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!

  • 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.

Posts Tagged ‘lemon water’

Beware Of the “DEADLY FLU EPIDEMIC”

Posted by terrepruitt on January 11, 2014

This is not a post about the pros and/or cons of vaccinations.  I know that vaccines are hot topic.  I am mentioning vaccines in this post because the news stories I have watched all say “get your vaccination”.  You do what you want in regards to the flu vaccine.  Just keep the McDonald’s Hot Coffee lawsuit in mind when you hear reports about the “DEADLY FLU EPIDEMIC”.  That is the one where the news media blasted all over that a woman was awarded $2.9 million for spilling hot coffee on herself while driving with the cup between her legs.  Stories made it sound like she sued because the coffee was hot.  At the time I never heard any details, did you?  My last post Details Lost – It Happens, Be Aware has information on that.  These posts were spawned because I have been out and about and I hear people talking about the flu “killing” people.  I hear fear.  To me, it SEEMS as if the media is based on fear.  To me it seems as if they want the public to live in fear.  It also seems, TO ME, as if there is an agenda out there to get the public to do certain things.  So I am just asking for people to think a little.  To remember that we are not presented with all of the facts.  And to note that even though all the information you might see is the same, that does not mean it is true.  So try not to panic.  Keep in mind that there are steps you can take to help keep you and your family healthy.  Don’t assume that getting the flu means death.  My feelings are …. although I do not know . . . .but I have a feeling that the people they are claiming “died of the flu” died of complications from the flu.  Which could be argued that they would not have died if they didn’t get the flu in the first place.  But they could have had compromised immune systems making any illness a danger to them.  I have not seen enough details in the news stories to know.

So . . . whether you get the shot or not it is smart to still do all the things you need to do to stay healthy and give your body a fighting chance.  I know that a lot of the things a body needs a person to do to keep it healthy might not be easy  — as in, many may claim they don’t have time . . . . but being sick takes a lot of time.  Being sick also exposes loved ones to the illness and they could have compromised immune systems and get more sick than you.  ALWAYS remember that taking time to take care of yourself is a great way to show others that you love them!  It is not a selfish act, it is good for EVERYONE when you are healthy.

Again . . . . take all the information the media is putting out there with a grain of salt.  And do what you need to do to stay healthy.  I recommend:

–Sleep.  Rest.  One of the biggest and best ways to assist your immune system.  Your body needs sleep.

–Exercise.  Exercise is another great way to boost that immune system.  Some believe you sweat toxins out, so you could be ridding yourself of the stuff that weighs down your immune system.  There are definitely immune boosting chemicals that get released when you exercise.  Plus . . . if you are getting a good workout in, it will help you sleep!**

–Healthy diet.  Eat fruits and vegetables.  Avoid overly processed foods.  Drink water.  Drink herbal teas.  Lemon water is good to help flush and refresh your system.  Avoid soda and excess of juices.

–Wash your hands.  All the time.

–Sneeze cough in the crook of your elbow, a tissue, or your hands (see the above) not into the air.

–Try to avoid sick people.  I know this is not always possible, but when it is, do it.  I find that now-a-days people are more understanding when you don’t want to hug them or shake their hand when they are sick.  In fact some will insist you don’t because they are sick.

What other ways can you avoid getting sick?  What do YOU do to keep yourself healthy?

**Nia is a GREAT way to exercise.  Check my website to learn more.  🙂

Posted in Misc | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

A Spicy Hot Drink – Make It Youself

Posted by terrepruitt on January 24, 2012

Dance Exercise, Nia class, Nia teacher, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, dance workout, cardio danceThe Nia Class on Friday that I teach is at a studio that recently re-located from Los Gatos to San Jose.  Being in a newish area I found myself dropping by a store I don’t normally frequent.  I ended up buying some tea.  I know that green tea is supposed to be good for you and I found myself liking Chai, so I was happy to find some Green Tea Chai.  Gently spiced with cinnamon and anise.  The box also makes statements about ginger, cardamom, and licorice.  I thought it just HAD to be good.  I had just purchased some honey from a local bee keeper and I was so excited to try the honey with this tea.  I came home and made a cup.  I was very disappointed.  It didn’t taste like anything, except the honey itself (which is fantastic, by the way!).  It didn’t have a flavor that I could detect at all.  I had been thinking that along with some of the benefits from green tea, I would be getting benefits from the cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom, and I would also get some flavor.  With all of that in the tea I thought there would be something.  Maybe I clearly didn’t see the “gently spiced”.  But I was disappointed.

I thought I would try spicing it up myself.  So I added my own ginger, cinnamon, and I even added nutmeg.  I figured that I would be able to reap the benefits of the spices if I put them directly in my tea.  I ended up making a pretty tasty beverage.  I would imagine that I could add my own spices to hot water and make any type of “tea” I want.  I know it shouldn’t really be called tea as tea is make with actually leaves from a plant and not just spices.  All I need to know is it tastes good and it helps keep me warm (it has been a bit cold around here lately). 

