Garden of Life Introduces GōL Bars: Clean, Simple Whole Food Ingredients for Any Lifestyle

Four varieties of deliciously simple Certified USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, Certified Gluten-Free bars offer clean, on-the-go nutrition  

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., July 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Just in time for summer's busy travel and on-the-go lifestyle, Garden of Life^®, a leader and innovator in Certified USDA Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified nutritional products, introduced four new products — GōL (pronounced "goal") bars. Each of these bars are made from 10 or fewer simple, clean, certified organic ingredients — and are in a new category of lifestyle nutrition for the company. This innovative new line of bars is landing in stores at the perfect time to fuel any of summer's adventures, from a quick morning break before heading out the door, to a post-workout snack, or just a healthy option for a busy lifestyle.

Today's health-conscious consumers are setting goals — whether it's a fitness goal, a lifestyle goal, or a goal to attain or maintain their optimal wellness — and they are looking for convenient, great-tasting, truly clean protein on the go. Garden of Life GōL bars answer that need with simple, traceable, real organic food ingredients they can trust, so they can spend more time thinking about their goals, and less time reading labels.
Available in four flavors, the new GōL bars offer 12 grams of protein from Certified USDA Organic grass-fed milk, together with unique ingredients like wild organic blueberries, organic cashews, organic coconuts and pink Himalayan salt. 
"Offering a clean and simple ingredient bar may sound easy, but making one that's Certified USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified and Certified Gluten-Free — and great-tasting — actually took us some time to do right. We are very selective with what goes in our products — only true, whole-food ingredients make the cut. We also pay very close attention to what we keep out of them," said Garden of Life President Brian Ray. "Our deliciously simple GōL bars offer truly clean nutrition for the entire family."
Whole milk protein from happy cows
Each GōL bar is made with 12 grams of organic whole milk protein, which is more slowly absorbed than whey, thereby satisfying hunger longer, and providing a pleasant, soft texture. Milk protein also ensures more sustained delivery of amino acids for muscle repair and other important body needs. 
Garden of Life's milk protein is Certified USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified and American Humane Certified. The cows are never treated with the hormones rBGH and rBST or routine antibiotics. 
Four fun flavors to fuel any goal
Chocolate Coconut: A delicious combination of chocolate, coconut, 12 grams of milk protein, 10 cashews, two almonds and two dates, with 230 calories per serving.
Blueberry: Nine real blueberries, 12 grams of milk protein, 10 cashews, two almonds and two dates, with 220 calories per serving.  
Chocolate Sea Salt: A little chocolate sweetness and a little sea salt, plus 12 grams of milk protein, 10 cashews and two dates, with 220 calories per serving.
Maple Sea Salt:  A delicious flavor combination with 12 grams of milk protein, 10 cashews, two pecans and two dates, with 230 calories per serving.
Garden of Life GōL bars are available now in stores across the country. To locate a store, visit www.gardenoflife.com.
About Garden of LifeGarden of Life, LLC is the recognized leader and innovator in whole food, science-based, USDA Certified Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified nutrition. Headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, the company offers more than 330 branded supplements that help people achieve extraordinary health. For more information on Garden of Life, visit www.gardenoflife.com.
Contact:
Ashley Charleson
Carmichael Lynch Relate
212-494-8660
gardenoflife@clynch.com

