Sunset Surrender.

Milagra Ridge Trail, Pacifica

“You who let yourselves feel: enter the breathing
that is more than your own.
Let it brush your cheeks
as it divides and rejoins behind you.
Blessed ones, whole ones,
you where the heart begins:
You are the bow that shoots the arrows
and you are the target.
Fear not the pain. Let its weight fall back
into the earth;
for heavy are the mountains, heavy the seas.
The trees you planted in childhood have grown
too heavy. You cannot bring them along.
Give yourselves to the air, to what you cannot hold.”

— Rainer Maria Rilke, Sonnets to Orpheus Part I

Getting Back In the Saddle.

When I first learned how to ride a road bike, I was afraid of riding alone in busy intersections so I packed my bike and literally drove three blocks to my friend’s house to start our ride. I practiced clipping in and out of the pedals in the parking lot. I remember the day when I had enough balance and control to simultaneously drink from my water bottle while riding in the backroads of Redlands. The sun was rapidly setting and I laughed with delight. I felt invincible. That tiny win unlocked the childlike part of myself that had fearlessly ridden and performed risky tricks on a bike as a child. Only this time, I was a 22 year-old clipped into an aluminum road bike and rediscovering my joy.

I’d forgotten about all those mini markers of progress, but when I rode the coast on Sunday they all came back as sweet memories. It’s valuable to remember where we once started. What it was like to be a beginner.

These two wheels have taught me the importance of getting back on after setbacks and crashing before the fear sets into my bones. At the beginning of this year, a wasp got trapped under my sunglasses while descending and stung me near my eye. In the subsequent days my face was so dysmorphic and my eye was literally swollen shut. In a panic, I was driven to the ER where I was pumped with IV antibiotics and Prednisone. With quarantine and riding solo, I’ve had to stay calm and feel confident fixing mechanicals on my own. These situations have terrified me in different ways, but I always do my best to get back in the saddle. To not let fear win and keep me paralyzed. It’s a powerful metaphor for other parts of my life.

A lot of things won’t work. They may crash and burn and lose air. And that’s ok. The most important thing is to get back up. To not let fear win. To stay the course, keep your eyes on the Bigger Destination, to be generous along the way, and never forget the small wins that got you to where you currently are.

The Leaf is Singing Still.

Feeling the freshness of the fall season today at Purisma Creek Redwoods. So grateful these Redwoods are still standing after all the wildfires.

“Take your busy heart to the art museum and the
chamber of commerce
but take it also to the forest.
The song you heard singing in the leaf when you
were a child
is singing still.
I am of years lived, so far, seventy-four,
and the leaf is singing still.”

— "What Can I Say" from Swan, by Mary Oliver

RIP RBG.

Another fun illustration I did using mung beans.

Even aMUNGst many obstacles, RBG was inarguably one of the most influential women in history who paved the way for gender equality and women’s rights. Her legacy will never be forgotten.

Mung beans are also a powerhouse when it comes to nutrition. A mere 1/4 cup (dry) contains 12g of protein and 8g of fiber. Sprouted mung beans boast even more antioxidants that assist the body in fighting off free radicals and preventing chronic disease.

My nourish bowl: No oil air-fried sweet potato fries, broccoli, cauliflower, radish, kale, avocado, lentils, and sprouted mung beans.

Sprouted mung beans can be easily added to stir fries and nourish bowls or sprinkled on top of salads to support a healthy gut microbiome and keep you full, satisfied, and energized.

There is much in the world that is beyond our control. But it’s important to remember what we do have control over- what we feed ourselves, how we move our body, where we get our information from, and who we vote for.

Don't Miss the Magic.

If you’re too consumed with things that are urgent, you lose the ability to focus on things that are important.

If you’re too caught up in everything that’s going wrong, you’re unable to see the beauty.

All we have now is the present moment.

Don’t miss the magic.

Plant Protection Against COVID-19.

Although this miso soba bowl contains many antioxidants and fiber, the superstars in this meal are shiitake mushrooms and broccoli sprouts.

We all know that wearing a mask can decrease our risk of getting COVID-19. But can eating certain foods also help protect us?

Turns out, yes.

70% of our immune system resides in the gut. By eating certain plant foods- specifically mushrooms, cranberries, blueberries, broccoli sprouts, green tea, and kombu (seaweed), you can increase your body’s ability to fight infection and disease.

Sketchnotes from today’s presentation by Dr. William Li at the Plant Based Nutrition Healthcare Conference.

In one study, adding 100 grams (1/3 cup) of blanched white button mushrooms per day to the diet for one week increased salivary Immunoglobulin A (IgA) by 144%. IgA is an antibody blood protein made by the immune system and found in the mucous membranes (respiratory and GI tract, as well as saliva and tears) that help fight bacteria, viruses, and toxins.

Another study showed that polyphenols in cranberries (administered via 15 oz of juice per day x 10 days) resulted in a 16% reduction in cold and flu symptoms, 57% less GI distress during cold and flu season, and increased interferon-γ secretion by 172%. Interferon-γ is important for activating macrophages and stimulates natural killer cells and neutrophils.

There is also evidence that broccoli sprouts helps increase our natural killer cells. In one study, health volunteers were given 2 cups of broccoli sprouts in a shake (or a placebo) daily for 4 days. They were given the nasal flu vaccine on Day 2. The sprout eaters had 22x more natural killer T cells and were found to have fewer flu viruses in their nose. So not only are broccoli sprouts powerhouses for anti-aging, anti-cancer, and longevity, but they protect our bodies even more when teamed up with a vaccine.

A snapshot from my parent’s kitchen table: Green tea (chock full of EGCGs) and homegrown broccoli sprouts. Not shown: miso soup with tofu, wakame, and made with kombu. A sample of how to fit these powerhouse foods into an actual meal.

We’ve known all along that whole plant foods support healthy digestion, weight, and prevent and reverse heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Now with the pandemic, there’s even more reason to include these specific foods into your diet to increase your immunity and support your body’s ability to fight off infection, viruses, and toxins.

It may start with adding in a cup of green tea into your morning routine. Adding blueberries into your oatmeal. Slicing mushrooms and adding them into your soups or stirfries. Making miso soup with kombu. Starting to sprout at home! The journey doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. The first step begins with adding in more whole plant foods to your existing meals and snacks. Then adding in a few more. With each step, you’re transforming your health, your gut microbiome, climate change, and the state of the world for the future generations. It’s a win-win for everyone- including the animals and the environment.

Coronacoaster Diary.

Tracking the trends of the past few months for me creatively, horticulturally, and of course, in snack obsessions. I’m teaching my brain to visualize data in a new way while simultaneously learning a new sketching program on the ipadPro. Today’s meta-lesson was about freely experimenting and being ok with being a beginner again. Giving myself room to play and have fun. And most of all, feeling free enough to create from the heart.

When’s the last time you tried something new?

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.