And, as I said, I can get the benefits from some of the spices.  Granted the spices do tend to sink to the bottom of the mug in a wet pile, but if you keep it stirred you actually drink them.  That would be the point—to drink them.

One day, I grabbed the cayenne pepper instead of cinnamon — and you frequent readers must know — I DO NOT tolerate spice at all.  I don’t like heat.  I made a really spicy hot concoction.  I saved it for my hubby, because it didn’t TASTE bad it was just to hot for me and I thought he would like it.  He did.  So I guess I can make him some spicy hot beverages too.

As a reminder, ginger is an anti-inflammatory, so it is good for the body to help keep chronic inflammation at bay.  It also has some nutrients and is used as a digestive aid.  I usually use the powdered kind for my tea, but when I have the actual root I toss a little piece in my mug.

Cinnamon is also an anti-inflammatory food.  I have thought to add it to my coffee before and as stated in this post, my tea, but now I will just start making a spice hot water mix.  Cinnamon is also consider a digestive aid.  So why not just add some spices to some hot water and see what you come up with? Or add it to your coffee or tea? 

Honey and lemon are common things to put in hot water, I think I will try that with some of my spices.  Get the whole shebang.  Warmth, water, lemon, spices . . . sound like a winner to me.  How about you?  Spices to drink?

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

Alkaline Water

Posted by terrepruitt on March 10, 2011

After my Nia Class earlier this week, two students and I were talking about water.  I was saying that I DO NOT like lemon in my water, but since water is a bit acidic, I had been drinking lemon in my water.  I don’t like the taste.  I don’t like lemon, but as I learned from the video in my Balance of Acid and Alkaline post, in the body it digests to alkaline.  Lemon helps the water be less acidic.  One of my students said that she had recently seen Alkaline Bottle Water.  She asked what it was.  I had no idea so I looked it up.  I thought I would share what I learned.

What I found was claims that ionized water is alkaline water.  Some information states that ionization is done via electrolysis and others say the it is done via adding minerals.  Wiki states, that a water ionizer separates water into alkaline and acid fractions using a process known as electrolysis.

The information that states ionized water is done via electrolysis states that it is best to drink it right away, when it is fresh.  The information states that the health benefits of the water do not last when the water is bottled.

I looked at a lot of sites that had the chemical make up of the water or something (such as – H2O → H+ + OH–) and what the chemical make up was before and after ionization.  I don’t know what all that means.  The more I looked for more information the more confusing it became to me.

I couldn’t actually find any information on what is done to bottle water claiming to be alkaline water.  Maybe it is run through an ionization system and then bottled.

As with everything (it seems) there was information stating that ionized water is great, it can all but cure diseases.  Then there was information that stated it was all a bunch of hooey.  So as with any thing and all things, I have to say that you just have to try it for yourself.  I have not yet done it myself, but I know you can purchase pH Test Strips from health food stores, so I would think that testing the water would be the best.  I guess it also depends on what you are drinking the water for.  If you are drinking the alkaline water because it is less acidic, then maybe any of the above would work.  But if you are drinking it because it is ionized and you are looking for all of the health benefits that are touted, then as with anything you would have to see how you feel when you drink it.

For now I will stick to putting lemon in my water.  How about you?  Are you a fan of ionized water?  Alkaline water?  Do you drink lemon in your water?

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

Help With Drinking Water

Posted by terrepruitt on July 8, 2010

San Jose weather up until about June had been all over the place!  One day it would be cold, one day it would be windy, the next day it would be raining, then the next day there would be sun, then the next day it would cold, rainy, and windy.  Then—bam! HOT!  It was all over the place.  Honestly, I have a difficult time drinking water when the weather is cold.  When I am cold because the weather is cold drinking water makes me MORE cold.  So I had thought of coming up with things that help me when I have to work at getting “enough” water.

One thing I do is, I heat it up.  When the weather is chilly I just put it in the microwave for about 30 to 45 seconds.  I like it warmer than room temperature but not so hot that I feel as if I need to actually be drinking tea, coffee, or hot chocolate.

When the weather is warmer, but I am wanting something more than just plain water I put a cucumber in it.  I had seen this and wanted to try it, then a friend brought it over earlier this year and reminded me.  (Thanks, Friend!)  I am not a fan of lemons, but some people do that.  I like to put a few slices of cucumber in it.

Other things I do, I change what I am drinking the water from.  Sounds weird, I can imagine, but it works for me.  I pour it in a mug instead of drinking it out of my usual bottle.  Sometimes I drink out of different glass, just to have a different sensation.

I find that when the weather is hot I don’t even have to think, I just drink, but when the weather is cool or comfortable, I need a little more reminder.  I drink it when I am practicing a Nia routine or teaching a Nia class, but honestly, lately, just during the day I need to step up my water drinking, I have slacked off a bit and I am feeling it.

Do you drink water?  Do you add things to it?  Drink it plain?  Have a special glass you drink from?  Tell me, I love to hear different ideas.

Posted in Water | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments »