Terre Pruitt's Blog

In the realm of health, wellness, fitness, and the like, or whatever inspires me.

  • I teach yoga, Nia, and stretch online!

    ALL CLASSES ARE ON ZOOM AT 10:00 AM PDT

    Tuesday Gentle Yoga 

    Wednesday Nia

    Thursday Stretch

    Please see my website for details!

    I am also available for private Nia / yoga / Personal Training all virtual, of course!

  • Unknown's avatar

  • Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

  • My Bloggey Past

  • ******

    Chose a month above to visit archives, or click below to visit a page.

Archive for March, 2017

Next Entries »

Flinging And Flanging

Posted by terrepruitt on March 8, 2017

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitI have been wondering for a long time why we need added plastic on our milk cartons.  I mean, what do the people who package our milk think we are?  Do they think we actually think that a milk carton is so “flingin’-flangin’ hard to open” that we can’t manage it?  We ARE NOT Kevin, the guy who couldn’t open a milk carton.  Ya know, the guy Joey played in the Amazing Discoveries commercial on Friends.  Why do we need additional plastic to access and pour our milk.  I know that none of us suffered from not being able to get the milk from a carton when I was young.  In fact, I would guess that no one had suffered from not being able to get the milk from a carton the entire time before they added that extra bit of plastic.  So I have been wondering about the reasoning ever since I have seen that extra amount of plastic on the carton.  Then you know what?  Last week I bought a carton of milk.  And as I was twisting off the cap made of plastic I noticed something . . . . it got bigger!  Now, not only is there an unnecessary cap made of plastic on my milk carton, there is a LARGER amount of unnecessary plastic making up the cap that is used to access my milk.

I don’t get it.  Do you?  Why do we need MORE plastic?  Milk cartons are not recyclable as it is and for years now they have had plastic added to them — because, I guess, you know . . . .Kevin?!?!? — and now there is even MORE plastic added to the milk carton.  What is up with that?  I don’t understand.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitDance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit

Again, it is my opinion that this cap device on milk cartons is TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY unnecessary and a TOTAL and COMPLETE waste of plastic, so I am totally and completely at a loss as to why they are now BIGGER.

I am not saying that when I was young or in my lifetime when they had regular cartons, that I didn’t rip it wrong once-in-awhile.  But then, I just used the other side.  And I still got the milk out without extra plastic on the carton or the “Milk Master 2000.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh5ejrhi03I?rel=0

I do know that I love that commercial on Friends because I use it as a reference A LOT.  I say, “What are you like Joey, and you can’t open the milk?”  Or, “Geez, I feel like Joey, I can’t open the milk.”  Or, my favorite, “Now I can have milk every day.”  And, no, the comment doesn’t get used when having anything to do with milk.  It is just when I am being clumsy or having a moment.  Or – in regards to the last comment, when I have been clumsy but then finally accomplish the task.  Or when I see another product on TV that is pretty much not necessary.

What about you?  How do you feel about the milk carton cap?  Every thought about it? (And, of course comments about Friends are always welcome.)

Posted in Misc | Tagged: , , , , , | 9 Comments »

Foot Cramps – OWW!

Posted by terrepruitt on March 6, 2017

Muscle cramps are awful, especially when you are exercising and totally focused and then you get a cramp.  You could be in a yoga pose, feeling all zen, then the next thing you know – you are in pain.  Muscle cramps seem to affect everyone so know that you are not alone if it is happening to you.  I was told a long time ago that a muscle cramp COULD be from trying to recruit other muscles to do the job.  I cannot remember the specific details of the cramp I would get, but I do remember thinking, “Yeah, that sounds about right because what you are having me do is very difficult for me, so I can see my other muscle trying to do the work.”  It could also be that the limb is in an unusual position and it causes a cramp.  Or it is gripping too hard.  Seems to me that the most common muscle cramp I see is in the foot.

The poses that cause the cramps range from standing balance poses to sitting poses.  So the pose that causes the cramp is not all that common or the same, but a foot cramp seems to be the most common.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitThe first thought that comes to mind when a cramp comes on is, “Are you hydrated?”  Cramps tend to occur when we are dehydrated.  So making sure that we have enough water especially before exercising is very important.

Then there are some nutrients that might be causing the issue if there is a deficiency.  Not enough potassium, calcium or magnesium could be the cause of cramps.  Perhaps having a banana before class could help.

Cramps could also be caused by lack of blood to the muscle or a compressed nerve.  So sometimes just moving the foot can help relieve the muscle contraction.

