A delicious and gluten-free eggplant recipe that is great as a light lunch or as a side dish or appetizer with dinner. This recipe is light and delicious and so easy to make. You can find more great recipes in the book, “The Gluten-Free Edge”!
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Food affects mood, according to the book Joy Bauer’s Food Cures (Rodale Books, 2007). To keep a rosy outlook, control blood sugar levels by eating every four to five hours during the day. Eat foods rich in omega-3 fats, folic acid, and vitamins B12 and D—four nutrients linked with a better mood….
Once thought of as vices, these simple indulgences can actually be good for you.
■ Experts have known for years that dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure and deliver heart-healthy antioxidants. Newer research shows the sweet stuff may even help…
Meet the authors of the”The Gluten-Free Edge” at The Tonic Cafe. Located at 19530 Jamboree Rd. Irvine, CA 92612
Enjoy selections from their “Healthy Menu”. Choose meals that are gluten-free, good for weight loss and diabetic diets!
A new study from researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) has found that a group of volunteers who consumed a serving of canned soup each day for five days had a more than 1,000% increase in urinary bisphenol A (BPA) concentrations compared with when the same individuals consumed fresh soup daily for five days. The study is one of the first to quantify BPA levels in humans after ingestion of canned foods.
The findings were published online November 22, 2011, in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and will appear in the November 23/30 print issue.
“Previous studies have linked elevated BPA levels with adverse health effects. The next step was to figure out how people are getting exposed to BPA. We’ve known for a while that drinking beverages that have been stored in certain hard plastics can increase the amount of BPA in your body. This study suggests that canned foods may be an even greater concern, especially given their wide use,” said Jenny Carwile, a doctoral student in the Department of Epidemiology at HSPH and lead author of the study.
Exposure to the endocrine-disrupting chemical BPA, used in the lining of metal food and beverage cans, has been shown to interfere with reproductive development in animals and has been linked with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity in humans. In addition to the lining of food and beverage cans, BPA is also found in polycarbonate bottles (identified by the recycling number 7) and dentistry composites and sealants.
The researchers, led by Carwile and Karin Michels, associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology, set out to quantify whether canned-soup consumption would increase urinary BPA concentrations relative to eating fresh soup.
They recruited student and staff volunteers from HSPH. One group consumed a 12-ounce serving of vegetarian canned soup each day for five days; another group consumed 12 ounces of vegetarian fresh soup (prepared without canned ingredients) daily for five days. After a two-day “washout” period, the groups reversed their assignments.
Urine samples of the 75 volunteers taken during the testing showed that consumption of a serving of canned soup daily was associated with a 1,221% increase in BPA compared to levels in urine collected after consumption of fresh soup.
The researchers note that the elevation in urinary BPA concentrations may be temporary and that further research is needed to quantify its duration.
“The magnitude of the rise in urinary BPA we observed after just one serving of soup was unexpected and may be of concern among individuals who regularly consume foods from cans or drink several canned beverages daily. It may be advisable for manufacturers to consider eliminating BPA from can linings,” said Michels, senior author of the study
Food Labeling Requirements are Helpful but…
2004 was a very good year for most people who suffer from food allergies, and in our case Celiac Disease; the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) was established. The Act phases in, over time, dramatic new standards in the labeling of foods we eat. As we educate ourselves about our gluten allergy or intolerance it seems we have to learn another language. For example, malt flavoring, sounds harmless right? If only it were that simple, manufacturers use a plethora of ingredients that don’t say wheat, rye, barley or oats and yet they contain gluten, like malt flavoring.
You have probably noticed some manufacturers are including advisory labels as well. Additional information is provided such as made from barley, produced in a plant that also manufactures wheat products or cross-contamination is a possibility. The choice to consume food items with advisory statements is a personal one and could prove detrimental to your health.
The FALCPA is making it easier to identify problematic foods by requiring it be written in the ingredient list or immediately after the list. Currently the items that MUST be disclosed are: Milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish, soy and wheat. Many ingredients have gluten and yet the only item on the list at this point is wheat. Phase two is when gluten-free will have a formal definition assigned. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a definition and is working with the manufacturing industry to finalize. The proposed deadline to implement the second phase was 2008 has long since passed. FDA meetings in 2011 continue to work to a conclusion and hope to have a final regulation within the next 6 months.