SOURCE Garden of Life

Salted Caramel Bundt Cake

Recipe

Canada's health system fails the elderly

Solving long hospital wait times requires a fundamental shift in the way we care for the elderly By David Wiercigroch and Caberry Weiyang Yu EvidenceNetwork.ca Hospital overcrowding is not a new issue. Limited bed spaces have plagued Ontario hospitals for years and are increasingly straining our system. Not only are long wait times a shameful expectation when patients arrive in the emergency department, providing care in a busy hospital hallway has become an ordinary occurrence. The problem has become so significant that the Ontario government added 1,200 hospital beds last fall in response, a move costing $100 million and requiring the reopening of two shuttered Toronto hospitals. David Wiercigroch This major investment underscores an even bigger problem. The two reopened hospital sites are dedicated exclusively to providing space for alternative level of care (ALC) patients. These are patients who remain in a hospital or other acute care setting beyond their need for the intensity of services provided there. Due to barriers to their placement in the most appropriate care environment, they occupy beds that can't be used for those waiting for acute care. The ALC problem is significant in many parts of Ontario. Around one in seven hospital beds in Ontario are dedicated to ALC patients. Many ALC patients are elderly, with a median age of 80, and often live alone. These patients are incapable of returning home after receiving care at the hospital due to their complex needs. They deteriorate while waiting in hospital for placement in a more appropriate setting, most often a long-term care home. The median waiting time for ALC patients is 10 days. ALC patients are a glaring reflection of our health system's inability to address the needs of elderly patients with complex health challenges. At a time when the senior population is growing rapidly, the problem will only become more severe. Our approach is not working and it's bad medicine. Caberry Weiyang Yu Not only are high ALC rates costly, patients must stay in a setting that limits their mobility, accelerates their deterioration and makes them more susceptible to infections. Attempts to tackle ALC rates have proven successful in some jurisdictions, but most approaches focus on small-scale efficiencies and local factors that have not succeeded in reducing the overall ALC burden. Today, the provincial ALC rate remains troubling. Alongside the addition of new hospital beds last fall, the Ontario government allocated an additional $40 million dedicated to providing specialized transitional care and supportive housing for seniors in long-term care and in the community. While this is a good start, a long-term solution will require a fundamental shift in the way we care for the elderly. It will require involvement across the health-care system from front-line staff to hospital administrators and policy-makers. Practices like earlier screening of functional decline followed up by the arrangement of community supports, applying best practices in discharge planning and patient flow tracking systems can all help reduce ALC days. A clear component of the path forward must be to enable greater access to long-term care. We know that a major cause of ALC days is a shortage of long-term care spaces. Canada spends 14 per cent of its health-care dollars on long-term care, which is lower than the average spent by 10 other Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. A significant investment in more long-term care spaces is needed to address the chronic shortage and to put supports in place that reflect increasingly complex health needs. At the same time, placement of ALC patients in long-term care is not always the best solution. Many patients are capable of remaining at home with increased supports and wish to do so. By bolstering community and home-care supports, our system can become increasingly patient-centred in its care for our elderly population and redirect some patients who would otherwise be placed in long-term care. Increasing community supports must also include the often underappreciated members of the care team - informal caregivers, who are reporting increasing levels of burnout and their inability to support their loved ones. Investments should focus on homemaking services, caregiver support and respite services, and new models of care such as group homes to care for high-risk seniors. These big shifts require courage, collaboration and political will. We must act now to meet the changing health care needs of our aging population. David Wiercigroch is a medical student at the University of Toronto and a contributor to EvideneceNetwork.ca, which is based at the University of Winnipeg. He is a graduate of the Master of Public Administration program at Queen's University and has an interest in health system improvement through public policy. Caberry Weiyang Yu is a medical student at Queen's University and a contributor to EvidenceNetwork.ca. She conducts research on health-care equity and access to care.

© Troy Media

MatchaBar Closes $8 Million in Series A Funding Led by Diplo and Von Miller

MatchaBar backed by Drake sets sights on the energy category with the launch of the world's first matcha energy drink, Hustle!

 Leading matcha brand, MatchaBar, today announced it has completed an $8MM Series A round led by a roster of celebrity investors including producer and DJ Diplo and NFL Super Bowl MVP Von Miller. Golden Globe actor nominee Ansel Elgort, and young female pop icon Billie Eilish also join the MatchaBar team alongside platinum-selling recording artist Drake, whose involvement was announced last year. These celebrities join a long list of strategic investors who aim to help brothers Max and Graham Fortgang bring a new category of energy drinks into the modern world. Funding will be directed toward the rapid expansion of the brand's line of bottled and canned matcha drinks.

Additionally, MatchaBar launched Hustle, the first of its kind sparkling matcha energy drink in a 12-oz. can, which hit shelves nationwide at Whole Foods Market in June.  With the launch of Hustle, MatchaBar is poised to shake up the $22B energy drink market with a clean, natural alternative to energy drink staples.
"As someone who is constantly on the road and in the studio, I am excited to bring matcha into the world of music and nightlife," said producer and DJ Diplo. "I relate to the clean, healthy ingredients that MatchaBar brings forth to the energy drink sector."
"MatchaBar lives at the heart of culture, which is why we could not be more humbled to have these artists, DJs, athletes, actors bring our mantra of 'good things come to those who hustle' to life," said MatchaBar co-founder Graham Fortgang. "The language of energy is universal, and MatchaBar aims to deliver a better and more natural energy for today's hustle. MatchaBar offers a sustained, focused energy setting it apart from the jolt and crash associated with coffee, espresso and energy drinks that are currently out on the market. Partnering with a family farm in Japan, we source only the finest ceremonial grade matcha to deliver a product that simply works."
"It's just tight that there's finally an energy drink that's actually healthier and made with matcha so it's still good," said Billie Eilish. "Our tour bus fridge is stocked with MatchaBar."
To further drive buzz around the Hustle rollout, the brand has partnered with Whole Foods Market for the Gift The Hustle campaign, where users will be able to send their friends a free can of the new product line, redeemable through Whole Foods Market with a coupon sent via the popular Facebook Messenger app.  To launch the campaign, the roster of celebrity partners will appear in a MatchaBar digital video ad campaign "Don't Knock the Hustle: A MatchaBar Story" created by YouTube sensation Jack Coyne and participate in MatchaBar's Gift The Hustle social campaign.
"As an athlete and entrepreneur, I know all about that hustle!" said Denver Bronco Von Miller. "I am thrilled to be a part of the MatchaBar family as more than just an investor – to support their efforts to get a great drink out there in the marketplace for all, and to gift the Hustle to my own friends, fam and fans."
"The key to disrupting the energy category is engaging culture and creating a lifestyle and set of values behind the brand and product. We've been building that on the ground for the past four years through our cafés, our activations across the country, and with meaningful partnerships investing in companies and individuals that are defining tomorrow," MatchaBar co-founder Max Fortgang said. "The hustle is real, and we are thrilled to share our journey as we set to become the next great American energy drink!"
MatchaBar sources its exclusive blend of ceremonial grade matcha from a fifth-generation Japanese family farm.  Currently sold nationwide in Whole Foods Market as well as other retailers, MatchaBar is hustling to fulfill its mission – bring matcha to the people.
About MatchaBar
Brothers Max and Graham Fortgang founded MatchaBar in 2014, planting their flag as the first matcha café in the country. MatchaBar's flagship, located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, became the catalyst of a nationwide infatuation with the powdered green elixir. Known for their innovative flavor combinations and unconventional marketing, MatchaBar fostered a passionate community that grew from New York to L.A.! MatchaBar currently operates stores in New York's Chelsea and SoHo neighborhoods, as well as a third cafe in Los Angeles! Continuing their mission to bring matcha to the people, MatchaBar launched a ready-to-drink version of their matcha beverages to market in 2015 and the first matcha energy drink Hustle in 2018! MatchaBar currently sells into more than 1,000 accounts, including nationwide Whole Foods distribution. All the while, the brothers, joined by their real fam with dad Matthew Fortgang, remain on a simple mission – to bring matcha to the people. www.matchabarnyc.com
CONTACT     Press inquiries: Krupa Consulting, (646) 878-6977, 198707@email4pr.com
All other inquiries: Joe Kaufman, 198707@email4pr.com

