Terre Pruitt's Blog

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

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Posts Tagged ‘free radicals’

Funny Name For Tea With Oregano

Posted by terrepruitt on October 23, 2014

I was looking around WordPress one day to see what other blogs I could read – besides Nia blogs – in the areas that I am interested in.  To me the way to peek around and search for other blogs used to be much easier.  I used to be able to go to a WordPress home page and the page would come up with options to search.  Now when I go to that URL it takes me to one of my admin pages.  I imagine that if I signed out I might end up at a page I could search, but the whole reason I am searching WordPress blogs is because there has to be ones I would be interested in and when I am signed in it is so easy to comment.  I have to go to a URL that I have bookmarked because it is not one that is easily remembered just to get a search field.  Anyway . . . I was looking at different blogs and I came across a post with a title that caught my eye and made me laugh so I clicked on the blog to check it out.  The post was about tea with oregano in it.  That got me thinking about the benefits of oregano.

First, the title that caught my eye was Sick People Tea.  Ha, ha, ha.  I thought that was very funny.  Sounds pretty accurate to me.  It is tea people drink when they are sick.  Still makes me laugh.  The recipe consists of lemon slices, fresh ginger, fresh or dried oregano, and water.  The instructions are found on Ali Does It Herself (click here).

I have not tried the tea.  I am not a fan of oregano.  But more importantly I have not been sick since I discovered the recipe a few days ago.  If I can remember (one reason I post things) when I do feel under-the-weather I will give this a try.  Even though I don’t really think of oregano as an herb I like.  I like its relation; sweet marjoram.

Oregano contains very high concentration of antioxidants – according to an article published in the Journal of Nutrition about the assessment of “the contribution of culinary and medicinal herbs to the total intake of dietary antioxidants”.  As a reminder, antioxidants help keep other molecules from oxidation (which can produce free radicals).  Further reminder from WebMD: “Free radicals” is a term often used to describe damaged cells that can be problematic.  Because oregano is an antioxidant it can help boost your immune system.

Many sources state the oregano is a good source of Vitamin K (needed for blood and bone health).

WebMD states that Oregano might possibly help lower LDL (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol).  The site states there was clinical research that showed this occurred after taking oregano after each meal for three months.  The same page states that oregano oil killed parasites in the intestines after taking it for six weeks.

Many sites claim that oregano is helpful in the treatment of  asthma, allergies, bronchitis, colds and flus, coughing, acne, dandruff, toothaches, bloating, indigestion, menstrual cramps, arthritis, headaches, among other things, but more research is needed to prove treatment with oregano and/or its oil is effective.

There are so many variable when using herbs and things, I think it could help for some people for some issues and not others.

You may have seen the “life-hack” that states oregano oil will help deter insects.  I have haven’t tried it but it sounds great if it works.

Do you like oregano?  Do you think of Italian Food when you think of oregano?  Do you cook with oregano?  Doesn’t the Sick People Tea sound interesting?

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

My Greens Gone Blue — Finally!

Posted by terrepruitt on August 16, 2014

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Zumba, PiYo, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex City of San Jose, San Jose Group Ex classesOne of the reasons I got a super blender was to consume more vegetables. In addition to more vegetables I also wanted to consume veggies and fruits that I normally wouldn’t eat but that I have come to believe would be a health benefit to me. One food I have come to believe is a healthy benefit to a diet is blueberries. I don’t like blueberries. If you know me and my love for the color blue you might be a bit surprised that I don’t love one of the only blue foods there is. But I don’t. The flavor is not that great to me, but it is really the texture I don’t like. They are mushy and mealy. Not a texture I enjoy. But they are considered a “super food” so something I wouldn’t mind adding to my diet.  But since I won’t just eat them raw and I don’t like baked fruit in desserts, I was hoping to use my Blendtec to get some blueberry goodness into my diet.

According to the website, World’s Healthiest Foods:

“In terms of U.S. fruit consumption, blueberries rank only second to strawberries in popularity of berries. Blueberries are not only popular, but also repeatedly ranked in the U.S. diet as having one of the highest antioxidant capacities among all fruits, vegetables, spices and seasonings. Antioxidants are essential to optimizing health by helping to combat the free radicals that can damage cellular structures as well as DNA. We recommend enjoying raw blueberries — rather than relying upon blueberries incorporated into baked desserts — because, like other fruits, raw blueberries provide you with the best flavor and the greatest nutritional benefits.”

I think most fruits that are added to baked goods lose a lot of their nutritional value, if not from the cooking themselves, but it might be considered to be “canceled out” due to the added sugar and fat.  But, as I mentioned I am not a fan of cooked fruit in desserts.

With all of the nutritional benefits in mind I finally bought some blueberries with the sole intent of putting them in a smoothie. I thought I had better go with a mild, yummy green so I would be stacking the deck to help the blueberries. I used spinach.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Zumba, PiYo, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex City of San Jose, San Jose Group Ex classesI actually made a very yummy smoothie.

I used:

_______________________________

Blueberry Green Smoothie

1 cup water
1/2 container of blueberries
2 handfuls of baby spinach
1 (1/2) frozen banana
10 ice moons
1 scoop protein powder

_______________________________

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Zumba, PiYo, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex City of San Jose, San Jose Group Ex classes

 

 

 

It was very good. My husband is pretty amazing when it comes to tasting the ingredients. He tasted the blueberries right off. I knew they were in there and I didn’t seem to taste them.  He pointed out that you can see them.  Little tiny flecks of blueberries were in the smoothie.  And yes, I know the were in there, I made it.  Silly man!

So now that I have tried blueberries in a smoothie and liked them I can try using other greens.  Now that I know they don’t ruin it.  Tee hee.

