Tried out my new Nima sensor

[tessa25]

I ordered a Nima sensor and it arrived recently. I tested it out on various items and got some interesting results.

Dog food - low gluten

Gluten free dog biscuits - low gluten

water - smiley face

Land O Lakes american cheese - smiley face

Morning Moos chocolate drink - smiley face

Olay Quench moisturizer - smiley face

Olay sensitive skin moisturizer - low gluten

I don't eat the dog biscuits :), but I give them to my dogs throughout the day so I figured they should be gluten free in case I don't wash my hands after giving them a treat. And they sit on the counter. The dog food is only given twice per day and it doesn't sit on the counter so that's not changing. Time to find new dog biscuits.

The water was just a test.

I'm quite bummed about the Olay sensitive skin moisturizer as I use that on my face and it inevitably gets on my lips.

 

Very easy device to use. I'm quite happy with the purchase.

 

[icelandgirl]

So cool!  Thank you for sharing!  I'm sad about the Olay too as that's what I use.

[tessa25]

If your numbers are normal maybe it's not enough to bother you at all.

[icelandgirl]

Mine are normal, but I don't want to use anything with gluten in it near my mouth.

[BadContrakt]

I'm so freaking jealous! I wanted to pre order the Nima so bad but it's just too much money for me right now. Moving across the entire country, getting married, and have a bad fishing habit!

Ugh! The Nima would make it SO EASY at family events to eat food without hassling grandma or cousin about what brand they used or whatever. Everyone is so ignorant and just says "oh there's no wheat in that!" Yeah... ok... whatever you say. I'd be able to test it myself and not bother with all the fuss!

[cyclinglady]

I don't know.....fun to experiment, but from my research it has many limitations (cross contamination, etc.).  Read the Gluten Free Watchdog's comments.  They are the Consumer Reports for gluten testing/verification.  Even the GlutenDude who was enthusiastic initially before the NIMA was released (think advertising dollars), has altered his stance.  I guess he is concerned about future lawsuits.  

So, I would use it as another tool in my celiac disease toolbox, but will rely on reading labels and contacting manufacturers to make the best decision fo me and my family.  

 

[squirmingitch]

4 hours ago, cyclinglady said:

I don't know.....fun to experiment, but from my research it has many limitations (cross contamination, etc.).  Read the Gluten Free Watchdog's comments.  They are the Consumer Reports for gluten testing/verification.  Even the GlutenDude who was enthusiastic initially before the NIMA was released (think advertising dollars), has altered his stance.  I guess he is concerned about future lawsuits.  

So, I would use it as another tool in my celiac disease toolbox, but will continue to rely on reading labels and contacting manufacturers to make the best decision fo me and my family.  

 

I agree with this completely!!!!! For me, it's not worth having.

[Beverage]

Andalou skin care products are super good quality and CERTIFIED gluten free.  Their stuff is very concentrated, so you don't need much and it lasts longer than you think.   I use their "Age Defying" products.   I'm 60 and people think I'm in my early 40's.  They're shocked when they find out my age, and I don't think they are just being nice, it's the super shocked look on their faces, not just the nice polite smile.  Sign up for their newsletter and they send you coupon codes. They currently have one "VDAY" for 30% off site-wide sale good thru 2/20.

[Gemini]

On 2/11/2017 at 0:11 PM, cyclinglady said:

I don't know.....fun to experiment, but from my research it has many limitations (cross contamination, etc.).  Read the Gluten Free Watchdog's comments.  They are the Consumer Reports for gluten testing/verification.  Even the GlutenDude who was enthusiastic initially before the NIMA was released (think advertising dollars), has altered his stance.  I guess he is concerned about future lawsuits.  

So, I would use it as another tool in my celiac disease toolbox, but will rely on reading labels and contacting manufacturers to make the best decision fo me and my family.  

 

NIMA is a very handy tool to have when traveling.  I think many of the issues may be due to inexperience with testing protocol.  There is a right way to do it and I wonder how many people actually read the information on it before they use it?  It has limitations as far as what can be tested but overall, if I were sitting in a restaurant in a foreign country where English was not the first language, I will be very glad to have the NIMA there to test my food.  The inventors issued a statement saying that it is just another useful tool to use when making your decisions about what is safe to eat.  That includes ingredients and prep protocol.  I probably would not have bought a NIMA if I didn't travel internationally.  But I think it will make things vastly easier when in countries where it will be more difficult to ensure a safe meal out.