Gini Warner & Chef Ross Harris will be speaking at the Suzi Q Senior Center inLaguna Beach, CA on Jan. 18 at 1:00pm
News: Oct 26, 2011
By consuming fewer calories, ageing can be slowed down and the development of age-related diseases such as cancer and type 2 diabetes can be delayed. The earlier calorie intake is reduced, the greater the effect. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have now identified one of the enzymes that hold the key to the ageing process.
”We are able to show that caloric restriction slows down ageing by preventing an enzyme, peroxiredoxin, from being inactivated. This enzyme is also extremely important in counteracting damage to our genetic material,” says Mikael Molin of the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology.
By gradually reducing the intake of sugar and proteins, without reducing vitamins and minerals, researchers have previously shown that monkeys can live several years longer than expected. The method has also been tested on everything from fishes and rats to fungi, flies and yeasts with favourable results. Caloric restriction also has favourable effects on our health and delays the development of age-related diseases. Despite this, researchers in the field have found it difficult to explain exactly how caloric restriction produces these favourable effects.
Using yeast cells as a model, the research team at the University of Gothenburg has successfully identified one of the enzymes required. They are able to show that active peroxiredoxin 1, Prx1, an enzyme that breaks down harmful hydrogen peroxide in the cells, is required for caloric restriction to work effectively.
The results, which have been published in the scientific journal Molecular Cell, show that Prx1 is damaged during ageing and loses its activity. Caloric restriction counteracts this by increasing the production of another enzyme, Srx1, which repairs Prx1. Interestingly, the study also shows that ageing can be delayed without caloric restriction by only increasing the quantity of Srx1 in the cell. Repair of the peroxiredoxin Prx1 consequently emerges as a key process in ageing.
”Impaired Prx1 function leads to various types of genetic defects and cancer. Conversely, we can now speculate whether increased repair of Prx1 during ageing can counteract, or at least delay, the development of cancer.”
Peroxiredoxins have also been shown to be capable of preventing proteins from being damaged and aggregating, a process that has been linked to several age-related disorders affecting the nervous system, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The researchers are accordingly also considering whether stimulation of Prx1 can reduce and delay such disease processes.
Now thatFootball season has arrived…which means football & friends. For those with celiac disease or a gluten intolerance this doesn’t mean you are left out in the cold while your buddies are cracking open the beers. Gluten-free beer does exist!
One of the key ingredients in beer is barley, which is a definite NO for those on a gluten free diet. Since the rise in gluten free awareness in the past few years, the food and beverage industry has also followed suit. There are more and more gluten free options available now to accommodate those with celiac disease or a gluten intolerance.
Anheuser Busch, one of the most well known brewing companies in the world, has developed a gluten-free beer called Redbridge. It is made without wheat or barley, so the approximately 3.2 million consumers who are unable to drink beer made with barley due to celiac disease or because they follow a wheat-free or gluten-free diet can once again enjoy a great tasting beer. Redbridge is a rich, full-bodied lager brewed from sorghum for a well-balanced, moderately hopped taste. It is easy to find in larger grocery stores, as well as specialty wine & beer stores
Those of us who love salty snacks think that potato chips, popcorn, nuts and corn tortilla chips are safe foods, right? We’ve learned to think about the ingredients before we eat, so let’s see potato, oil, salt, nuts, corn, it’s a go! What a treat to enjoy some of the same snacks we enjoyed before our diagnosis of Celiac Disease.
As many of us have learned it isn’t that simple most of the time. Symptoms can show up very quickly or sometimes seem inconsistent. How could this be, what did we miss? Further review of the ingredients is typically the answer. What flavor of salty snacks are you munching on; salt and vinegar, sour cream and onion, fire, nacho cheese or ranch dressing perhaps? Many times flavorings and spices are to blame. Wheat flour is being used more and more to help distribute spices and or flavoring over snack items.
Other additives may be causing problems for those who have gluten sensitivities as well as the general public. A lot of companies use MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) to enhance the flavor of items they produce. MSG has been linked to headaches, depression, asthma, epilepsy, ADHD and many other health issues. Moreover most of the symptoms or illnesses brought on by the consumption of this are preventable simply by avoiding MSG.
So what’s the good news here? All companies are now required to label foods that contain wheat. Most companies are also providing detailed information about its products and how it relates to food allergies on their website. Although products may be gluten free it’s possible that it is produced in a facility that processes wheat too. Those with very high levels of sensitivity need
Pomegranate Chicken
