Ross Koppel challenges feckless academics on poor health IT design

The academic health IT community has spent the past decade (at least) burying their collective ostrich heads in the sand about the crappy software that is called health IT.

A few, though, have taken on the health IT industry at the heart of bad health IT design (including yours truly, which sadly was not enough to save my own mother from health IT design defects).

Probably the bravest soul on these issues, however, is Penn sociologist Ross Koppel.  In a critique of the latest from the medical informatics academic community on reigning in the hazards of this technology, an article by Sittig and Singh at U. Texas, he wrote the following piece in the BMJ:

The health information technology safety framework: building great structures on vast voids
http://m.qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/early/2015/11/19/bmjqs-2015-004746.full.pdf

Download it and read it in its entirety.  It makes the point that the solutions to these problems (which I increasingly believe just might be an insoluble, wicked problem without major scope and ambition reductions regarding the use of health IT) must be based on reality.

The reality must start from a firm response not to end users being flummoxed by bad rollouts or by carelessness (user error), but to the issue of products poorly designed from the get-go by their sellers whose primary interest is to make money come hell or high water.

Koppel makes the point that one will not get good results driving a car if that car is designed poorly, with hidden and confusing controls, defective brakes and an engine that overheats and explodes without warning, no matter what post-design interventions take place.

The issues of design flaws and fundamental fitness for purpose need to be blown open in a manner similar to the manner in which drugs and other medical devices are evaluated and regulated.  Academia needs to lead the charge, not suggest band aids, however well intentioned those band aids might be.

Koppel writes:

 ... In essence, I suggest that these two eminent colleagues tell us to look under the lamppost even though, as the old saying goes, the keys were dropped 70 feet away from the lamppost in the dark. Both Singh and Sittig, of course, are fully aware of the errors listed above,3 4 but (1) they expect that we can detect and understand these problems with error reporting, although many potentially serious errors go undetected (thus, unreported), and when detected, the poor design features that contributed to the error may not be readily apparent. (2) Singh and Sittig tend to attribute those sorts of problems to poor implementation, user errors or lack of access to the technology. They do not seriously question if the software is fit for its purpose.

And this:

 ... In fact, their assumption that HIT software is well designed runs throughout their work. They write about: misused software, unavailable software, poorly
implemented software and malfunctioning software (emphasis added), but what of badly designed software—neither user friendly nor interoperable with systems holding needed patient data? That failure is
not in their purview. They don’t challenge HIT vendors who design the software, or the regulators, who so often serve primarily as HIT industry promoters. Here’s what they write we need to address (my
italics): ‘1) concerns that are unique and specific to technology (e.g., to address unsafe health IT related to unavailable or malfunctioning hardware or software);
2) concerns created by the failure to use health IT appropriately or by misuse of health IT.

I add that such articles tend to confuse policy makers about what truly is needed to solve problems with HIT.

I've had the guts to take on these issues via the legal route after the death of my mother, something that led a number of academic zealots to intone that the incident, in 2010, a decade after my writings on bad health IT began, caused me to lose my objectivity.  That puerile, perverse reasoning passes for wisdom in certain academic informatics circles.  Yet it appears their objectivity about health IT never existed.

I lack respect for paper writers who in effect become apologists for products birthed as dangerous right out of the gate by opportunistic health IT companies.  Perhaps the health IT-mediated death of one of their loved ones would wake them up, but I sometimes doubt even that.

This is no mere academic spat. In this case, patient risk and harm worldwide is at issue.

The root of any software problem in healthcare, as I've written before, is at the design level.  Trying to work around bad design without facing reality leads to and perpetuates risk, patient harm, clinician disillusionment (e.g., the Medical Societies letter to ONC) and impairment of clinicians trying to take care of patients.

Kudos to Koppel. I hope the repercussions of his challenge to the usual academic fecklessness and special accommodations afforded this unregulated industry are not too severe.