Movement that might help prevent cramps in the feet would be to point and flex the foot and circle the ankle.  Move the foot with the hands.  Take the foot in both hands and just manipulate it.  Move the foot all ways, bending and straighten out the arch, move each toe – remembering that the foot and ankle are made up of 26 bones and over 100 muscles.  Try to affect them all.  You want to ensure the foot is warmed up and ready to serve you.

The second thought that comes to me when someone has a cramp is: pinch your nose, the septum to be exact – really hard.  Most people look at me really odd.  But I learned that a long time ago when I had a cramp, someone told me to do it.  Recently someone else agreed with having heard that before, too.  I guess when I am having a cramp I pretty much am willing to do anything to make it stop so pinching my nose and causing pain elsewhere sounds good to me, as long as the cramp stops.  And, it usually does for me, I can’t get anyone else to try that method.  🙂

So, the other alternative is to move, as I mentioned before – perhaps get the blood flowing back to the muscle or perhaps relieve the pressure.  Also, massaging the foot might help.  Try relaxing the foot, sometimes that painful contraction happens during a standing balance pose so there are times less gripping of the standing foot can help.

There are things that can be done to hopefully help prevent the foot cramp and to relieve it when it happens.  But if it does happen know that you are not alone.  If it happens ALL the time, then it might be a good idea to see a doctor to make sure there is not an underlying cause.

Do you get cramps when you exercise?  Do you get cramps when doing yoga?  Is there a specific pose that leads to your muscles cramp?

Posted in Misc | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Dancing Metal Children

Posted by terrepruitt on March 3, 2017

Last year we saw a play.  It was good. It was a two-person play.  Those are always interesting.  It was called The Velocity of Autumn.  A friend had given us tickets.  It was at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.  We had planned for a lot of traffic, and surprisingly there wasn’t as much as we had thought, so we arrived very early at the theater.  They weren’t even letting people in.  So we walked around a bit.  I liked this sculpture that was on the grounds.  I chose to think of them as children dancing through the flowers, although it does look like they are walking.  But it could just be part of the dance.  I thought I would share it as a Friday Photo.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit

Posted in Friday Photo | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Somethings Are Best Kept In The Dark

Posted by terrepruitt on March 1, 2017

So recently I decided to start spraying my shower with a daily shower spray.  It was just constantly just so icky.  I couldn’t clean it often enough.  I used to spray it daily, but then I stopped because I was always in a hurry when taking a shower.  Well, I still am in a hurry when taking a shower, but it seems easier – to me – to invest my time in daily keeping the shower clean, then spending an hour or two one to two times a month trying to clean it.  So I bought some daily shower cleaner . . . and it was awesome for several reasons:

1 – it worked
2 – it smelled great
3 – the sprayer is huge and it covers a lot of area so it is actually faster than some of the other daily shower sprays I purchased.

But I wondered if I could make it.  And, of course, it can be done.  There are a lot of recipes out there on the internet for homemade daily shower spray.  The ingredients vary a bit, but it seems like the most popular ingredient it rubbing alcohol.  Then there is vinegar and/or hydrogen peroxide.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitI settled on the recipe for Tilex-like Daily Shower Spray Recipe on Housewife How-To’s – sort of.  I use the ingredients but the amounts vary because I just kinda pour it into the bottle until it is full.  The first batch I made was great, I am just now using the second batch so we will see how effective it is.  We will also see how me making the spray goes.  I only get four showers out of one bottle. I can see me making it AND sometimes using the store bought kind.  It did smell really nice.  And I could use another bottle with that awesome sprayer!  I know I can add essential oil to my mix and perhaps help with the vinegar smell.  We will just have to see.

But the real point of this most, you have probably heard it before, as have I, but I never paid attention to, or heard the WHY?  What I am talking about is how hydrogen peroxide needs to be stored in a dark bottle.  It shouldn’t be exposed to light.  Well, since so many recipes call for it so many websites remind us of that.  So I decided to look up why.  You might know, but I didn’t.  The Human Touch of Chemistry website has a nice little article on hydrogen peroxide.  At the very end – THE VERY END, actually the very last sentence – states the reason why it is store in dark bottles.  It says:  “The brown tint of the bottle prevents light being absorbed by the solution, preventing the oxidation and reduction reaction.”  It basically becomes ineffective.

The article was pretty interesting though, with other facts.  So perhaps you will click over to check it out.

So do you use a daily shower spray?  Which one?  Do you make it yourself?  If so, what is YOUR recipe?

Posted in Misc | Tagged: , , , , , | 11 Comments »

Next Entries »