Gluten Dude is not the first choice in whose opinions I trust about gluten-free anything. Some of his statements made on his website sometimes make me wonder if he really knows much about living gluten free correctly. 

[GF-Cheetah Cub]

I agree it is very handy for international travel.   We just took it to Peru for 2 weeks.  I wish we had this when we went to Europe for a month the previous summer.

We love our NIMA.   It is just a tool.   When I shop or when we go out to eat, we still have to ask questions, then sometimes I like to test the food with this device.  It is compact, and so easy to run a test.   It only takes 3 minutes.  

It does have limitations, and NIMA tells you that it can not detect things like soy sauce, so it does not work well with gluten-free Asian foods, so I still use the EZ Gluten test kits for those.   I will tell you that it seems that NIMA is a tougher test to pass than EZ Gluten.   The same food that had tested "low gluten" by NIMA, was tested negative by EZ Gluten.   This happened twice.   I keep a record of all tests I run on my daughter's favorite foods.   I also re-test some of these foods once in a while.

I think if you like to travel, and like to eat out once in a while, the NIMA is a good tool to have in the purse.

[Gemini]

How easy was it to eat in Peru?  I know their diet is heavy on corn so thought it might be do-able.  I mean, who doesn't want to see Machu Picchu?

This is why I bought one.  There are countries I would like to visit but need to know if I can eat safely.

[GF-Cheetah Cub]

We loved Peru!   We found Peru to be pretty gluten-free friendly.   It is the land not just corn, but also potatoes.   So, lots of corn and potatoes, and grilled meats, ceviche, etc.   They are also big in farming, so the vegetables and meats were very fresh.  Lots of dishes were naturally gluten-free. 

We spent 3 nights in a small town in Sacred Valley, and found a local farm that offered an organic farm lunch, and everything was 100% gluten free away!!   (Except the dessert, but they remembered to bring my celiac daughter a bowl of fruit instead.)

Cusco has a few restaurants that marked their menu with gluten-free options, and we ate at our hotel restaurant once, and they very easily accommodated us.  

We don't speak any Spanish, but found all the restaurants we went to had English menus, and the staff spoke English, I did not even have to pull out my Spanish restaurant card.

We went on a 4 day Inca Trail hike.   The trekking company accommodated our dietary restriction.   The chef made gluten-free dishes just for my daughter, even her own soup, when the soup for the rest of us had gluten in it.

We also visited the Amazon.  The jungle lodge and river cruise boat all accommodated our gluten-free dietary restrictions.   Of course, when I booked these things, I let them know that my daughter has celiac, and required strict gluten-free meals, and I reminded them again a week or two before the trip.

[Gemini]

SWEET!!!!!!  I am so glad you found it fairly easy to vacation there.  I have always wanted to go to Machu Picchu and did know that their diet was not totally gluten based but that does not mean it is easy to travel with Celiac.  Now I know that the trip is very possible.  I love corn and potatoes so that helps.  It's funny.....people say the same things about big cities anywhere.  Many people speak English, which is good because I don't speak Spanish either. Thank you for all this information!

[Ennis-TX]

now If only I could win a lifetime supply of test capsules, Got to admit I love how cheap they are compared to EZ strips, but on a fixed income and a special diet knowing if I can get buy decently at the end of each month is a very worrisome as is.

[cyclinglady]

12 hours ago, Gemini said:

NIMA is a very handy tool to have when traveling.  I think many of the issues may be due to inexperience with testing protocol.  There is a right way to do it and I wonder how many people actually read the information on it before they use it?  It has limitations as far as what can be tested but overall, if I were sitting in a restaurant in a foreign country where English was not the first language, I will be very glad to have the NIMA there to test my food.  The inventors issued a statement saying that it is just another useful tool to use when making your decisions about what is safe to eat.  That includes ingredients and prep protocol.  I probably would not have bought a NIMA if I didn't travel internationally.  But I think it will make things vastly easier when in countries where it will be more difficult to ensure a safe meal out.

Gluten Dude is not the first choice in whose opinions I trust about gluten-free anything. Some of his statements made on his website sometimes make me wonder if he really knows much about living gluten free correctly. 

True, the Gluten Dude does seems to get glutened a lot!  I read his website because it is amusing.  I do not consider him to be an expert at all.  I only stated that he seems to have backed off endorsing the NIMA sensor.  I just observed that his attorneys most likely advised him not to give a firm opinion on the product (liability issues).

  I do consider the gluten-free Watchdog to be an expert at testing foods for gluten contamination as they do this in a laboratory based on science and not opinion.  

Again, a fun tool.  Looking forward to hearing how effective it is from many  members!  

[Gemini]

10 hours ago, cyclinglady said:

True, the Gluten Dude does seems to get glutened a lot!  I read his website because it is amusing.  I do not consider him to be an expert at all.  I only stated that he seems to have backed off endorsing the NIMA sensor.  I just observed that his attorneys most likely advised him not to give a firm opinion on the product (liability issues).

  I do consider the gluten-free Watchdog to be an expert at testing foods for gluten contamination as they do this in a laboratory based on science and not opinion.  

Again, a fun tool.  Looking forward to hearing how effective it is from many  members!  

I totally agree with you on this post!  I think the Gluten Free Watchdog is a great source of truthful information too. Gluten Dude seems to still struggle with the diet and wellness and he's been doing this for far too long for that to be.  I could say more but I won't. Liability is probably a factor in his blog posts too, as it is with all things in the US today.  Too bad, because liability is what is keeping our country from doing as well with the gluten free offerings as Europe does. People should not fear lawsuits because they state their opinion.

I think, for me, having the NIMA in a foreign country would be very helpful.  I think I would feel a lot better about my food if I tested  the entire plate and found it to be safe.  This is the first go round with this device so I am sure they will improve reliability in future.  It's more appealing than playing Russian Roulette....I lost that game a couple of times on trips!    I am hoping that cost will come down also so more people can afford to buy one if they wanted.

[Gemini]

On February 10, 2017 at 11:09 AM, tessa25 said:

I ordered a Nima sensor and it arrived recently. I tested it out on various items and got some interesting results.

Dog food - low gluten

Gluten free dog biscuits - low gluten

water - smiley face

Land O Lakes american cheese - smiley face

Morning Moos chocolate drink - smiley face

Olay Quench moisturizer - smiley face

Olay sensitive skin moisturizer - low gluten

I don't eat the dog biscuits :), but I give them to my dogs throughout the day so I figured they should be gluten free in case I don't wash my hands after giving them a treat. And they sit on the counter. The dog food is only given twice per day and it doesn't sit on the counter so that's not changing. Time to find new dog biscuits.

The water was just a test.

I'm quite bummed about the Olay sensitive skin moisturizer as I use that on my face and it inevitably gets on my lips.

 

Very easy device to use. I'm quite happy with the purchase.

 

I wanted to point out that NIMA is not validated for use on anything non-food, including cosmetics and medications.  It clearly states that in the directions.  I went to use mine today and read everything they sent and noticed this.  So, the results won't mean much and you don't want to use the capsules on things that cannot be tested reliably.  They are too expensive.  Maybe on future models that feature will be available.

So, I tried it out on something that I thought it was a good use for and geez.......these things are very cool!  I love soup and sometimes do not have time to make soup myself.  Whole Foods makes some soup that has no gluten ingredients but I was hesitant to try it out for fear of it being cc'd.  Today it was lentil and the fear was them using lentils that might have other grains floating around in them.  I first stirred the soup up to incorporate all the ingredients well. The soup was very thick so it was easier to test than more liquid soups. Popped it into the capsule and let it rip. Tested safe!  As there were minimal ingredients in it and all were naturally gluten-free, I decided to give it a go.  It was delicious and so far, I feel fine.  I'll have to post if this experiment ends in disaster but I think all is good!

[cristiana]

This is a really exciting breakthrough.  

I'm just wondering though, has anyone tested food in a restaurant setting and then has been courageous enough to actually send the gluten containing food that was meant to be gluten free back? What was the reaction?

I'm trying to imagine how that would go down with the staff?  I'm afraid I've been in the situation where I've seen crumbs on my food and have been too scared to complain, I've just not eaten the food. It's cowardice on my part because I can't bear conflict.  Also, from my past in catering, we heard some pretty dreadful stories about the consequences of upsetting a chef!

I realise good restaurants would be reasonable here, but you never know.

 

[Gemini]

14 hours ago, cristiana said:

This is a really exciting breakthrough.  

I'm just wondering though, has anyone tested food in a restaurant setting and then has been courageous enough to actually send the gluten containing food that was meant to be gluten free back? What was the reaction?

I'm trying to imagine how that would go down with the staff?  I'm afraid I've been in the situation where I've seen crumbs on my food and have been too scared to complain, I've just not eaten the food. It's cowardice on my part because I can't bear conflict.  Also, from my past in catering, we heard some pretty dreadful stories about the consequences of upsetting a chef!