Academics can be feckless towards possible sources of funding, but quite mean to internecine challenges, as Sittig, one of the authors of the challenged piece, was with me in an incident I found out about only because he did not know one of the people to whom he badmouthed me had been a former student I'd mentored.

-- SS

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Fat, Added Fat, and Obesity in America

In the last post, we saw that carbohydrate and particularly sugar intake have been declining in the US since 1999, even as our obesity rate has continued to climb.

In this post, let's look at another putative driver of obesity: our fat intake, and especially our intake of added fats like seed oils, butter, and olive oil.  Like the graphs in the last post, the data underlying the following graphs come from USDA food disappearance records (not self-reported), and NHANES survey data (1, 2).  Also like the last post, the graph of total fat intake is not adjusted for waste (non-eaten food), while the graph of added fat intake is*.  As a consequence, the figures for total carbohydrate and total fat intake are higher than actual intakes, but still good for illustrating trends.

Here we go.  First, total fat:
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Carbohydrate, Sugar, and Obesity in America

We like explanations that are simple, easy to understand, and explain everything.  One example of this is the idea that eating carbohydrate, or sugar, is the primary cause of obesity.  This lets us point our finger at something concrete and change our behavior accordingly.  And it's true enough that it has practical value.  But the world around us often turns out to be more complex than we'd like it to be.

The CDC recently released its latest data on the prevalence of obesity in the US, spanning the years 2013-2014 (1).  These data come from its periodic National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES).  Contrary to what many of us had hoped for after a slight decline in obesity in the last survey, the prevalence has once again increased.  Today, roughly 38 percent of US adults have obesity.  As a nation, we're continuing to gain fat, which is extremely concerning.

I decided to examine the relationship between obesity prevalence and our intake of carbohydrate and sugar over the years.  The food intake data come from the USDA's Economic Research Service (2).  For some reason, the data on carbohydrate don't extend beyond 2010.  This probably relates to funding cuts at the USDA*.

Let's have a look at the data for carbohydrate:

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Discover Great Starts To Healthy Soup Making

Get out your soup spoons, everyone, as I believe we have officially hit soup season! Are you among those that are craving a nourishing, steamy bowl to take the chill off and make you feel cozy and full? But, it certainly does not have to have a chill in the air to enjoy soup as even if it isn't soup season where you are, it really is an all-year-round way to start any healthy meal!

So, how do those great, healthy soups all begin? Besides digging out your favorite stock pot or extra large ladle, what do most soup recipes call for up front? A mirepoix, a soffritto or maybe even a "Holy Trinity?"  Call them what you want, but they all are a convivial gathering of aromatics, occasional herbs and spices and usually a bit of fat to get the party started.

These various flavor combinations go by different names in different cuisines, but they always play an upfront role in how that soup turns out. They provide a foundation of flavor to distinguish it from one healthy pot to another.

How to Make a Flavor Base For a Healthy Pot of Soup

Most pots of soups start with a flavor base influenced by a particular type of cuisine (Italian, French, Asian) and it generally works like this:

1.  Prep and gather your tools.  

Most soup recipes begin by gathering a flavor base. These flavor bases originating from around the world usually break down into three or four aromatic vegetables, sometimes herbs, and occasionally a small bit of fat. Asian cuisines often add freshly ground spices as well.


2.   The veggies play a star role.  

The vegetables, cut into uniform small pieces, make up the largest part of the flavor base and are typically given a slow, easy start over low heat to extract the flavor.  Many flavor bases are only vegetables depending on the cuisine.

Don't miss this: Stumped for ways to get more veggies in your diet? Find lots of ways to bring healthy vegetables to your table right here.


3.  Then, come the enhancements.

After the vegetables have softened a bit, this is usually when the flavor base is enriched with the herbs and spices, if using. They are added a bit later so that they do not burn.

Don't miss this: Look how herbs and spices can enhance your health and lots of ways to use them.

Video: Creating the French Mirepoix

Why not look at how the pros do it! Here is an example of the highly recognized trio of the French mirepoix of onion, carrots and celery using a video from Mario Batali on how to create the classic mirepoix.

Cooking in any country has many variations of their flavor bases, as well as cooks adding their flair to the pot. Scan down to the next section to see ten classic flavor bases you can try you hand in to change up your pot of soup.

10 International Cuisine Trios

Here are some of the most commonly known flavor bases that can start off a soup to give a cultural boost to your next bowl of chicken soup that could very well easily become a Vietnamese Pho Ga or perhaps even a Mexican Posole Verde this week . . .

1.  Portuguese:  Although most starters begin with three items, here is one with four:  onions, garlic, peppers and tomatoes.

2.  Cajun/Creole:  Often referred to as the "Holy Trinity," onion, bell pepper, and celery make up the base for many classic gumbos.

3.  Chinese:  Multiple Chinese dishes start with with a base of scallions, ginger and garlic. There are vairiatons that add various chili peppers, too.

4.  Hungarian:  The Hungarians often reach for paprika, lard and onion as a flavor base for their soups and stews.

5.  Indian:  Garlic, ginger and onion are the beginnings of many wonderful Indian soups.  Various spices of curry, garam masala, coriander, etc. are added as well depending on the recipe.

6.  French:  The familiar onions, carrots and celery create many great soups in those French kitchens.

7.  Thai:  Many Thai traditional dishes are flavored with galangal (a kind of ginger), kaffir lime and lemon grass.

8.  Italian:   Regional differences apply from the north to the south in Italy.  Much like the French, northern Italy adheres to celery, carrots and onions while those in the south, go for garlic, tomato and basil.

9.  Spanish:  Garlic, onion and tomato all jump in the soup pot for great beginnings.

10.  West Africa:  The base of most west African cuisines is a trio of chili peppers, onions and tomatoes.

How to Use Different Flavor Bases to Easily Change A Soup Recipe

Once you learn a few flavor bases (like the ones above or you can make up your own!), you can easily change up the base to change up the soup.  Let me explain:

Using this recipe for butternut squash soup as an example, instead of the French mirepoix called for in the recipe, begin that soup with a flavor base of ginger, garlic and onion, and add some curry powder instead of the chipotle chili and finish with a splash of coconut milk and that squash soup has now become a simple Indian Squash Soup.

Or, if you begin with the Hungarian flavor trio base listed above, you take that squash soup in a smokey, spicy Hungarian direction if that is what you are after.

So, next time if you want to take your pot of soup in a whole new orientation, maybe you should consider how you start.  That base you begin with could take you across the pond or even on a safari! Your destination is your choice.

For lots of easy and heathy soup inspiration, follow my Pinterest board, healthy soups right here, with loads of ideas for every night of the week! 

Please share a favorite soup recipe link in the comments or any other flavor bases you use in your country to start your dishes off right!


This post appeared at THM previously but has been updated.

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Health Warrior: Butternut Squash & A Sweet 'N Spicy Soup

So appropriately named, that butternut squash. Both buttery and a bit nutty.  The bright tangerine in color and that hour-glass shape tell us fall has arrived! And with that arrival, that sunny shade indicates an abundance of health warrior nutrients known as carotenoids, shown to protect against heart disease and many other unwanted health issues. But that is not all. Come with me to learn a bit more why you want to place this beauty in your grocery cart . . .  and often. (And, don't miss the easy, fantastic sweet and spicy soup recipe, too!)

Squash With Benefits

Here is the roll-out of four big reasons why to include butternut squash in your diet regularly while in season:

1.  Keep the immunity going strong. The gourd provides very high levels of beta-carotene that your body automatically converts to vitamin A.  Vitamin A keeps the immunity strong and acts as a great deterrent against cancer and age-related macular degeneration.  Significant amounts of potassium, important for bone health, and vitamin B6, essential for the proper functioning of both the nervous and immune systems are throughout the squash as well.

