Archive for the ‘Misc’ Category
Posted by terrepruitt on December 7, 2010
In my most recent Nia class, I decided that I wanted to help people focus on the good of the season. I think that sometimes there is a lot of negative emotions around the Holiday season. By negative emotions I mean the way people actually feel during this time of year. There is always the ever present I-don’t-believe-in-Christ-so-I-don’t-agree-with-any-of-it, the it-makes-me-sad-so-therefore-I-am-going-to-be-sad, the WHAT?-ITS-CHRISTMAS! The feelings of inadequacy; there is not enough money, goals for the year were not accomplished, baking isn’t getting done, cards aren’t being sent, house isn’t getting cleaned, nothing is enough, there is too much . . . . .oh my the pressure! I was thinking all of this is negative stuff. So in class the focus was pushing away the negative, somewhat rejecting it, with the intent of bringing in the positive.
Both the “negative” and the “positive” is different for everyone so that was a very individualized point. We didn’t discuss anything that I mentioned above, so everyone could rid themselves of whatever they needed and attract whatever they wanted. It was very nice. It is a focus and an intent that can be used any time, I just thought we’d give it a spin this season.
As with all focuses and intents we use in a Nia class they can be carried into one’s day and/or daily living. This is where the thought of “letting go” keeps popping into my head. I love this season. I love cleaning my house, getting it all ready to put up the decorations. Then I love spending days . . . at least two or three days decorating the tree and the house. I always laugh because sometimes I can’t remember where I “normally” put something and it might end up in a new spot. Then I spend the season either saying, “Yes, that’s good.” or “No, that really doesn’t work.”
I sometimes feel very foolish for the sheer joy I feel when I look at a silly Christmas decoration that I cherish. But I do. I feel joy at the beauty and the sparkle of Christmas. This year since I am a bit limited in my movements I am having to really draw on that joy. I am going to have to strategically place things so that I can see “Christmas” everywhere yet not have as many decorations out and up.
Things tend to work in concert. We ended up with a much, much smaller tree than usual. Cool, since my hubby had to handle it without my help. Since it is smaller it will require less ornaments which will allow me to stay off my foot. Also a small tree requires less maintenance and the couches didn’t have to be moved. See? It is all gonna work out fine, I just need to let it go. Reject the negative when I start to feel a pout coming on. It’s ok that it is my favorite time of year and I can’t run around. Oh well. I can walk. My toe/foot IS healing. It is all good. For heaven’s sake its Christmastime. Let the negative go, embrace the season, embrace the unity.
Posted in Just stuff, Nia | Tagged: Christmas, Christmas cards, Christmas decorations, Christmas Tree, Christmas tree ornaments, Christmastime, Holiday season, Holidays, Nia, Nia class, Nia focus, Nia intent, unity | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 2, 2010
For some reason, unknown to me, my hubby does not like medical shows. Medical dramas he will watch, but if I have on a show that is a doctor talking about anything he won’t watch it. So needless to say, I don’t watch those types of shows. I don’t know when they are on, but every once in a while I will turn on the TV when he is not home and there is one on. Like recently when I watched the Dr. Oz show when he was talking about foods that starved cancer. I just think all that stuff is interesting. I love to hear what they learn about the body. It is fascinating. Well, today I sat down for a moment and turned on the TV and Dr. Oz was on. I really should find out when it is on and just make a point to watch it when my hubby is not home because I always learn something when I watch his show.
I only saw a few minutes but it was really interesting. He was saying that it is important to change your home’s filter, ya know for central heating, every three months. I know we don’t do it that often, but after what he said I think it might be something to consider. I have always known that it helps trap dust and pollen and things floating around in the air that might help to aggravate allergies. But I never really thought about insect parts. Ewwwwww. He said that insects and their parts are a very common allergen. YUCK. Not something I really want to dwell on, but one of those things that I like to know, deal with, then forget about, ya know?
Also he has said that certain foods; onions, apples, and citrus contain Quercetin. Quercetin acts as an antihistamine. Which is something that most allergy sufferers take in pill form. It is awesome to me to be able to get some anti itch help from the food I eat!
The information I am seeing as I look around also states that Quercetin is also considered an anti-flammatory agent . . . and a lot of allergy symptoms are from inflammation so something that acts as an anti-flammatory is amazing to me.
I am very happy to have come across this information. I don’t always EAT white or yellow onions, but I do put them in food for flavor. I am starting to eat the red onions they tend to be less sharp. I do eat apples, but I don’t believe I eat them as often as I should, so I will step up my apple consumption. Although I like oranges, I don’t eat them that often because it is difficult to find good flavorful ones in the store, but I will work on that too. If these foods will help quell my allergy symptoms . . . . I am there!
