Issue Date: September 30, 2007
Save time by using the self-checkout line
It's tempting to wheel into an empty self-scan line at the grocery store, especially when the cashier lines are six deep. But keep these tips in mind:
Self-scanning works best for small loads.
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Stick to small loads. Most self-checkout belts and packing areas are designed as a substitute for the express lane. A cart that's full of food is too time-consuming to scan and bag.
Save alcohol, cigarettes or other age-restricted purchases for a regular checkout line. The self-checkout line will shut down automatically until an attendant verifies your age. Heavy, bulky items, such as 20-pound bags of dog food or charcoal, also will shut down the system.
Know the coupon policy. The system may tell you to scan coupons before you swipe a store card or credit card. Some stores have a clerk on hand to scan coupons.
Verify correct prices on weekly specials. Sometimes the new price may not have made it into the system. And be careful not to double scan or you'll get charged twice. If a price doesn't appear, ask for help.
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Test your antioxidant IQ
Take this true or false quiz
True or false? To get the most antioxidants in your food, research findings say you should:
Always eat veggies raw. False. Tomatoes, carrots and spinach release more antioxidants when they are stir-fried, microwaved or lightly steamed. Add a little fat to increase antioxidant absorption.
Drink strong brewed hot tea, not iced tea. True. Ice dilutes the antioxidants, and storing tea in the fridge further depletes them. Instant and bottled teas offer few or no antioxidants.
Eat any kind of chocolate. False. White chocolate has no antioxidants; milk chocolate has few. Only dark chocolate has high levels.
Buy nuts with skins intact. True. Almond skins, for example, contain a lot of potent antioxidants.
Avoid frozen or canned food. False. Canned tomato sauces, paste and juice contain high amounts of lycopene, a potent antioxidant. Frozen (but not canned) fruits and vegetables generally match the antioxidant levels in their fresh counterparts.
Forget fruit juices -- they are low in antioxidants. False. You can get high levels of diverse antioxidants in apple, grapefruit, cranberry and, especially, purple grape juices.
Go for deep colors. True. Deep-green spinach and lettuces and the brightest berries provide the most antioxidants. Even black dried beans have more antioxidants than white or red beans.
Organic produce has more antioxidants. Don't count on it. The results of studies on this are unclear.
Contact Jean Carper at jeancarper.com.
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Beware of minibar charges
Before you open the little fridge in your next hotel room, consider this: One in four travelers say they've had a dispute over a hotel minibar charge, according to a recent survey conducted by TripAdvisor.com.
An additional 9% say they have been wrongly charged for food or beverage items but didn't bother to challenge the bill. Many hotels use automatic motion and weight sensors that register your purchase; simply moving items in the minibar to make room for your dinner leftovers can trigger the sensors and bring on a false charge.
TripAdvisor's tips on how to avoid minibar mistakes:
Know the rules. That bottle of mineral water sitting on your hotel dresser might not be free.
Take inventory of the minifridge. You could document its contents with your cellphone camera.
Bring along your own snacks on your trip.
The safest choice? Steer clear of the minibar entirely. If you're offered a key, just don't take it.
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Free DVD for heart patients
Only 48% of heart-attack survivors do daily exercise. Some non-exercisers attribute their abstention to fear of pushing themselves too hard after an attack. That's why Bob Greene, an exercise physiologist, and Mehmet Oz, M.D., a professor of surgery at Columbia University in New York, teamed up to create "Heartfelt for Life: Strengthening Your Heart," a free DVD with tips and entry-level exercises for heart-attack survivors.
It's important to speak with your doctor before starting any fitness program, but Greene suggests that walking is the most appropriate start for most people. Depending on the severity of the heart attack, most people should be out walking within 10 days and should try to add one minute a week to their walking time. The DVD (available at heartfeltforlife.com) includes instructions for simple resistance-training exercises plus warning signs to watch out for while exercising.
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