by Chris Foresman

The increasing awareness of gluten allergies has made “gluten-free” one of the fastest growing trends in food. If you or a loved one, or even a potential dinner guest has celiac disease or other gluten sensitivities, you may find yourself carefully reading food labels to determine the presence of wheat or other gluten sources.

But, what if there aren’t labels? Or the labels don’t specify if the food product was produced in a facility that also processes wheat? That’s where the GlutenTox Home gluten testing kit comes in handy.

We gave the GlutenTox Home gluten testing kit a try with a packet of JD’s Bacon Ranch dressing mix. Though the ingredients don’t include any obvious reference to wheat, there wasn’t any label or other indication that it was “gluten free,” nor any notice that it contained common allergens (such as dairy, soy, etc).

Sensitivity to wheat gluten varies, and some might be willing to throw caution to the wind and give the mix a try anyway—who doesn’t love the taste of bacon? For celiacs, though, the painful reactions to gluten usually don’t warrant the risk. With the GlutenTox Home kit, I was able to verify with reasonable scientific accuracy that any traces of gluten are at least less that 20 parts per million—the “safe” threshold for most gluten allergy sufferers. (The kit can also be used to test for levels as low as 5ppm.)

The test kit comes with almost everything you need to extract a sample from nearly any foodstuff and test for trace amounts of gluten—though many items will required grinding into a powder or paste using a mortar and pestle or muddler. The test does require the same level of care as you might have used in a high school chemistry class, but I was able to get reliable results at my kitchen table.

Everything needed to test for the presence of gluten: scoop, pipettes, sealed test stick, extraction and dilution solutions, and our test subject, a dressing mix.

Carefully measure your test food substance—you need about a gram, so measuring with a kitchen scale is best. However, two scoops of a dry powder or one scoop of a liquid or paste will suffice.

Once the chemicals in the food have been "extracted" with an alcohol solution, it is further diluted before testing.

The results: gluten free! The presence of the blue "control" line tells us the test was performed properly. No pink "test" line tells us that the mix has a gluten concentration of less than 20ppm—the "safe" threshold for most gluten allergy sufferers.

About the Author:
Chris Foresman is a contributing writer for Ars Technica. He has written about music, photography, vegetarian dining, and of course Apple. In his free time he enjoys watching movies, shopping at Target and IKEA, singing karaoke, eating brunch, and drinking beermosas.

Editor’s Note: Check out the blog tomorrow for an exciting announcement about GlutenTox!

We all know about the “stinking rose.” But have you ever heard of black garlic? There is such a thing, and it’s being heralded by some as having twice as many antioxidants as raw garlic.

Black garlic is aged for a month in what’s described as a special fermentation process under high heat, so it comes out darker in color and sweeter in taste.

It’s a relatively new ingredient that chefs are raving about, and raw garlic “haters” are loving!

Personally I’ll take the old standard any day. To me there is nothing like the “real” thing, pungent odor and all. Garlic in general has lots of antioxidants, and is purported to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

That aside, let us not forget what it does to enhance so many of the foods we eat. I mean really…Can you imagine shrimp scampi without garlic? Pesto sauce without garlic? Pasta sauce sans the garlic? Garlic bread without garlic? Well I can’t either.

Afraid of bad breath? Not anything a curiously strong mint couldn’t take care of.

Buona Salute!

Janet

www.janetzappala.com

This guest post comes from Dani Mardayat, who writes the blog Romancing the Scone. For more tips and ideas from Dani on healthy travel tips, check out her FaveDiets.com article on Healthy Eating at Airports.

——————————————————————————

Ever wonder why you feel so dry and parched the minute you step off of the plane? “The reason why people get dehydrated is because of the humidity in pressurized cabins,” describes Heather Albertson, RD, LDN, CNSC, a clinical dietitian specialist at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. “The normal comfort zone is 50 percent of saturated air that we need. In the cabins, the pressure falls to 1 percent.” Albertson recommends that travelers chug back 6 to 8 ounces of water every hour to stay hydrated. You can zip through security with an empty bottle of water then later fill it up at the water fountain for a money saver. “Be careful about alcohol and coffee since they’re diuretics,” she warns. “If you’re going to drink coffee or alcohol, drink it at a minimum and pair it with water.”

——————————————————————–

Remember, be sure to check out Dani’s article on Healthy Eating at Airports for more healthy traveling tips and suggestions.

Your Turn: What are your go-to suggestions for healthy eating while traveling?