Don't miss this:  Here are some other superfoods to keep your immunity climbing!


2.  It tastes rich, but it is not.  It is low in fat, despite the buttery, rich and silky feel and it delivers an ample amount of dietary fiber to keep you full.


3.  Those with child should consume it often. It is a great pregnancy food as the the high folate content is a boost to guarding against brain and spinal-cord-related birth defects such as spina bifida.

Don't miss this:  Other great ways to get your body ready for pregnancy.


4.  It calms your body.  The gourd may create anti-inflammatory effects because of its high antioxidant content, reducing the risk of inflammation-related disorders.

Butternut Squash/Pear Soup with Chili:  Sweet and Spicy

Like the contrast of sweet and spicy?  Then, you will like this.

Serves 4

Gather

Note:  When choosing a pear for this dish, do not use a Bosc as they can be a bit gritty and counteract the smoothness of the soup.

If you can, choose organic.

For the soup:

• 3 tablespoons macadamia nut oil divided
• 1 medium butternut squash, halved lengthwise, seeds discarded
• 1 pear, cubed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 chipotle chilies in adobo, minced
• 4 cups organic chicken broth or more, if needed
• 2 teaspoons honey-optional

For the lime cream:

• 1/3 cup organic plain Greek yogurt 
• pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Juice and zest of 1/2 a small lime

parchment paper, unbleached


Now do this:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• While oven is preheating, grease the cut sides of the squash and pear with 1 teaspoon of the oil.
• Season with salt and pepper and lay squash only on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper cut side down.
• Roast in oven for 30 minutes.
• Add pear to the pan and roast an additional 15 minutes or until both are tender.
• Cool for 15 minutes.

The roasting can be conducted ahead of time and refrigerated until later.

• While squash and pear are roasting, mix all ingredients for lime cream together and set aside at room temperature.
• In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, add the remaining oil and saute the onion, celery, and carrot.  Season with salt and pepper. 
• Saute about 7 minutes or until tender.  
• Add the garlic and chipotle pepper.
• While vegetables are sauteing, scoop the butternut squash flesh from the skin and add it and the pear to the pot.
• Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. 
• Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer until the vegetables are very tender and flavors have melded together - maybe 20 minutes.
• Take the lid off and add the honey, if using.
• Using an immersion blender, very carefully puree the soup and add more broth if necessary to a soup consistency.  
• Taste soup and cream and adjust seasonings.
• Ladle soup into bowls and swirl a tony dollop of lime cream on top.

butternut squash: photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/65924740@N00/4041843930/">judy_and_ed</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/">cc</a>

This post previously appeared in THM but has been updated.

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Take Note: Why Music Is Good For Your Health

My father had a very successful jazz band in college, played the saxophone and had a wonderful baritone voice.  My mother played the piano by ear and could magically harmonize almost any song, but, the musical gene sorta skipped me.

I did sing soprano in a pretty popular singing group way back when, but when I tried to learn to read music, the nuns told me it was hopeless. I dreaded my weekly piano lesson when I was 8.  But, I figured out if I just watched Sister Frances play the songs on the piano and listen to the tune she was assigning me during my weekly lesson, then I could go back and not have to practice at all and just play the tune by ear at my next lesson.  It worked for a while, but, Sister Frances wised up. She caught on when she kept pointing to notes and I could not recall them. Busted!

But, whether you are a musician, singer or a listener, you probably feel how powerful music can be. It has the ability to set the mood instantly, does it not? It can bring up emotions and intensity the moment.  Yes, it is a real game changer! But, let me show you the many other powerful ways it can affect your health, too.

10 Powerful Effects Music Has On Your Health

I am rather sure you have felt how music can change your mood, but did you know it actually can affect your body in other ways as well? Here are some other fascinating effects it may have on your health with loads of links to studies to back it up:

1.  Play tunes an hour day to keep that doctor away.

Listening to music that pleases you may increase your immunity, which in turn helps fight disease. It lowers stress hormones that harm our body.

