Preparing a holiday (Thanksgiving) meal using an electric stove provided a new twist for us this year.

It turned out to be an eye-opening event.

The stove’s performance was enhanced in an unexpected way!

(Roof solar cell powered house photo ©2012 courtesy of DCH in conjunction with Sensory Nutrition.com)

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Many people are considering the merits of a Whole Food focus basis for planning their upcoming Thanksgiving meal.

Of course, the most important aspect of Thanksgiving is truly the opportunity give thanks for the blessings in our lives and to share that sentiment while being able to spend time with family and friends, so any food choices should enhance that overall experience.

Memories of Thanksgivings past are connected to our emotional perceptions of those times, so there are sounds, sights, smells/aromas, tastes, textures that all contributed to the sensory perceptions we have locked in our memory banks of those special times. When we again hear similar sounds, perceive similar smells, etc., it brings back a rush of emotion that makes us feel connected to that past and to hopefully many cherished memories that we can enjoy re-experiencing in the present.

Adults often want to recreate and evoke those sensory memories for themselves, while at the same time helping younger members to create similar sorts of hopefully happy memories for children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews, cousins, etc.

For many families, Thanksgiving conjures up memories of home and home is a safe haven most of us yearn for at holiday time.

To help insure those memories are as happy as they can be this year, it is important to take into account any particular dietary needs of family and/or other guests.

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GLUTEN

A summer issue of the Journal published by the Academy one of us belongs to had an interesting article on a new type of gluten-free pasta. The article title is: Green Banana Pasta: An Alternative for Gluten-Free Diets. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics – July 2012 (Vol. 112, Issue 7, Pages 1068-1072, DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2012.04.002).

The gluten-free flour pasta product is made from green banana flour, egg whites, water, and edible food source gum. Some people actually found the gluten-free pasta product more acceptable than pasta made from whole wheat flour.

(Image of Green Bananas courtesy of johnnyberg at rgbstock.com).

As a matter of fact, some people felt there was no significant difference in either the appearance, aroma, flavor or overall quality of the green banana flour based pasta product as compared to the whole wheat pasta. Inclusion of egg whites and edible gum in the green banana flour based pasta product actually promoted elasticity, firmness, moisture content, and uniformity in the green banana flour based pasta, which made it less sticky than most typical gluten-free pastas are.

Interestingly, the green banana based pasta includes a high amount of what are called “resistant starches” (meaning they are resistant to digestion by humans). Resistant starches typically help to better control glycemic indexes of food items they are found in, and may have positive effects on intestinal actions such as reducing resorption of cholesterol in the gut, may decrease fermentation of starch in the gut by intestinal bacteria (which would result in less gas production in the gut), and might improve intestinal regularity of movement.

GLUTEN FOCUS WEBINAR

We also wanted to mention an upcoming Nutri-Bites Webinar Series with a Gluten focus: Title: Behind the Claims: Chasing Down Gluten

• Date: Thursday, November 8, 2012
• Time: 2:00PM – 3:00 PM EST
• Register
• Presenter: Scott HegenbartManager Scientific AffairsConAgra Foods

Learner Educational Objectives:

• Recognize the function and food sources of gluten in food
• Discuss pros/cons of typical ingredient substitutions to replace gluten
• Become familiar with federal regulations regarding gluten-free labeling claims
• Describe the validation steps needed to label a food ‘gluten-free’
• Identify key resources on gluten-free standards and foods

DIABETES

Nov. 14, 2012 is World Diabetes Day and once again, the Diabetes Hands Foundation is promoting the Big Blue Test between October 14, 2012 -November 14, 2012.

“The Big Blue Test encourages people with diabetes to test their blood sugar, exercise for 14-20 minutes, test again and share their experience on BigBlueTest.org… For every test, people with diabetes in need receive life-saving supplies through Big Blue Test grants that are awarded to humanitarian diabetes charities in the US and around the world, made possible thanks to the program sponsor…Each entry = a $5 donation from Roche Diabetes Care, makers of ACCU-CHEK® diabetes products and services up to a total of $100,000.”

Exercise helps people with diabetes to lower elevated blood glucose levels. Persons with diabetes should learn about how much certain exercises of particular intensity & specific duration help them to better control their blood glucose levels. Lowering elevated blood glucose levels can help to lessen complications from diabetes in the lives of persons of all ages who are living with diabetes.

