nopal = antioxidant

Not bragging, but I totally called it!  Nopal seems to be taking off as a neutraceutical and health food.  No sooner did I write about it, then I found a podcast from my favorite cooking show The Splendid Table has done a feature on Nopal.  There's a recipe for how to prepare them here.

Not only that, but I was shopping at Von's the other day and I saw that they are stocking fresh nopalitos in the produce aisle.  Maybe this is not new, but maybe it is.

Antioxidant molecules from plants

And finally, I was at the American Chemical Society Southern California Undergraduate Research Conference in Chemistry and Biochemistry and I heard a student from California State University, Dominguez Hills speak about the anti-oxidant properties of aloe compared with cactus and a traditional burn creme.  Based on the DPPH-free radical scavenging assay, Nopal (lyophilized powder form) had about 40% higher antioxidant activity than Vitamin C, Aloe Vera, and an over the counter burn creme.

Kenneth R. Rodriguez and his colleagues Anthony Jones and Barbara Belmont at California State University, Dominguez Hills measured gallic acid equivalents in the Aloe Vera, Nopal and Burn Creme. Gallic acid is the building block of tannins, a fundamental unit of the polymers responsible for the astringency of drinks like tea, wine, and pomagranate juice. Tannins are also prominent in persimmons, berries, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, cloves, tarragon, cumin, thyme, vanilla, cinnamon, red kidney beans, and chocolate.

Familes of plants that are rich in tannins

In tissue-cultured cell assays tannins have shown antiviral, antibacterial and antiparasitic effects. In planta, tannins are stored in vesicles because they also have the ability to precipitate proteins, which would wreak havoc on plant cells.  Instead, these compounds are released when there has been damage to the plant or cell death has occured.  Tannins are also found in soils around growing trees, and may play a role in growth regulation.

Nopales are in the Caryophyllales family, not marked on the diagram at left, right across from Saxifragales. Caryophyllales is a family comprising two other superfoods: spinach and chard. They are all members of the Basal Eudicots.

In conclusion, I've lost track of why and what I meant to write about.  This is another "molecular story" brought to you by the American Chemical Society and the California State University System.  I've written before about the benefits of sour cherry juice, and this post is an extension of that discussion.  Cyanidin (a molecule, C₁₅H₁₁O₆^+, similar in structure to Rutin) found in sour cherry juice reduces the levels of an inflammation marker (interleukin-6) in long-distance runners.  Cheers to your health!

References:

• Howatson, G., et al. "Influence of tart cherry juice in indices of recovery following marathon running." Scandanavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports (2010) vol 20, pp 843-852.
• Vogt, T. "Phenylpropanoid biosynthesis." Molecular Plant (2010) vol 3, pp 2-20.
• Elumalai, S., et al. "Epigallocatechin gallate incorporation into lignin enhances the alkaline delignification and enzymatic saccharification of cell walls." Biotechnology for Biofuels (2012) vol 5, pp 59.

H.O.P.E. #tbt

Acronyms have power:

Have Only Positive Expectations

Hang On, Peace Exists

Hearing Other Peoples' Experience

Heart Open; Please Enter

Help Open People's Eyes

Helping Other People Everyday

Honest Open Positive Environment

Honoring Our Professors Excellence

Helping Others by Providing Encouragement

Human Objective to Protect the Environment

Why read fiction and watch Hollywood movies?  Because they tap into the human experience.  They aren't written by aliens or robots, but fellow human beings.  Movies and books are designed to make money and may therefore follow certain formulae, but the movie Hope Floats was one of my all-time favorites.  Take Harry Connick Jr. for example.  I had his album Come by Me on heavy rotation and I would watch Hope Floats every time I needed a good cry to restore the idea that someday my prince would come.  No matter how bad life gets there's a handsome man to bring you flowers.

I also identified with the character Bernice.  I had to start wearing glasses just after kindergarden, a pair pretty close to these in style.  I remember being inquisitive bordering on annoying.  Now tell me you don't see the resemblence #throwbackthursday

Mae Whitman

Me

I like the idea of starting over.  Every time I went to a new school, it was like I had the chance to begin at the beginning again.  I don't have a problem with making new friends.  I was a brownie girl scout at one time "Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold."  But I also like the idea of hope.  I like the idea that hope floats because nothing is more troubling than that feeling that you are like a turd at the bottom of a puddle of toilet water.  At least if you float up to the top, you can catch some sun.