What about you?  Do you put blueberries in your green smoothies?  What “recipe” might you have to share?

 

 

Posted in "Recipes", Food, Smoothies | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Fennel Another One Of THOSE Foods

Posted by terrepruitt on November 17, 2012

As you may have read, I recently received fennel in my organic produce box that I have delivered.  I was excited because I have heard of fennel, but never cooked with it.  I think I might not have even realized that I have had some before.  As I am thinking about it, I bet I had it put on my plate at a restaurant and assumed it was onion and didn’t eat it.  It looks like onion to me although it does not have an onion flavor at all.  The information I am seeing is that it is compared to anise.  Fennel is an herb that is used both as a flavor and a vegetable.  The bottom portion, the bulb is eaten as a vegetable.  It is related to carrots, parsley, dill, and coriander as it is a member of the family Apiaceae (formerly the Umbelliferae).  Its fronds remind me of the greenery on carrots, so it doesn’t surprise me that they are related.  Fennel is vegetation of which all of it can be eaten, the bulb, stalk, leaves, and seeds (I know I’ve had the seeds).  According to the World’s Healthiest Foods, this plant contains a unique combination of phytonutrients.

There is one, anethole, that has shown in animal studies to help with the reduction of inflammation and help prevent cancer.  Now, I have stated over and over that chronic inflammation is the body is not good.  Inflammation is an immune response in the body so having the body be in battle mode all the time is not a good thing.  The American lifestyle with its high stress and the average Western Diet which is full of food stuffs have been shown to CAUSE inflammation.  Having herbs and vegetables that can be easily added to the diet and might help with a chronic condition sounds good to me.  Anethole has also been found to have anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties according to Nutrition You Can.

Fennel also has vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.  Vitamin C is the antioxidant that helps fight against free radicals, the things, that in excess, can cause damage in the body.  Potassium is the electrolyte that is essential for the proper functioning of the heart, kidneys, muscles, nerves, and digestive system.  And dietary fiber is necessary to help with digestion and elimination, which when both are properly working systems tend to signify health.Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Zumba

USDA National Nutrient database states the Nutrient value 1 cup of sliced fennel is as follows:

Energy kcal  27
Protein 1.08 g
Total lipid (fat)  0.17 g
Carbohydrate 6.35 g
Fiber, total dietary  2.7 g

Calcium, Ca mg 43 mg
Iron, Fe  0.64 mg
Magnesium 15 mg
Phosphorus, P 44 mg
Potassium, K 360 mg
Sodium, Na 45 mg

Vitamin C 10.4 mg
Vitamin A 117 AU

I am interested in foods that can help with chronic inflammation, I would like to have more of them in my diet.  At the same time I am interested in reducing the foods in my diet that cause inflammation.  How about you?  Are you interested in foods that might help with chronic inflammation?  Do you think you could add fennel to your diet?

Posted in Food, Vegetables | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Celery

Posted by terrepruitt on May 14, 2011

After my Los Gatos Nia Class yesterday I went to the store.  I wanted to get some food to take to the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life today.  I grabbed a bunch of celery for a snack.  I think people like celery.  I don’t.  But I didn’t realize how much I didn’t like it until I started cutting it and washing it.  I do not like celery.  As I was dealing with it I kept thinking, “What a useless vegetable.”  Well, I don’t really think that is true.  I mean it has to be good for something besides as a filler in casseroles, salads, and soups.  So . . . . to the cloud.  Ok not really because I don’t even know what that is, but I definitely decided to look it up.  Since I am going to be gone all day today at the walk, I thought I would jot down my celery education as my Saturday blog post.  Yay!

As I think back on so many things (soups, salads, and casseroles) that I didn’t like as a child I realize it is because they had celery in them.  I realize when I cook these things myself, I love them because I don’t put celery in them.  But, as I truly believed, celery is not useless.  The stalk, root, leaves, and seeds can all be used.

Celery (the stalk) is a great source of vitamin K and vitamin C.  A cup can provide you with 2.04 grams fiber.  Do people normally eat a cup of celery when they eat celery?

Celery contains nutrients that have been linked with lowering blood pressure, reducing high cholesterol, and helpful in preventing cancer.  The phthalides are the compounds that help with lowering blood pressure.  The vitamin C helps with the immune system.  I’ve posted before about how chronic inflammation is associated with many diseases, vitamin C help reduce inflammation by helping contain free radicals, so does the coumarins also found in celery.

According to Wiki celery is like peanuts in that people who are allergic to it can have a very bad reaction as people with peanuts do.  As with peanuts people who are allergic to celery can get a reaction from something that has been used to process it.  Stalks, seeds, and roots all have varying degrees of potency.

As I was cutting the celery, just the smell was bothering me.  And it is like an onion, not as strong, but once it gets your hands you can’t wash it off.  I probably washed my hands at least 10 times in the course of my preparation of snacks for the walk and it never came off.  As I was cutting it I kept thinking, “Peppery.”  Not sure why.  Since I was getting so disgusted while dealing with it, I thought, “Is it REALLY that bad?”  So I cut a small piece off to taste it.  I put it in my mouth and bit down.  Yup, it IS that bad.  I spit it out.  I just do not like celery.

I did have celery soup a couple of times and I did like that so I don’t know what that means.  Except that I WILL be trying my hand at making the soup but I will not be adding celery to anything I make.  Any fans out there?  Do you eat it raw?  Do you disguise the taste by filling it with cream cheese?  Or peanut butter?  Do you cook with it?

Thanks, as always, for letting me share.  And thanks, in advance, for sharing back.  🙂

Posted in Food, Vegetables | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments »