Terre Pruitt's Blog

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

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Posts Tagged ‘Coffee’

Easy Gifts To Give And Receive

Posted by terrepruitt on December 10, 2018

As we get older it seems like we end up with a lot of stuff. And we come to a point where we want to limit the amount of stuff we get as we try to thin out some of the stuff we have. I have found that many of the people on my gift list don’t want any more stuff. The super cute affordable stuff that really doesn’t have a use or a purpose. There are always things people need and want, but I am talking about the stuff that is fun to buy, fun to give, and even fun to receive, but doesn’t really have a use. I still give those types of gifts when I see something and it just SCREAMS a person’s name. Ya know, sometimes things just belong with a person, but I try not to go out and seek that stuff. For many people I try to give them consumable stuff. Things that are great because they are a tangible gift, but also great because they go away soon and don’t end up taking up room for too long. And somethings are so easy to give because everyone uses them and some are easy to give because almost everyone likes them.

Here are a few things that can be considered nice gifts but don’t hang around for a long time:

-Fancy olive oils and vinegars

We just recently bought some very yummy olive oil and vinegars. I even posted about it because it was so good. And I loved it so much I did buy a bottle for our neighbors! There are so many flavors of flavored olive oil I bet you could find a perfect one for everyone on your list. And that is not even considering the vinegar. We bought some that is so tasty I want to drink it.

-Soap

You may know from past posts that I think fancy soap is a great idea as a gift. And I think that started after I received a nice bar as a gift or it could have started when I had discovered some delicious soap I used to buy, either way, if you like some fancy soap that is not something made commercially I bet someone on your list would enjoy it too.

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Do I really even need to say anything about candles? No, but I will. There are so many types of candles and most of them can be burned and they disappear. I did recently post about the electronic kind. While they are an awesome gift they don’t belong in the consumable category.

-Homemade cookies, toffee, fudge and things of that nature

One year I made cookies for people and I was so surprised at their reaction. They were so grateful to have received homemade goodies. Each recipient commented on the time spend to make them and they were so very grateful. And, unfortunately, I don’t think I have done it since because – yeah, it does take a lot of time. I have made nuts and toffee before. I posted the recipe for the nuts here and here. I got the original nut recipe from my same friend that gave me soap one year. I have also posted about the easy to make toffee.

-Note cards

Ok, this one is for a specific person obviously. Not everyone writes notes, most people don’t even send cards any more so a box of note cards will not be a good gift for most people, but you might have at least one person on your list that writes and sends mail.

-Lotions

Most lotion users can always need more lotion. And often times, even though they have their favorite they are excited to try something new and different. So help them get a new favorite by buying them some lotion!

-Coffees and Teas

Coffee is expensive so who, among coffee drinkers, wouldn’t love to receive a pound of something yummy. And tea . . . again, just like the lotion users, they probably have their favorite, but there are so many out there you can help them experience something new. Just try really, really, really hard to NOT buy a mug to go with the coffee or tea. You know mugs, there are so many great ones out there and they are so easy to buy . . . we probably all have more than can fit in our cupboards!

-Wine and spirits

If you have a person on your list that drinks either or both, then it is always nice to give them a bottle of their favorite something. Or, again, just like the lotion users and the tea drinkers, they probably have their favorites but they might be excited to try one of YOUR favorites.

None of these things are new, but if you are like me, sometimes you need reminding that there are some easy gifts to give that are pretty much always well received AND you will be helping people NOT clutter up their space.

So, do you have any people are your list that would enjoy any of these consumables?

Posted in Misc | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments »

Eeyore On The Friday After Thanksgiving

Posted by terrepruitt on November 25, 2016

I don’t drink coffee that often any longer.  I love it, but I feel that I sleep a lot (A LOT!!!!) better when I don’t have coffee that day.  When I do have it, it is usually when I am out meeting someone for coffee at Starbucks or Peet’s.   I do love my Eeyore mug.  He is such a lovable “Debbie Downer”.

Yeah, I love my Eeyore mug so much I took a picture of it and I am posting it on my blog for a Friday Photo.  It kinda feels like an Eeyore-day-after-Thanksgiving.

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Posted in Friday Photo | Tagged: , , , , , | 2 Comments »

A Breathe Of Fresh Caffeine?

Posted by terrepruitt on June 24, 2014

Wow, you might not believe I have more “stuff” going on.  More on that later.  I am sure I will write a post or two.  You know I always share, it just takes some time sometime.  So, instead – highlights of my day:  a student who has been away from my Nia classes for a bit came to class today.  That was wonderful, unexpected and very timely.  Another student in one of my yoga classes came to class with his own mat.  That put a huge smile on my face.  I took that as a sign that he is “into” it.  Later when I told him I was so happy to see him have his own mat, he said, “Yeah, I got to stick with it!!!!”  Thrilling!  Yes, gotta keep looking at the bright spots.  While perusing my cache of “topics to post about”, I came across one I found interesting.  Could be something you are aware of, perhaps I had heard of it too, but forgot.  I think the studies were done in 2009.  Did you know caffeine could, possibly, help people with asthma breathe better?

There is an article about a small study showing caffeine worked as a bronchodilator.  “A bronchodilator is a substance that dilates the bronchi and bronchioles, decreasing resistance in the respiratory airway and increasing airflow to the lungs.” per Wiki

The small study of 75 people with mild to moderate asthma was done.  Six trails showed 55 people had improved lung function for up to fours hours after consuming caffeine.

A study at the Indiana University show that caffeine an hour before exercise can significantly reduce exercise induced asthma.  I cannot find a link to the Indiana University study, but there are numerous articles about it that surface when a search is done.  One article on ScienceDaily said that it was LARGE amounts of caffeine that were used in this study.  The article stated “9 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight”.  Ok check my figuring on this using the information from the Mayo Clinic regarding a regular brewed cup of coffee, which is 8 oz brewed coffee has 95-200 mg of caffeine.  That is a big difference, but that is ok, it will still work in my “figuring”.  Let’s use the top, 200 mg of caffeine in a cup of coffee.  Well, lets say average man is 80 kilograms (176.37 pounds), that would be 720 mgs of caffeine.  That is roughly 4.5 cups of strong coffee.  Is that right?  The article also said that smaller amounts – 3 mg – 6 mg per kilogram of body weight “also reduced the wheezing, coughing and other symptoms of” exercise induced asthma.

Interesting.  I know many people who use caffeine to help fuel their workouts.  I know many people who use caffeine to help fuel their day.  So, while I am by NO MEANS saying to use caffeine instead of any physician prescribed medication for asthma . . . I just think it is interesting.  Since it could be that many people with asthma are drinking coffee anyway. I just like when I come across tidbits of information.

What do you think?

Posted in Misc | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Healthful Teas Can Be Yummy

Posted by terrepruitt on March 13, 2012

Dance Exercies, Nia, Nia Campbell, Campbell Nia, Nia classes in Campbell, evening Nia, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, NiaI like tea.  Do you like tea?  I like to have tea to warm me up during the day when I don’t want to have caffeine or when I don’t want to just make a hot cup of spices.  I also drink it at night for the same reason.  Herb tea in itself is said to be good for you.  Green tea is supposed to have all kinds of benefits.  I like tea and I do believe that herbal tea has benefits depending on what herb you are drinking.  Echinacea tea would fall into that category. For instance I whole heartedly believe in Echinacea being helpful when you feel you might be catching a cold.  I believe it can help you not get the cold or help make it less severe.  In the same vein I think it can help you get better faster if you are sick.  Echinacea is one of those herbs that helps with immune systems.  Whenever my husband mumbles he is not feeling well, I make sure he has a cup of Echinacea tea. I also tend to believe in the teas that claim to help with certain things (help you sleep, boost your immue system, etc).