Don't miss this: A diet rich with vegetables can strengthen your immunity, too. Tap here for lots of delicious recipes for them.


2.  Pounding headache? Music may help.

Yes, it sounds counterproductive, but, I have the playlist right here for you to lessen the pain. Although, there may be a tendency to search for quiet when your head is pounding, studies says otherwise.  Next time, I feel a migraine coming on, should I reach for that playlist rather than the aspirin? Apparently! Studies say music can help sufferers reduce the intensity, frequency, and duration of headaches.

Don't miss this: Is that headache a migraine? See the checklist here and new ways to treat them without drugs.



3.  Music makes for a great entrance.

Incorporating music therapy during childbirth decreases post-natal anxiety and pain, increases the satisfaction with childbirth and reduces the likelihood of postpartum depression.  I'd say that's a great way to bring a child into the world!

Don't miss this: Lots of tips to get that body ready for pregnancy way before that little one arrives.



4.  Sleep easy with the right notes.  

I have lots of ideas on how to create a bedtime routine for better sleep here, but relaxing music is another great tool to beat insomnia. Many people find just 45 minutes of relaxing music before bedtime can make for a better night's sleep. Researchers discovered that music can decrease the amount of cortisol, a hormone produced by the body in response to stress, which aids in sleep.

5.  Those with high blood pressure should choose their music wisely.

Depending on the type of music, researchers in Italy and the United Kingdom found playing recordings of relaxing music could reduce blood pressure, but hold on! Music with a faster tempo increased it.

6.  Music can be a great study partner.

Studying with music may help you retain the information. Here's how: the information being studied activates the left brain while the music activates the right brain. Further,  activities which engage both sides of the brain at the same time, such as playing an instrument or singing, cause the brain to be more capable of processing information as a whole.

Don't miss this: Staying calm during study time is crucial. Here are foods to get you there.



7.  Listening to music can reduce physical or emotional pain.

Studies performed in Denmark show that music may help us focus our attention on the music rather than the pain or it may actually help our brain release chemicals that reduce pain.  Either way, it's great to have a vehicle to lessen pain without painkiller drugs.

8.  Music takes you down memory lane.

Ever notice how listening to an old song takes you to that time in your life front and center? I think you can agree that is pretty powerful memory recall.


9.  Music can make for a fitter bod.

Anyone that has taken a spin class or goes to a gym or dance class knows first hand how music can clearly motivate you to exercise harder.

Don't miss this:  Lots of workouts to choose from to get fit fast!



10.  Heard the song deemed the most relaxing ever? 

I hadn't either . . .  until I came upon this! This has been “scientifically proven” to be the most relaxing song ever produced. The song has the ability to slow heart rate, reduce blood pressure, and decreases cortisol stress levels at unprecedented rates. It has spa day written all over it, but let me know in the comments what you think!

Don't miss this:  A fantastic new way for unlimited music streaming, curated playlists, be introduced to great new music as well as create personalized playlists.

Were you listening to music when you were reading this? Hope so! And, if not, why not?!

photo credit:  sheet music: photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/clintw/8127550613/">minnepixel</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">cc</a>

This post previously appeared on THM, but has been updated.

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How To Create A Kitchen That Will Inspire Healthy Eating

Certainly you would agree that having healthy food choices in your kitchen is vital to keeping to your plan to eating healthy! Right? But, there is another strategy that plays an important part in creating that healthy game plan too: a well-organized and inviting kitchen!

Yes, that organized space will help make preparing and eating your healthy meals and snacks much easier, a lot more enjoyable and successful, too! I am here to help you get there, and if your kitchen is already pretty darn close to being in health-promoting, tip-top shape and a place your family never wants to leave -- Bravo! But, I will wager a guess that you may just pick up a new tip or two here that can elevate it even further.

