 1 g per kg instead of 1 g per lbs). This is critical to me because related online resources are conflicting, confusing and some are harmful to my body, which could have caused me to give up
- Suggested new areas of improvements and backed them up by related dietary research. Specifically, her suggestions (e.g., balanced macro nutrients, intermittent fasting) enabled me to avoid uncomfortable experiences and break through plateaus.
- Provided actionable ways to implement theories. She always provide recipes, or training routines along with her theories, which makes them concrete and actionable.
- Consistent encouragement. Her recognition of my progress kept me dedicated to tracking food intake, exploring new routines and progressing towards my goal.

Overall, it was an extremely rewarding and pleasurable experience to work with Julianne. She lead me into a life-long journey to a healthier life.”

— Jingning Z.

We have the opportunity to transform our health and longevity simply by the foods we decide to put on our plate. By simply increasing the fiber-rich, nutrient-dense foods abundant in vegetables, leafy greens, beans, lentils and whole grains, we have the opportunity to raise our energy levels, vibration, and overall health. It’s not about restricting food and counting calories. It’s about nourishing our bodies. With real, whole food. The kind Mother Nature intended for us.

The Silver Linings of Virtual Coaching.

Most healthcare providers can agree that nothing fully replaces the magic and energy of in-person sessions. From the moment I enter the room, I can viscerally sense if a person is feeling calm, relaxed, tense, anxious, or nervous. Using that initial energetic feedback, I direct the session in a way that best serves the client.

In March when all in-person visits were halted and transitioned to virtual, I was curious to see how this new model would affect coaching. But I was pleasantly surprised to discover it actually enhanced our sessions in unexpected ways. I didn’t have to worry about masks covering their nose and mouth that could hide micro-expressions and non-verbal cues. New hobbies were revealed through their background environment. I met the dogs they walked twice a day and the cats they cuddled with to relieve their stress at the end of the day. I met their children who were often the reason and motivation to change behavior.

I worked with clients as they moved apartments and slowly watched week-to-week how their new space was becoming more of ‘them’. Bookshelves and planter boxes were built. Picture frames were hung. Plants grew and flourished.

I wasn’t only witnessing the change occurring in the backdrop of my clients’ lives. I was also actively recognizing and celebrating their growth and positive changes they made through this pandemic. They showed me new recipes they’d made, art projects they were working on for self-care, the corner of their home they transitioned into a meditation station, and their makeshift home gyms.

This pandemic has been challenging for all of us. But in my work it is evident that human beings are inherently resilient, flexible, motivated, and creative. We are one of the most adaptable species on the planet. We will adjust. And thrive.

I’m privileged to witness this every day in the work that I do.