Have you heard of Quercetin before? Do you eat onions? What about apples and oranges? Do you have hay fever/allergies?
Posted in Helpful Hints | Tagged: Allergies, allergy sufferers, allergy symptoms, anti-flammatory. heating filter, cancer, Dr. Oz, inflmmation, medical dramas, medical shows, quercetin | 7 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on November 30, 2010
After my Nia class this week, my students told me soak my toe in an epsom salt bath. I had actually been told about them before. They have been around forever. Ya know one of those things that used to be used in simpler times when there wasn’t something fancy to take its place. It is a natural mineral, magnesium sulfate.
I had originally been told about them for sore muscles. In fact a lot of bath salt products on the market contain magnesium sulfate. The instructions on the container state to use two cups of the salts in a tub of water and soak. The mineral is absorbed into the skin and it helps reduce inflammation and soreness. This can help with sprains and strains and muscles that have been exercised. A soak in water with epsom salts can also help relive itching of some illnesses or issues.
Epsom salt is thought to help relax the body as well as the mind and draw toxins out of the body. Soaking one’s feet can help both neutralize foot order and make the skin soft. Soaking in water with salts in it can help soften the skin, but the salts themselves can also be used as an exfoliator. Rubbing the skin while wet then rinsing throughly. Also the salts can be used to help with acne and breakouts.
Now that I actually have a container of them I might start using them more often to soak my feet and exfoliate them. How about you? Have you used them before?
Just as a note: Table salt is sodium chloride it is different substance than magnesium sulfate.
Posted in Helpful Hints | Tagged: acne treatment, epsom salt, epsom salt bath, natural mineral, Nia class, Nia students, skin softener, sore muscles | 9 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on November 18, 2010
Sometimes we need to be reminded about things . . . at least I do. This is a brief stripped down reminder.
Carbs equal sugar in the body
Excess sugar equals excess insulin
Excess carbs equal excess insulin
Excess insulin equals increased appetite and a spike in dopamine
Dopamine is the pleasure hormone.
When you get a rush of pleasure with what you eat it tends to encourage you to eat more for more pleasure. To get that rush.
This type of situation can cause cravings for simple carbs. This could be an addiction to simple carbs.
So carbohydrates are not unhealthy it is the simple ones that are the culprits. When there is too many they rush into the body’s system and cause all the excess. Then it becomes a vicious cycle.
Excess insulin also signals the body to store the excess carbs as fat.
Exercise helps burn off calories. Nia is a great exercise to burn off the calories. 🙂
Posted in Just stuff, Misc | Tagged: body fat, carb addiction, carb cravings, dopamine, excess insulin, hormones, insulin, Nia, Nia exercise, simple carbohydrates, simple carbs | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on November 11, 2010
Recently in my San Jose Nia Class we used elbows as our focus for the class. The intent was to sense the connection that our elbows have to our entire body. As we moved we connected them to our hips, our ribs, our thighs, our knees, even our toes. An easy and almost automatic connection is elbows to shoulders. Well, for me, this focus allowed me to move my joints to a state of complete and utter looseness. I felt very loose and relaxed all day long.
That same evening I went to an Ecstatic Dance class and I almost felt as if I could bend like a contortionists. Notice I said ALMOST. In reality I could not bend like that, but I was sensing a greater flexing in my joints than normal. Since I was actually aware of this and sensing it I decided to move with caution. When I get the opportunity to just Free Dance with others that are doing their own thing I really end up moving. I work up a sweat and get a really great workout. But this time since I felt my joints might be able to bend more than normal I kept reining myself in. I didn’t want to end up injuring myself.
I thought of my former dance teacher who used to do very deep stretches with her legs. Since she COULD stretch so deep she would do it all the time thinking she was doing her body good. But it turned out that all of that stretching ended up putting too much strain on her ligaments. She ended up having to have several surgeries on her knee. She was double jointed or had knee joints that hyperextended. If you are double jointed it is good to use caution when moving because just because you CAN move like that doesn’t mean it is good for you to do so repeatedly. The focus of this post is more about loose joints and not double-jointedness.