It’s such a worthwhile effort to spend a bit of time initially as well as the bit of time regularly to maintain an organized and inviting kitchen.  With a thought-out cooking space, you will eat healthier, feel better, enjoy family meal-time more, look better and even save money and time. And, tell me, who doesn't want more of that?

How To Design A Healthy Kitchen Everyone Will Love

I am not talking a kitchen renovation here. Instead, use these low-cost tips to create a healthy kitchen that everyone will want to spend time in (maybe not even want to leave) making and eating healthy meals:

1.  Make a still-life. 

Let those colorful, beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables that you shopped for be a beautiful design on your counter and let them be the first thing people see when they enter your kitchen.  Take out that beautiful platter or cake stand and make a work of natural art!


2.  Commit to a plan. 

Write your important meals for the week on a kitchen chalkboard so that all family members can see what goodies are coming.  My family loves this and it always answered, "What's for dinner tonight?" Make a space for family to write comments or suggestions for future meal ideas, too.


3.  Bring the out in. 

If you are lucky enough to have a sunny kitchen, an herb garden with your favorite and most used fresh herbs is a smart money saving solution and looks so pretty. Fresh herbs allow you to cut back on the not so healthy stuff to make food taste good as well.

Don't miss this:  Here is my number one tip to make all your food - every bite- taste superior!

4.  Listen while you cook. 

Play favorite tunes while you cook and eat your meals.  Invest in a good radio, docking station or speakers to enjoy your favorite podcast to learn something new or listen to a beautiful playlist while you dine.


5.  Make them stay awhile.

Make your kitchen welcoming with a clean, clutter-free space to dine with a comfortable chair to pull-up for just one more! But, why not create a comfortable spot for others to sit and talk to you about their day while you cook, too.  A cosy chair in the corner or a great bar stool with a back can do the trick. Maybe, you take a turn in that seat and talk while others cook, too!


6.  Dress the part.  

Cooking requires a lot of standing, so wear your comfortable shoes while you cook or have a soft floor mat.  Invest in a good apron to avoid ruining a favorite shirt, too.


7.  Use lights to set the mood.

Good bright lighting is essential to cooking to see what you are making.  But, if you eat in your kitchen too, a dimmer on that light switch is a great and inexpensive upgrade  to turn the lights a bit lower when you sit down and dine and relish in all your efforts and connect with others at meal time.  A candle or two doesn't just have to be for special occasions, either, so keep a few around to light up when the mood hits - even on an ordinary Monday night!

So, for more of the practical side of things, keep scanning below for ideas of where all that kitchen stuff should go to encourage preparing those healthy meals and make that healthy eating work for you!

Finding the Best Spot for Kitchen Tools For Healthy Meal Making

All those handy kitchen gadgets and tools can pile up! Pass along the ones that you don't use to a friend as they take up valuable space if you never reach for them, and keep the winners that really make the cooking tasks much easier.  So, before you find the best home for that cool gizmo and small appliance, here are four good questions to ask yourself first regarding each one to help you place it strategically to whip up those healthy meals:

1.  How often is it used?

If it is a baking item and you only break out the bundt pan at holiday time, there is no need to keep it eye level in your cupboard taking up valuable real estate.  Those pans or other less used items should be placed higher where you only need to get your step ladder out twice a year to get them down.  If that blender is used every day, though, the counter may be the best spot.

2.  Who is using the item?  

Do your children use it and would it require them to climb to get this or, will you be constantly bending over to access it?  You may want to think of the safest place to keep an item too. Knives with small inquisitive hands around might best be in a knife drawer, for example. Frequent healthy snack items may be better stored in a drawer where no one has to climb to reach them.

3.  Is this item used frequently with another?

Measuring spoons and measuring cups for example or lunch boxes with reusable storage containers pair well.  Keep related items together. Sometimes a duplicate is reasonable. if not an inexpensive item.  Two sets of measuring spoons at each end of the kitchen may be a good idea.