Last October we used up the last of our Echinacea tea.  Funny I remember when it was exactly because the studio I teach Nia at had just moved.  I found myself looking around the new area one day in November.  Normally I wouldn’t remember when I bought tea but this I remember.  I wandered into a health food store.  They had a large selection of herbal tea.  My friend and I had just been having a conversation about green teas so I was looking for green teas. I wanted something to replace my Echinacea tea.  There were two I could not decide between.  But then I spotted another one and wanted that.  So I ended up getting Green Tea Triple Echinacea and a Green Tea “Super Antioxidant”.  Not sure I believe that one, but I did believe it was green tea and thought, “Well, what the heck.”

Well, they taste green.  If you are conscious of green taste you know what I mean.  I don’t think my other Echinacea tea was green tea because it didn’t taste like green.  They are ok, I like them but I kind of just save them for when I think I need them.  When I want a yummy cup of tea they are not what I think of.  Plus they have caffeine.

Not all herb tea is decaffeinated.  Green tea has caffeine.  So if you are not drinking coffee because you don’t want the caffeine and you are drinking green tea instead, you you could still be getting caffeine.  Unless it says it is decaffeinated it has caffeine.  Sometimes I don’t mind the caffeine, in fact I will drink it because of the caffeine.  But lately it has been cold here at night and I don’t want the caffeine at night.  I wanted some decaffeinated tea.  While I was buying my calcium I clicked on their tea section and found some interesting looking tea.  It is Echinacea Immune Support.  It was on sale so I took a chance.  Ahhhhh!  I am so glad I did.

Dance Exercies, Nia, Nia Campbell, Campbell Nia, Nia classes in Campbell, evening Nia, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, NiaIt has Echinacea root and Cinnamon Bark in it.  Also Cardamom Seed, Rose Hip, Ginger Root, and Elderberry Extract among other things.  This is not a green tea, but it has other things I like, for instance a yummy taste.  It is really good.  This tea is one that I think of drinking when I want to have a warm cozy cup of tea.  The moment I ripped open the little package I was intrigued by the delicious smell.

Echinacea is good for fighting colds.  Cinnamon and cardamom are anti-inflammatory spices.  Rose hips is high in Vitamin C so it has anti-oxidants.  Ginger can help with chronic inflammation and digestion.  And I just learned about Elderberry being an immune system boost.  So, with all the ingredients in here that I am familiar with I can concede its claim to be Immune Support.  Even if not, it is a good cup of tea.

Do you drink tea?  Do you drink herb tea?  Do you drink herb tea for health benefits?  What is your favorite tea? 

Posted in Food | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments »

Non-Dairy Creamer

Posted by terrepruitt on September 28, 2010

It has been two weeks since I gave up my non-dairy creamer. I am not talking about liquid, I am talking about that white powered stuff so many people don’t like. Well, SOMEONE must like it because they keep making it. I tried to give it up before but without it my coffee lost its joy. Really it was just a matter of me being used to the taste of coffee with that stuff in it. I have been drinking it that way since I started drinking coffee, so that is how I like it. That creamer is full of all the stuff I don’t like.

I threw away the container before I got a picture but I have a copy of an old label from a nutrition class assignment. The first ingredient is corn syrup solid, the second is partially hydrogenated soybean oil. Yeah, two of the ingredients I try to avoid. One of the reasons I avoided those ingredients like the plague was because of this habit.  I thought, “I am getting enough of that stuff in my coffee, I don’t need to have it in anything else.” Well, it is really hard to avoid—especially if you eat out . . .so many things have them it it. . . HFCS is bread for heaven’s sake so even if I am having a sandwich, I just don’t know. So . . . . I decided to try again to see if I could find joy in my coffee with out my beloved spoonful of chemicals and stuff I can’t pronounce and don’t even know what it is.

I have made it longer than the last time I tried. I am surviving. It is fine. I am using milk. I drink 1% so that is what we have in the fridge, so that is what I am using. Whew. I feel good getting that off my mind. Like I have said before, I am not perfect in my health habits, but I am trying to be healthier and help give others ideas and a place to share. So here’s to better health and better eating.

Have you taken anything out of your diet that you want to share about?