It is very important to stretch and be flexible, but there sometimes is a point when we are too loose or more accurately too loose to just let loose. We need to know when to rein it in and take it easy. Listening to our body and using body knowledge and awareness we can help from allowing ourselves to get injured. If you normally cannot do a particular move but today you sense that you can, stop and think can you really? Is your body ready? If you are sure then by all means do it because doing what we couldn’t do before but can do now, is how we grow and progress. But if you are not sure then maybe you want to wait until you are certain because you don’t want to end up having to start all over if you injure yourself. If your joints are not used to a deep stretches then work slowly into it. If you have done a juicy yoga class or Nia has all your joints open and saying “Ahhh!” but your joints are not always that loose – proceed with care doing any additional exercise. Be sure to enjoy the sensation of happy joints.
Have you ever sensed the sensation of loose joints?
Posted in Helpful Hints | Tagged: dance class, Dance Workout, dance workout class, Ecstatic Dance, flexible joints, focus and intent, joints, Nia class, Nia class focus, Nia class intent, San Joe workout, San Jose Nia class, San Jose Workout class, San Jose Yoga, San Jose yoga class, workout class, Yoga | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 30, 2010
Inflammation is a good thing . . . . normally, when it is acute. When it happens in response to an injury, or bacteria, or when it is fighting an infection. When it does its job and helps the body heal it is amazing. But chronic inflammation is not a good thing. When the immune system is a little off and there is constant inflammation in the body it is not good. The body should not be in this state of “fight” for prolong periods. It should fight the issue and then go back to a normal state, but it does not always do this.
Constant or chronic inflammation is the cause of conditions such as arthritis, and it is being linked to many illnesses/diseases including; autoimmune diseases, obesity, hay fever, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis, wrinkling skin, and even depression . . . to name a few. It is as if our immune system is working overtime and not allowing our body or body’s system to be in balance.
Some things thought to contribute to inflammation: our diet, our habits, and our environment. Trans fat, saturated fats, omega 6 fat, refined sugar, and simple carbohydrates are things contained in our diets and could be pushing our immune systems into an unhealthy state of being. Even eating more protein, carbohydrates, and fat than we need is suggested to contribute to inflammation. Lack of exercise is a contributing factor, along with smoking, and stress. The toxins in our homes and work places, in all of our lives could be additional factors. When you add all of that up we are literally assaulted daily. It is no wonder our bodies can’t fight off all of the diseases and the diseases are on the rise. It is no wonder that more and more people are being diagnosed with autoimmune diseases–our bodies are fighting themselves.
To me, its something to think about.
Posted in Just stuff | Tagged: acute inflammation, autoimmune diseases, chronic inflammation, constant inflammation, Inflammation, omega 6 fat, refined sugar, saturated fats, simple carbohydrates, Trans fat | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 21, 2010
Tonight I went to a TweetUp, I love to be able to talk to people in person about Nia. In our area there is a group of fabulous people (Michael Brito, Jennifer Leggio, and Gabriel Carrejo) that put together the SVTweetups. Tonight it was in San Jose — I like them when they are super close. I wrote about the Halloween event last year. I posted a picture of my favorite costume of the night–last year. Tonight there was not that many costumes. Someone said he thought it was because Halloween was too far away. But since so many people dressed up last year, both my husband and I dressed up this year, I was thinking that more people would dress up. I was not original at all. I had a meeting right before the event, so I wore some scrubs and went as a Medical Professional. I figured that people at my meeting wouldn’t know if that was a costume or it was real. My hubby, bought a costume but came up with another one and pulled it off with ease.
He was Keith Stone. You know that guy from the commercial that sells the beer? Well, it was good. Did I get a picture? No, but I got a picture of his prize. See the TweetUps–the Silicon Valley Tweetups, while they are social events, they are also networking events, and charity events.
So while we paid an entrance fee it was really a donation to the San Jose Family Shelter. Which is a great shelter that helps families in need. If a family is going through a rough patch they can live at the shelter for a bit and they help to get them on their feet. Then there is usually a company that sponsors the event and tonight it was Plantronics. Ya know the company that specializes in headsets. I’ve always had a plantronics at my corporate jobs. And now they are making Bluetooth devices too! They were the costume contest sponsors and my hubby’s costume really was great and he won a prize.
Then there is the social aspect where I get to meet the people with whom I tweet. It is awesome. I have met more people at tweetups and I have a great time.
Here I am—just sharing again. Do you tweet? If you do what is your handle? I want to follow you. You can follow me if you want. I’m @HelpYouWell on Twitter!