4.  How and when is the item used?  

Planning, prepping, cooking, drinking, serving, baking, cleaning are all various kitchen actions.  Consider storing like items together that you need for each action.  If you have to go digging through several areas in your kitchen searching for all of the pieces to make the meal come together, chances are that you won’t do it or do it correctly and therefore those healthy pursuits wont be quite so tasty!

Think about creating zones in your kitchen.  Here is what I mean: near where I store my flours and other baking items, I have within reach my measuring spoons and cups, mixer, and baking tins for example.  Thus, this is my baking/prepping zone. No hunting around and the task is so much more enjoyable when everything is within reach!  I also created an area where I keep my favorite recipes and cookbooks together as well and I created a box where I throw in magazine recipe tear-outs or ideas I jot down for future meals and dishes where I can get inspiration next time I am meal planning.

5 Top Tips to Keep Your Refrigerator/Freezer Well-Organized

Your refrigerator and freezer store a lot of those healthy items to keep to that healthy lifestyle.  Scan on down to see if some of these ideas can keep it stocked with easy to access goodness in an organized fashion:

1.  Create a pack.

If you often enjoy healthy smoothies as part of your breakfast plan but you tend to have busy mornings with little time to prep them, leave space in your refrigerator for the smoothie ingredients in one place.  You can even directly place the blender pitcher in the fridge overnight and place the items you plan to blend in there ready to go (minus the wet ingredients) or create smoothie bags for the week with the pre-measured foods you plan to blend.

The same idea can be used for snacks that you can pre-pack to quickly grab and go the next morning.

Don't miss this:  Here are all the dos and don'ts on making those smoothies your best run.


2.  Implement FIFO.

Familiar with the "first in, first out (FIFO) method?" It works well to eliminate waste.  Here’s how it works:  When filling the fridge with fresh food items, place all the older foods to the front and put the new ones in the back. For example, new apples go behind the older ones that I still have.  Fresh almond milk goes behind the older carton. This method saves money and eliminates waste.

3.  Toss weekly.

Choose a day of the week to toss spoiled items.  I do this on trash pick-up day so that spoiled food items don't sit in my trash can either. Then, wipe shelves down right after as the refrigerator is more empty then.  Keep your refrigerator smelling fresh by wiping all surfaces, cleaning drawers, etc. thoroughly each month.

4.  Keep need-to-use items at eye level. 

Place foods that will spoil over next few days or items that need to be eaten over next day or two on the eye-level shelf.  This reminds everyone at your house to use them! It is a great reminder when cooking as well to use up those fresh herbs at dinner that night or your daughter may reach for that last bit of hummus to spread on her sandwich at lunchtime.

5.  Keep a date. 

Label your freezer items with a date made to ensure you don't keep things around too long!

Don't miss this:  Want a peek in my fridge? Please do!

5 Top Tips to Keep Your Pantry and Cupboards Well-Organized

Forget the medicine cabinet, what you store in your pantry says a lot about your health! Here are some ideas to keep it stocked with foods to help you feel and look great:

1.  Get clear.

Clear containers (preferably glass or BPA-free) are great to get a quick glance when making your shopping list to see where you are getting low.  The lids also keep items much fresher than bags as they seal air out.

2.  Implement FIFO.

What is good for the refrigerator goes well here, too.  Pardon me as I repeat myself: Here is how the storage method "first in, first out (FIFO) method works: when filling the pantry with food items, place all the older foods to the front and put the new ones in the back. For example, new boxes of tomatoes go behind the older ones that I still have.  The new bag of lentils goes behind the older ones. This method saves money and eliminates waste.

Don't miss this:  Here is a yummy way to use those lentils!


3.  Schedule a reminder on your phone to toss. 

Reorganize pantry and toss expired foods every six months.  This is so that when a recipe calls for an item that you think you have and then reach for it and realize it is expired, you don't have to rush back out to the store to get what you need!

Don't miss this:  Here are some other great productivity tools you may like.