(Ha, I put this in the “food” category but I am not really convinced it is food.  Oh, I also hope to stop by the store tomorrow to see if I can get a picture.)

Posted in Food | Tagged: , , , , , , | 15 Comments »

Health Benefits Of Coffee

Posted by terrepruitt on July 28, 2009

I love coffee.  I am not a connoisseur, but I love it.  In the August 2009 copy of Self they touted that coffee has some amazing benefits.

The article, well, it is not so much an article as a few pages filled with pictures and facts, has one statement that says that if you want the healthiest coffee you should stick to the home brewed kind because the paper filters catch coffee compounds that can raise cholesterol.

Here are some highlights from that article.  The information suggests that coffee MAY:

  • assist in the prevention of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
  • help your teeth with its “antibacterial and antiadhesive powers”
  • reduce the risk of oral cancer by half
  • help in limited cancer cell growth and DNA damage
  • reduce the risk of breast cancer (in premenopausal women that drink 4 cups of regular coffee a day)
  • help prevent gallstones
  • reduce risk of nonmelanoma
  • reduce chances of diabetes for people who drink 3 to 4 cups of regular or decaf

Information also states that drinking from 300 mg (3 cups of home brew) to 500 mg (16 oz Starbucks Pike Place Roast) in an hour could possibly make you panicky, increase stress hormones, and raise blood pressure.

Way surprising to me, it says that a shot of espresso “has less caffeine than a cup of drip does.  Plus, one downside of espresso is that it may raise cholesterol.”

It also suggests to eat your cereal and dairy later, after your coffee because coffee might block the absorption of iron from fortified grains and could lower calcium uptake.

The pages reveal, along with a lot of other publications I’ve been seeing recently, that coffee helps you get through your workout.  Not only does it give you a zing, it seems to block your brain from knowing your muscles are tired.
Those are just some highlights that somewhat focus on the health benefits.

Even though I teach my morning Nia classes in Willow Glen not too far from where I live, so I don’t have to get up super early,  I still think I have more energy in the morning when I drink coffee.  I don’t have any before I teach my evening class in San Jose, nor my late afternoon one in Los Gatos.  But I feel like I need that extra “wake-up” in the morning.  Do you drink coffee before your workout?

Posted in Food | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

Food Diaries

Posted by terrepruitt on April 4, 2009

I believe one of the most useful tools in the quest for health and wellness is the food diary. There are many ways you can keep track of what you eat (and drink). Remember that unless it is water, it counts for something. Sometimes we are not very conscious of what we are eating. Especially if we are busy or it is a habit, for example you cut the crust off of the sandwich for the kids and automatically eat it. That counts. Bites of things count. If you don’t eat the whole dish of ice cream but you have a few bites that counts.

So, you need to decide what your goal is, then you can decide how you want to keep track. You can simply write down everything you eat or you can keep track of what you eat AND how much. You can include calories, you can include amount of fat, you can include amount of protein. Your goal will assist you in deciding how much information you want to keep track of.

Now-a-days there are hundreds of options to keep track of what you ingest. There are online food diaries, or digital diaries, if you have an iPhone there are numerous applications that can help you. Food Diaries (of food logs) run from really easy to difficult. It depends on what you want to keep track of. I used to use one that I really liked because it was simply. But they changed it and made it difficult, so I am not going to even bother mentioning it here. There are plenty of free ones out there so you don’t need to pay a sign-up fee or a monthly fee. Once you decide what you want to keep track of I am sure you can find one that will do exactly that. You might want to keep in mind a few things, even if you don’t want to keep track of a certain thing now you might want to in the future so it might be nice if the one you use can keep track of multiple things (vitamins, minerals, etc.). It is really important to use one that allows you to customize your food. I found that most of the ones I looked at have a ton of Fast Food already programmed in, but I don’t eat fast food, so I had to input most of my food, then once I did that I could just click on the custom entry whenever I ate it.

Try it. Even if at first you just write down what you eat. It is a GREAT tool. Try it and you will see.

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