I started off this post wanting to write about my plants (garden) but the acronym for H.O.P.E. inspired me to write about other things.  I also like the one about professor's excellence.  My sister sent me a "hey girl" message which really brightened my day.

I like the hidden message to take your time.  When you are in a new or frustrating situation, if you can breathe and take your time with it, eventually good things will come to pass.  If you spend time on educating your students, maybe somehow, some way, you will connect with at least one or two of them.  I'm not sure I connected with every single one of my professors, in fact I'm sure I didn't.  But the most insane ones really reached me.  A more informal definition of insanity is "highly unique, passionate or extreme, including in a positive sense." I saw their passion and their enthusiasm for their beloved subject and it made me try harder to impress them.

I also like the message about open heart and hearing other people's experiences.  That's the way to learn.

April Fools

Spring (break) is here! My garden is sprouting and my students are growing in confidence. Life is good.

I had a whirlwind trip to the Bay Area, traveling by Amtrak. I learned that it is necessary to remove pedals when checking your bicycle and turning handlebars is also a must. Two tools are required for the job: an allen wrench and an open end wrench. I brought neither. Luckily the attendants at LA Union Station and Emeryville came to my aid. Also, Amtrak no longer suggests removing the front tire since the forks have been found to penetrate cardboard bike boxes.  The cost for this service is $15 for the box and $10 for the handling.  A waiver must be signed in case the bicycle is damaged.  The weight limit is 50 lbs. It is also necessary to arrive plenty early, this trip I budgeted 2 hours which was quite comfortable.  http://www.amtrak.com/bring-your-bicycle-onboard

Coast Starlight 11

It was well worth taking the bike, we rode Sunday morning up Twin Peaks (6 miles). We also did 2 city walks (total 6 miles).  We also hiked White's Hill which offered stunning views of the bay and the mountain bike trail called Repack.  I must return for that.  As for Spring Break, I am planning to take in as many Zumba classes as I can.  Considering new footwear.  My shoes are breaking down with 66.4 mi of logged activity and countless amounts of teaching, dancing, running, walking, and hiking.

Girls' Grade School Nike Dual Fusion Running Shoes

I bought these Nike shoes for the Color Run Saturday, February 2, 2013 so they're only a year old but when I dance in them, it feels like my pinky toes are going to slide right off the edge of the shoe.  I try to keep a pair of dedicated running shoes, but I use the old ones for teaching.  The current dedicated shoes are Brooks Ghost, purchased in preparation for my trip to Death Valley this year.  They only have 20.6 mi of logged activity so far but I hope to get more use out of them in the next week and coming months.

Asics Gel DS Trainer 15

These Asics are also totally broken down with 53.1 mi of logged activity. The heels are all shredded on the inside.  Both of these shoes have a hole where my big toe hits the top of the mesh part.  I am sad to say that my favorite running shoes of all time (Nike Zoom Nucleus MC+) are also pretty broken down, but I still wear them with 289.1 mi of logged activity.  Again it seems like my pinky toes are about to bust through the sides of the shoes.

We've registered for the Corona del Mar Scenic 5k (June 7, 2014) as well as a crazy activity called 5k Foam Fest (July 19, 2014).  The only obstacle I'm worried about is the Electrified Mud Crawl.  I've said in the past that people who do these extreme 5k events must be crazy, but here I am, prepared to wade through it.  I'll be 34 years old by then, so for whatever that's worth, it will be a new way to celebrate my birthmonth.

To close this post, I'm glad none of my students played an April Fools prank on me.  The day passed without much drama.  I especially enjoyed this article from the Highlander.  And also a new show on Netflix called Rotisserie Chicken.  In all seriousness, I've been watching SNL best of the 2010s for comedic relief and it's been a great way to break up the tension of the semester.  Especially loved "The Californians" episode with Christina Applegate.  Funny things help keep a spring in my step, even when wearing old shoes.