Posted in Just stuff | Tagged: @HelpYouWell, beer commercial, bluetooth, Gabriel Carrejo, Jennifer Leggio, Keith Stone, Keystone Beer, Michael Brito, network event, Nia, Nia San Jose, Plantronics, San Jose Family Shelter, San Jose Nia, Silicon Valley charity, Silicon Valley Nia, Silicon Valley TweetUp, social event, SV Tweetup, Youtube | 10 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 14, 2010
As you know, I wanted to share Nia with the world. There are a lot of people, students, teachers, trainers, and participants that share my desire. For me the easiest and quickest thing to do was to join the plethora of Social Networking. So I joined Twitter and when I did I looked for people who were tweeting about Nia. In doing so I ran across Lissa Rankin. She lives North of the San Francisco Bay Area.
She recently wrote a book that I had no intention of buying because I just didn’t think I needed it. Then during her book tour she did an in person launch but she was across the country. So for us on the west coast she did a live online launch. She read from her book and that is what had me jumping on Amazon to buy it. Her book is not so much NEW information as it is more like confirmation for me. I am not even half way through the book so I can’t say that I won’t learn something I never knew.
I can say that I love the way it is written. Lissa is down to earth and lovable. While she is an Medical Doctor not all of her answers are “go see a doctor”. This last section I read had me jumping up to the laptop because I have been trying to find a post topic and the feeling I felt made me think, “Ah-ha!”
The feeling I am getting from this book thus far is health and well-being. Every topic she touches upon has the same message . . . “its your body . . . . be aware of what is a healthy state and a not healthy state . . . love and take care of your body . . . above all be safe.”
It is a book — so far — I would recommend women of all ages read and men read too. It could serve as a great learning tool for men and women a like. I am sure when I am done reading it I will have more to say, but so far, I just wanted to put it out there that even though this book is about “What’s Up Down There?” its underlying message is be healthy and safe and love yourself and your body.
Posted in Misc | Tagged: Amazon, Lissa Rankin, Lissa Rankin MD, love your body, Nia, Nia participants, Nia people, Nia students, Nia teachers, Nia trainers, San Francisco Bay Nia, San Francisco Nia, San Jose Nia, Social Networking, Twitter, What's Up Down There | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 12, 2010
The other day when I was doing something besides Nia :-), I realized that there was a “rule” involved with it. Do you have “rules” in your house? “Rules” that you or your spouse has instituted? I am not saying you have to agree with the rule or even understand it, but it is just something you might do in order to make your spouse happy (or not upset) and vice versa?
Maybe there are rules you have come up with together?
Here are some of our house rules. Following these rules just makes life easier. In no particular order.
-Never leave an empty coffee pot. After the coffee is done, always leave water in the coffee pot. At least six cups.
-Never leave a door to the outside or the garage open. Never!
-Do not touch the cheese with hands. Better to not touch anything that touches the cheese with hands.
-Do not let anything touch the coffee maker–ever. (As in a dish towel).
I would imagine that with kids in the house there are a whole other set of rules both for them and for the adults. 😉
Well? Do you have any rules that the family abides by that helps make your household run more smoothly? I would love to hear. I bet there are a few that would help our house.
Posted in Helpful Hints | Tagged: coffee maker, coffee pot, happy spouse, house rules, Nia | 13 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on September 25, 2010
I think of Nia as something to help me learn things and sometimes adjust patterns, both patterns of movements and patterns of thinking. Like sayings that we might have heard most of our lives, as in the one I posted about previously “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” you have probably heard, “if you want something done right do it yourself”. Wow. Really? If. You. Want. Something. Done. RIGHT. Do. It. Yourself. I actually wish I was that good, that everything I did, I did right. That everything I did no one else could do. Well, that is not the case. I realized a long time ago this was not true. I realized when I had a boyfriend that could do a lot of things. But it was as if his brain worked opposite of everyone else. He never approached anything like anyone else. But then the end project would be pretty cool. So I realized that he could do something right, it just wasn’t done my way.
Same thing goes with my husband. He can do a lot of things and he can do them well, but he rarely does anything like I would do it. Sometimes there are times when he is helping me and it needs to be done a certain way, say cutting a vegetable that is going into a recipe, so I will tell him that it needs to be chopped and not sliced—or whatever. But sometimes I just need to walk away while he does something. If he offers to do something or I ask him to do something, sometimes I just need it to get done and it doesn’t really matter HOW it gets done, I let it go, but I often need to walk away. Not because he can’t do it right, but because he won’t do it my way.
So, this is just another one of those sayings that I don’t subscribe to. What do you think? Are you the only one that can do things right or are you the only one that can do it YOUR way?
Posted in Just stuff | Tagged: can't teach a dog new tricks, if you want something done right, movement patterns, Nia, Nia Movement, old sayings | 8 Comments »
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