Courtney Crozier was a participant in season 11 of The Biggest Loser, where she lost over 112 pounds. She is now the the Biggest Loser Correspondent for Diets In Review, the leading diet review site and healthy living resource. This summer, as part of Courtney’s Summer Challenge, she is collaborating with Diets In Review readers to lose an additional 30 pounds.

We were also super excited to be able to ask Courtney some questions to help fans and readers get to know more about her. Check out our Q&A with her below:

Give us 5 random facts about yourself:

1 – I’m 22 years old

2 – I’ve lost over 230 pounds in the past year and a half.

3 – I love the Cubbies!

4 – I’ve been to (or driven through) 30+ states! Hoping to get to all states by the time I’m 30!

5 – The most I’ve ever run at once was 12 miles, and I want to run a marathon someday SOON!

What do you love most about cooking and/or making cooking healthier?

I never thought I would be able to cook, especially healthy food, but my mom is an amazing cook, which has really helped me. She learned to cook from her mother when she was younger and even though those recipes were all very fattening, my mom and I have worked together to make all of our delicious family recipes healthier. Being on the [Biggest Loser] ranch for nearly 6 months also helped me learn about healthy food. I love that you can start with something so basic and add a few spices and small touches to make it absolutely delicious.

Do you have a favorite food memory?

The thing that sticks out to me right now is being able to cook for Curtis Stone while at the ranch. Although I didn’t win the prize, cooking for a world-renowned chef is something that not everyone gets to do. I loved that he like the dessert I made.

What’s your favorite weeknight meal?

It sounds weird, but I absolutely love asparagus and zucchini. I could eat both of those with every meal. I’ll usually have one or both of those with some kind of lean protein. I love making turkey burgers or a nice chicken breast with plenty of spices. YUM!

What do you think is the most under-rated vegetable?

Definitely asparagus. I think people are freaked out by it because it looks like a deformed tree. But it tastes so good and you can prepare it in so many different ways.

What’s the one food item you could never live without?

I never thought I would say this…but EGG WHITES. I used to hate eggs with a passion. Then, on the ranch, I ate egg whites every single day. You can turn the low calorie egg whites into anything and it will be delicious and nutritious. My favorite egg white dish has every vegetable I can find in my fridge all chopped up and mixed with the egg whites to make the most delightful veggie scramble! Try it! I promise you won’t be disappointed. Add a little salsa or hot sauce…mmmm!

What’s your favorite way to keep in shape?

I absolutely LOVE spinning. Taking a spin class is so much fun and you will get an amazing sweat/workout. I hated spinning at first, because the seat hurt my butt so much. I said that anyone who spun was NUTS, but after a few times on the bike, your butt gets used to it and you will LOVE LOVE LOVE it as much as I do.

What is your best advice to give to someone who is trying to have healthier eating habits?

Remember that you have to take it one CHOICE at a time. Don’t look at it as one day at a time. You will mess up again with your meals. You could have a great, healthy breakfast, and then go off track at lunch, but don’t let that lunch hold you back and make you choose a horrible dinner as well. Be aware of your mistake, move on and make the next choice a better one. That’s how I’ve looked at my journey thus far and it’s gotten me to where I am today.

Find things that you love to eat, not just eating because they are “good” for you. Truly, if you don’t like something, it really isn’t as good for you because you won’t stick with it. Don’t be afraid to play around with recipes either and be creative. Eating healthy is so much fun and so easy when you make it your lifestyle. Also remember to never deprive yourself of ANYTHING. Anything in moderation is okay; just make sure it’s only one meal of cheating, and not one day, one week, or one month.

What are your surefire tips for eating healthy at all occasions?

Always be aware of where you are going, what foods will be there, and what your calorie budget is. Write everything down that you put into your mouth and be conscious of it all! There were so many years of my life that I just didn’t care what I was putting in my mouth and ate without even realizing what I was doing. Be accountable to YOU and you will succeed.

————————————————————————————–

A big thanks to Courtney for taking time to answer my questions! As always, check out FaveDiets.com for more healthy eating and healthy lifestyle tips.

Summertime is in full swing and the snacking is easy. This is the season to grab all of the fresh fruits and vegetables you can. Berries for example are brimming over in your local supermarket. Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, not only are they delicious, they’re also chock full of antioxidants that fend off free radicals to keep our cells healthy, and they’re an excellent source of dietary fiber so they don’t spike your blood sugar and cause a lull in energy. Eating berries will keep your energy up all day, so you can enjoy all of the fun activities that summer has to offer. Keep them refrigerated so they’re nice and cold on a hot summer day, they’ll also last a bit longer than if you leave them out. The same goes for vegetables, what’s more refreshing than chilled cucumber, carrot, celery and bell pepper slices? Want to dip? Check out my spinach dip and/or my hummus recipe at www.janetzappala.com.

Snacking is a great way to avoid overeating as well. By keeping nutritious snacks handy you can snack throughout the day and stay satisfied and energized. The key, is knowing which snacks provide the most nutrients, and one of your best bets is whole grains. Whole grain crackers and chips are just sitting on your supermarket shelve, “ripe” for the pickings. Vegetable chips are another tasty option. A personal favorite is Terra’s, Sweets and Beets, chips made from sweet potatoes and beets, what could be more satisfying? You’re still getting a crunchy treat, but one that’s made from ingredients that will do your body good. Worry-free eating, that’s what it’s all about. One of life’s greatest pleasures is eating, why should we give up the things we love? We don’t, we just have to find healthier options, a much easier task these days as manufacturers are tuning into the consumer’s demand for healthier options.

If you and your kids are sandwich lovers, go for whole grain bread, a couple slices of fresh roasted turkey (not processed), lettuce and tomato, and top if off with a slice or two of Jarlsberg Lite cheese. It’s my favorite for its great taste, and the fact that it’s lower in fat and calories. Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil, a splash of red wine vinegar, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper on top, and you have a mouthwatering and nutritious lunchtime treat that will pack the punch you and your family need to keep you going throughout your day.

Finally, a little more food for thought, seeds! Don’t forget to have plenty on hand, everything from sunflower seeds, to sesame seeds, to pumpkin seeds, to flaxseeds. All will provide you with countless nutrients and energy, not to mention a good amount of fiber in every delectable bite. Grab a handful during the day and you’ll be providing your body with everything from protein and iron, to potassium, and magnesium. Flaxseed alone provides heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids. Go nuts for nuts too! Heart-healthy almonds and omega 3 rich walnuts are especially good for you.

All this said opt for the raw, unsalted variety if you can. If that’s too big a step at first then try to stay away from salted nuts. As you go along your palate will slowly change and you’ll be able to enjoy raw unsalted seeds and nuts the way mother nature intended.

Enjoy the summer and all of the great foods and fun it has to offer!

Janet

I just got back from my cardio jam class at the Upper Main Line YMCA, and every time I go it drives home the point of how important exercise is for our overall health. I was feeling lethargic when I woke up this morning, and as the class was wrapping up, I had so much energy I felt as if I could run a marathon! Maybe not literally, but I certainly had a lot more vim and vigor leaving class than when I arrived. The trick is finding physical activities that you enjoy, then it’s not a workout, it’s a treat. I love dancing and lots of movement, so anything aerobic fits the bill for me, and keeps me coming back for more.

Another great thing about getting up and moving is, once you’ve finished, you can sit down and do your work without worry. It clears your mind for your other tasks. I know that if I don’t do something physical every day, I actually begin to worry how my body is going to handle being inactive. It doesn’t take long for me to begin feeling stiff, but once I exercise everything feels like it should again. I’m more agile, more energetic, and happier. There’s nothing like activity to get the kinks out, no longer in my 20’s or 30’s, the kinks come a lot more frequently,and take a lot longer to iron out if I don’t keep moving.

When it gets down to it, all most of us want to be is fit & happy. Getting off the sofa is the first step, and getting off the SoFAS is also mandatory. By SoFAS, I mean solid fats and added sugars. That’s right, because to stay fit & happy, or to get there, we must not only exercise, but watch what we’re eating.

Food is an important part of a balanced diet; a great funny line by Fran Lebowitz. But seriously, eating the right foods can make all the difference in how you look and feel, it’s all about building healthy eating patterns. Include more vegetables and fruits, whole grains and a variety of proteins. Choose low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products, and reap the wonderful benefits of physical activity.

Do it all and enjoy a healthier, happier life.

Janet at www.janetzappala.com and www.janetzappala.tv

The importance of antioxidants in our diets should be an understood given. That’s because antioxidants are the body’s major defense against free radicals which can wreak havoc with our cells. Antioxidants fight free radicals by neutralizing them.