Again, those four simple steps are:

1. Test
2. Get Active
3. Test Again
4. Share the results to encourage others to exercise, too!

Help others while possibly helping yourself or helping someone you know–spread the word:

2012 video

2011 video  (safe and sound–great video, great song!)

 2013 WOMEN’S HEART HEALTH NATIONAL WEAR RED DAY

February 1, 2013, American Heart Association’s 10th Anniversary Celebration National Wear Red Day for Women’s Heart Health Awareness

Women’s Heart Health: Women Putting Women’s Health First for a Change, which raises the question”Are You a Priority in Your Own Life?”

This February 2013 accept the challenge of National Wear Red Day and wear red for women’s heart health! Make yourself a top priority in your own life.

According to a couple of different sources–two women who have survived life threatening cardiac emergencies–Carolyn Thomas of My Heart Sisters blog site  and Kathy Kastan (who has been a President of WomenHeart, The National Coalition for Women With Heart Disease in her book From the Heart: A Woman’s Guide to Living Well with Heart Disease, published in 2007, it is reported that nationally known cardiologist, Sharonne N. Hayes M.D., Founder of the Mayo Women’s Heart Clinic, tells women who attend the WomenHeart Science & Leadership Symposium for Women with Heart Disease about a study she is aware of addressing the priorities women have mentioned having as the latest millennium was dawning.

Back in the year 2000, it is reported that in a study underwritten by Proctor and Gamble and conducted by the Mayo Clinic (P&G 2000 Health Archetype Study) “Hierarchy of Female Concerns” identified that typically, the majority of women put everyone else’s health concerns above their own, in the following descending order of the top 6 responses given to the question asked of the women:

“What is most important to you?”

The top 6 responses of the women surveyed in descending order were reported as:

1. children
2. home
3. work/career
4. pets
5. spouses
6. self

Isn’t it time that maybe women started putting themselves first on that list? Can’t we possibly take better care of those we love if we take care of ourselves first and foremost?

Check out Kathy Kastan’s book (one of us actually read it while recently on vacation) or Carolyn Thomas’ blog, then explore ways you can get involved in raising heart health awareness.

Consider participating in this year’s American Heart Association National Wear Red Day and promote women’s heart health awareness among your family, friends and neighbors in your community and beyond. You can even sign up to spearhead support of National Wear Red Day at an area school, workplace, community center, etc.

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Severe Storms and hurricanes have so many direct impacts on those in their path, including coping with potential power losses, flooding and more.

We’ve gone through such power losses in the past and from experience understand how frustrating their consequences can be.

Once you know you and your family are safe, and your home is safe to be in, then it may be time to address the challenge of dealing with throwing out food which has spoiled and cleaning out previously cold food storage devices where unpleasant odors can linger.

In Part 1 of 2 of this blog series, we included a synopsis of the advisements put out by the USDA/FSIS (United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety Information Service) regarding keeping food safe in emergency situations such as severe storms and hurricanes, etc.

In this Part 2 of 2 of this blog series, we’ll provide some additional explanation behind the recommendations made in those brochures and we’ll review additional suggestions from USDA/FSIS on removing obnoxious odors when food has spoiled in any refrigerator/freezer.

(Image of interior of refrigerator from USDA/FSIS pdf Food Safety: Removing Odors from Refrigerators & Freezers).

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When a severe storm of the magnitude of Superstorm Sandy is predicted, one can’t stress enough that you need a plan of action to keep food safe, which starts before, is maintained during, and continues on after the storm has hit your area.

Unfortunately, it can be very trying to have to clean up after a severe storm has caused problems in your area when it comes to coping with power outages, flooding, and more.

Hopefully you have already downloaded A Consumer’s Guide to Food Safety Severe Storms and Hurricanes from USDA’s FSIS (Food Safety Information Service) and/or the version Keeping Food Safe During a Power Outage via the Department of Health, City of Columbus, Ohio.

(Image of interior of refrigerator from USDA/FSIS pdf Food Safety: Removing Odors from Refrigerators & Freezers).

Although the information can be found in USDA/FSIS & other government publications, in this Part 1 of 2 of this blog series we’ll provide a synopsis of the advisements put out by the USDA/FSIS (United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety Information Service) regarding keeping food safe in emergency situations such as severe storms and hurricanes, etc.

In Part 2 of 2 we’ll provide some additional explanation behind the recommendations made in those brochures and we’ll review additional suggestions from USDA/FSIS on removing obnoxious odors when food has spoiled in any refrigerator/freezer.

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