I realise good restaurants would be reasonable here, but you never know.

 

You know......that is something I was wondering myself.  The "what if" moment when you test food in a restaurant and it comes back as a fail.  Personally, I think I would very nicely show them the results and see what the reaction was.  I am not sure I would eat any food from that restaurant because I also know what can happen when a chef's meal is questioned.      The bottom line is that I would scratch off that restaurant from my list of safe places to eat, without causing too much of a fuss at the restaurant.  If they cannot get the meal right on the first go, I am done with them.

I do tend to eat out in known safe places when I travel. The only places I would test are new places. There is a chain in Britain called Côte, which does French peasant type food.  They have one of the best gluten-free menu's I have ever seen anywhere. The staff are well trained and I never have had any stupid looks or questions when ordering. I have eaten there at least 10 times over 2 trips and never had the slightest problems. The food is delicious too! The French are such foodies that I have always been able to trust their menu's and cooking. We will be in London for a week this May and I intend on eating there repeatedly.  They do breakfast, lunch and dinner and it's a safe place to get a fantastic breakfast out, which I find harder to do than dinner.

So, this morning I feel fine.  No problems from the soup I tested yesterday.......small victories are great!

[TexasJen]

I was wondering the same thing, too.  I would think it would be useful for traveling as well

[cristiana]

Maybe in the future this gadget will begin to look more like a thermometer - you just stick it in the food and see what happens!

Thanks so much for the tip on the Cote restaurants, Gemini. I have just gone on line and there is one near us Sussex! Yippee! Thank you! I'm going to post your recommendations in the International Room if that is OK?

I've been so nervous about eating out but when one finds the odd chain that really seems to know what they are doing it instills confidence. Personally I have never had problems with the risotto in Ask (and you should try their Chocolate Etna!) and the gluten-free menu at Franky and Benny's.  They aren't high end but they suit the whole family and it is such a joy to be able to sit down together and eat out, just like the old days.

Glad the soup was OK, Gemini! 

[Gemini]

1 hour ago, cristiana said:

Maybe in the future this gadget will begin to look more like a thermometer - you just stick it in the food and see what happens!

Thanks so much for the tip on the Cote restaurants, Gemini. I have just gone on line and there is one near us Sussex! Yippee! Thank you! I'm going to post your recommendations in the International Room if that is OK?

I've been so nervous about eating out but when one finds the odd chain that really seems to know what they are doing it instills confidence. Personally I have never had problems with the risotto in Ask (and you should try their Chocolate Etna!) and the gluten-free menu at Franky and Benny's.  They aren't high end but they suit the whole family and it is such a joy to be able to sit down together and eat out, just like the old days.

Glad the soup was OK, Gemini! 

I am glad you found a Côte near you!  Honestly, I really trust these people.  You cannot eat out 10 times over 2 trips and not get sick at all if they weren't reliable.  I always know when I have been hit because the symptoms   only happen when I am glutened.  Do your usual Celiac spiel when ordering but I have eaten at multiple locations and it was all good! I hope you have the same experience. Their food is delicious.

Thank you for the additional tips on safe places to eat.  I have heard of Franky and Bennie's from other people but have not seen one yet but can check on locations. It is nice to have less expensive options when traveling because I do spend a lot of money on food........I guess it is better to spend more and be safe but other options are always welcome. 

I forgot to add.........feel free to post away on recommending this place. I posted a review on Tripadvisor myself!

[icelandgirl]

First, I'm so glad that those with a Nima are sharing their experiences!  I think it's helpful to us all and now I want one!

Second, Gemini...I'm so jealous of your trip to London.  One of my favorite vacations ever was a trip there with my mom.  You're so lucky...have a great time!  Also, take me with you?  I promise I won't be any trouble and then I could meet my buddy Cristiana.  ? LOL

[Gemini]

5 hours ago, icelandgirl said:

First, I'm so glad that those with a Nima are sharing their experiences!  I think it's helpful to us all and now I want one!

Second, Gemini...I'm so jealous of your trip to London.  One of my favorite vacations ever was a trip there with my mom.  You're so lucky...have a great time!  Also, take me with you?  I promise I won't be any trouble and then I could meet my buddy Cristiana.  ? LOL

You can come with me anytime!  We could all eat at Côte and make piggies of ourselves!  Ha, Ha!  

[cristiana]

7 hours ago, Gemini said:

You can come with me anytime!  We could all eat at Côte and make piggies of ourselves!  Ha, Ha!  

Just name the date girls!