The four major antioxidants are vitamins A, C, E and selenium. For one, vitamin A helps keep our immune systems strong, able to fight off infections more readily. It protects our bodies from cardiovascular disease and cancer, and aids in new cell growth to slow down the aging process. Vitamin A of course also helps keep our skin and eyes healthy.

Eating foods like carrots, squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, bell peppers and collard greens will help you get this important vitamin into your diet. Supplementing is also an option, just make sure you check with a doctor on the proper amount, because vitamin A can build up to toxic levels in the liver.

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid is essential to optimum health. It enhances immune function, and fights things like pollution and toxins that can damage cells and cause mutations. It is also recommended that you take Vitamin C if you eat cured meats, for example things like bacon, as it inhibits the formation of nitrosamines which can be highly carcinogenic. Citrus fruits are loaded with vitamin C.

Vitamin E helps to prevent aging, cell damage, even cancer. It is also believed to reduce the risk of heart disease. The wonder vitamin also protects the cell membranes and protects our skin from ultraviolet light.

Excellent sources of vitamin E are spinach, almonds, sunflower seeds, swiss chard and mustard greens. A typical supplement of vitamin E daily would be about 400 I.U.

Selenium is an essential trace mineral that is found in all tissues of the body. It’s a powerful antioxidant and cancer fighter, and for women especially,  it enables the thyroid to produce thyroid hormone.

Selenium also works together with vitamin E as it enhances the effects of selenium, and selenium helps with the assimilation of vitamin E. If you experience muscle pain or weakness it could be a sign of low selenium levels. To help increase levels, eat more brazil nuts, button and shitake mushrooms, tuna, halibut, salmon, snapper and shrimp.

If using a selenium supplement watch your dosage because too much can be toxic. Look for the natural form of selenium at your local health food market, and remember it’s best taken with vitamin E as an essential and effective antioxidant tool.

As with all of these, checking with your doctor about supplements is the best advice I can give you. Ideally, diet is all-important for helping to nourish your body with these super vitamins everyday.

Buona Salute! To Your Health~

Janet at www.janetzappala.com and www.janetzappala.tv

Have you ever tried kombucha before? If you do not know what it is, it is a probiotic fermented tea. It has a bright tangy flavor that I absolutely love, and kombucha is crammed with beneficial bacteria that is wonderful for your digestion.

The only problem with this probiotic tea is that it super expensive. A single bottle of the stuff can easily go for $3.50 or more at the stores by me. After a while, this cost can really add up. Instead, spare your wallet and make kombucha at home! Kombucha brewing is incredibly easy, and this process will allow you to get kombucha’s positive benefits without destroying your food budget.

First, go out and buy your last bottle of kombucha at the store. Be sure that the bottle you get is labeled as raw. The bottle you buy needs to have live active cultures, otherwise this brewing process will not work. From your bottle, drink about half of it and leave the rest aside. You want to make sure that you can see little bits at the bottom, as this is the beginning of your SCOBY (short for Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast, basically the bacterial mixture responsible for kombucha’s tangy taste and its healthy benefits).

Secure a clean cloth to the top of the glass bottle in place of the cap, and leave in a dark corner until the bacteria at the bottom noticeably multiplies. You want to make sure that you place the bottle in a temperature controlled corner, as if it is too cold or too warm the bacteria will die. In general, this process will take anywhere from one to three weeks, or even sometimes a month. The live culture at the bottom of store bought kombucha needs time to multiply, but the time needed varies. It will be ready once you see about a half inch layer of the bacterial mixture at the bottom. It took me about three weeks to grow a sufficiently large colony from a store bought bottle.

Once the bottle is ready to go, it’s time for kombucha brewing. On your stove top, bring 12 cups of water to a boil, and completely dissolve in 1 cup of sugar. For this, you have to use real sugar and not a sugar substitute as the sugar serves as the SCOBY’s food source. Then, steep four bags of black or green tea in the water and let everything completely cool. Once the tea is not longer hot, pour it and the contents of the saved bottle into a large glass container. Glass is the best material as kombucha is slightly acidic and will break down plastic. Cover the glass container with a new clean cloth and secure the cloth tightly to the bottle. Let this now sit in a temperature-controlled dark corner for about one to two weeks. The amount of time needed will depend on the strength of your SCOBY and your desired taste. I like things on the sweeter side, so I let it sit for about a week.