4.  Keep temptations hard to reach.

Make getting that secret chocolate stash difficult and keep it out of sight and hard to reach.  Organize the pantry so you don’t get the urge to fill that hunger with your occasional treats that you allow yourself.


5.  Keep favorite meal ingredient items together.

Have a healthy, family-favorite meal go-to or one you like to make regulary? Keep those pantry ingredients needed to make it together in a box or section of the pantry so that if under a time crunch and you need a quick meal to create, you will have it all there to make.

Don't miss this:  Here is one great, easy healthy sauce that makes five great healthy meals!


For even more great tips . . . follow my healthy home board on Pinterest (tap right here) that is chock-full of great pins to help you get your space looking great, naturally smelling clean as well as organized and clutter-free -- all to best support your healthy lifestyle.

Tell me, what are your secrets to creating a health-promoting kitchen space? Can you share them in the comments for better efforts to eat right?

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Tap Into The Sweet Benefits Of Maple Syrup

Those flannel-loving, snowshoe-wearing men and women of Vermont and Canada - they are on to something. Something good. The rich, clean and caramel noted flavor of maple syrup that slowly drips out of those taps from those maple trees can't be beat.  And, not just for pancakes. Maple syrup does so much more. It can enhance savory dishes as well as provide some nutrients for our bodies, too.

Why Choose Maple Syrup as a Sweetener

Here is why I reach for maple syrup when I need that hint of sweet:

1.  Maple syrup has zero additives.

It is barley processed at all. Table sugar is highly processed. The less processed of anything, generally, the better.


2.  Minerals like manganese, potassium and zinc are found in this elixir.

Vitamin B2 can be found in maple syrup, too. Pretty nice for a sweetener.


3.  Maple syrup is just as sweet as sugar, but it is lower in calories.

So maybe a fewer rep or two at the gym to burn off that meal, perhaps? I find I use less of it than I would sugar as it has so much flavor.

Don't miss this: Here is another sweetener you should try too that has health benefits.

4.  The smooth syrup makes a great start to a yummy glaze or savory pan sauce.

Add a bit of garlic, chili flakes and a splash of your favorite vinegar and you have yourself the beginnings of a great sauce for a great meal.


5.  Maple syrup can make a liar out of a sweet potato or squash "hater."

Drizzle a bit of maple syrup on sweet potatoes, carrots or butternut squash, sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper and roast.  Squeeze some fresh lime juice on it after and I think that hater will forget all the back talk.

Don't miss this: Have a brussels sprouts hater on your hands, too.  Follow this recipe contest winner to undo that!


6.  Most maple syrup is organic. Most syrup is tapped in forests where no pesticides have been applied. Check the label though.

Don't miss this: Some other organic foods you really should know about.

Who Makes the Grade

Sorry, Aunt Jemima. You didn't make the grade, here. Those bottles of REAL maple syrup on the shelf with all the grades, colors, labels, etc.- is a tad confusing. But it boils down (excuse the pun) to these main points:

1.  Color and flavor make the grade.

Maple syrup is graded by both color and flavor. But the grade has nothing to do with quality. Instead the grade has to do with when the syrup was tapped. See point number 2.

2.  The color indicates the tap.

The lighter the color of the syrup, the earlier in the season it was tapped.  The darker, the later it was tapped.  Lighter syrups have a delicate flavor while the darker syrups, the richer and more pronounced maple flavor.

3.  Grade A has sub-divisions. 

Grade A is broken down into 3 groups:

• light amber
• medium amber
• dark amber

4.  Go with Grade B for higher nutrients.

Grade B has the richest flavor and highest mineral content of all the syrups. Many prefer it for dishes wanting a stronger taste of maple like with a barbecue sauce. Try this grade B and see if you like it for the added nutrients.


Do you use real maple syrup just for pancakes and waffles or do you cook with it other ways as well? What is your favorite way to use it?





This post previously appeared on THM but has been updated. 

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