Once the kombucha has been sitting, it’s time to serve and enjoy. Ladle the mixture into clean resealable glass bottles and stash in the fridge. Be sure not to break apart the large gelatinous mass that will have formed on top of the tea. This is your SCOBY, and it is where all of kombucha’s magic happens. To make more kombucha, simply make a new batch of the tea-sugar mixture on top and let sit again.

Working with live bacteria can be a bit intimidating at first, but really kombucha is unbelievably easy to make. Sure, it requires some patience on your end but the end result is totally worth it. Once you’ve gotten the hang of kombucha brewing, you can experiment with flavors. I love adding fresh ginger to a batch made with jasmine tea. Just be sure not to add any flavors that will upset the pH balance of your kombucha, as you might accidentally kill off your SCOBY.

This method turns one expensive bottle of kombucha into an almost limitless supply, meaning you can have as much kombucha as you want for only the cost of tea bags and white sugar. Make kombucha at home to have a cheap, easy and delicious source of positive probiotics!

I’ve been spending time with my Rosetta Stone lately, and it’s been fantastico! Trying to get back to my Italian roots… and as I try to train my brain to remember the words, I find that it gets easier as time goes on. Our brains, much like our bodies, need exercise, stimulation so they don’t, in essence, shrivel up.

Here’s some good news, studies show that speaking two languages may help delay the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. In Canada, scientists there studied over 4-hundred patients, all with similar degrees of Alzheimer’s. Half of the patients who were bi-lingual, were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s four to five years later than the patients who only spoke one language. The bi-lingual group spoke a second language for many years. The Canadian researchers also pointed out that learning a second language later in life may also offer benefits by exercising the brain’s “executive control” ability. So while working our brains won’t necessarily prevent this disease, it may help delay the onset of the disease’s debilitating effects.

Learn another language, play Scrabble, do crossword puzzles, play cards, memorize lines…these types of exercises will keep the brain nimble and hopefully keep Alzheimer’s at bay.

Taking care of our bodies and our minds should be a top priority everyday of our lives. Gaining mental energy can also be had by making sure you get enough omega 3 fatty acids, found in fish, and nuts for example. In fact, researchers have found some evidence that eating fish like salmon, herring and mackerel might help delay or prevent cognitive decline in seniors. One thing experts seem to agree on for certain is that a cup of coffee or tea does improve mental energy.

Again, we may not have a guarantee that we’ll never develop Alzheimer’s disease, but eating right and exercising both our brains and our bodies will give us a fighting chance.

Buona Salute! To Your Health~

Janet

www.janetzappala.tv

This post is a little off the beaten path this week, but no less important than what I normally talk about, because if you’re stressed, as you know, it can affect your health. That’s why this week I pose the question: What makes you want to swear? There are countless situations that get our dander up, and I’ve cited just a few today, but of course there are many more to come.

For starters, what makes me want to swear is that so-called  “box” that so many of us get stuck in, at least once. You know the one I’m referring to, the kind you find in New York city for example, that are strategically placed, designed so that you can’t help but get stuck inside the “box.” And the box cops are right there to make sure you get your gift for the day, a nearly $200.00 ticket for spending a moment too many in that “sacred” box. Once you get stuck, the sting of that 2-hundred dollar citation will keep you from ever having to endure that kind of pain again.

Another thing that makes me want to swear is when you get nothing short of terrible service, and an 18% tip is included on your bill. Recently, we had, shall we say, less than acceptable service at a Miami restaurant, and that tip was mandated. Ooh that made me want to swear, I’ll give you an example.

 I ordered a salad and no cracked black pepper was offered when the salad was delivered, so I asked for some. The waiter didn’t come back for another ten minutes, by that time my salad had all but disappeared from my plate. The dinner was cold, the coffee was old, the macaroni and cheese (with oh-so-fancy truffle oil) was $21.00, and they mandated an 18% tip. Mind you, there were only two of us at the table. That’s enough to make me want to swear. I don’t mind if the food and service is great, but both were strike-outs at this restaurant on this night.

Speaking of restaurant meals, what is with the ridiculously high amounts of salt they add to so many of their dishes? Don’t they know that too much salt isn’t good for us? I mean do they really want me to blow up like a wood tick?

There is plenty more where these came from, so please keep an eye out, and in the meantime, I would love nothing more than to hear from you about what makes you want to swear.

Swearing can help us vent, but also keep laughing, it will make the frustration easier to handle and help you live longer!

Janet

PS-Don’t forget to check out my webisodes on www.janetzappala.tv!

www.janetzappala.com