SOURCE MatchaBar

Sprout Foods Launches First Amazon Feeding App for Babies

Sprout Foods Launches First Amazon Feeding App for Babies

"Sophie Sprout" Makes Mealtime Fun with New Alexa Skill

MONTVALE, N.J., July 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sprout Foods, the largest independent infant nutrition company, today announced the launch of "Eat & Sing with Sophie Sprout," an Amazon Alexa skill that helps parents make eating healthy foods more fun for their kids. Thanks to Sprout's new Amazon audio skill, parents can now ask for songs and sounds that help make mealtime engaging and exciting for babies and toddlers, without the use of screens on smartphones and tablets.

The skill, which works with Amazon's Echo and Dot, features three different modes, each designed to support parents' efforts to get their children to eat healthy foods and to occupy kids during mealtime with fun, food-centric edutainment. Parents and children simply open the skill by asking Alexa to launch Sophie Sprout, then choose from three different options:

• Songs offers nine, upbeat, kid-friendly songs, each featuring a different musical style and healthy food focus. Play songs about fruits and vegetables, like Blueberries or Butternut Squash, or the Color Song that teaches children about vibrant foods, like yellow bananas and green peas.
• Mealtime Adventures features fun sound effects, including the traditional train and flying airplane, to get food from the spoon to your little one's mouth.
• Eat a Pouch with Sophie encourages children to take sips of their Sprout organic food pouches.

The "Eat & Sing with Sophie Sprout" skill supports Sprout's commitment of delivering healthy, organic foods to families across the United States, and to educating parents on the nutritious food options they can introduce into their baby's diet. With over 50 SKUs in its current portfolio, Sprout is the only brand that has pledged to formulate its baby and toddler puree products with only certified organic, non-GMO whole foods, no concentrates, preservatives, fillers or thickeners. And unlike other baby food brands that use added chemical fortification in their purees, Sprout delivers nutrition only from the organic food source, and never uses any additives or anything artificial.
Sprout, the fastest growing organic baby food brand in the U.S., is recognized as leading the plant-powered movement in infant nutrition, with the largest assortment of vegetable-leading purees and snacks. Sprout's new Amazon Alexa skill, narrated by Sophie, a friendly talking plant, helps introduce children to healthy plant-based foods and encourages them to eat their vegetables and beans.
According to Amazon, audio skills for kids are the fastest growing category of skills for its voice assistant Alexa. The retail giant currently offers hundreds of kid-targeted voice skills in the United States and recently hosted a contest for children's skill developers. Sprout's Sophie Sprout skill capitalizes on this trend while providing invaluable support to parents looking to instill healthy eating habits early on. 
The Eat & Sing with Sophie Sprout Alexa skill is free to all users and requires no registration.
About Sprout Foods
Sprout® provides premium organic foods and snacks for babies and toddlers that help parents raise healthy, adventurous eaters. With a broad range of choices including only USDA certified organic, non-GMO ingredients and a mix of whole fruits, vegetables and grains, Sprout's products are designed to expand baby's palate beyond sweet and establish a love of nutritious foods early on. Founded in 2008, the independent company is at the forefront of innovation in organic infant nutrition and is committed to re-imagining healthy eating for modern families. For more information on Sprout®, the Sophie Sprout app, and Sprout products, visit http://www.sproutorganicfoods.com.

SOURCE Sprout Foods

Plant-based crackers and pretzels offer better-for-you nutrition to conventional favorites

Halen Brands' Cauliflower-Based Snack Brand FROM THE GROUND UP™ Takes Root and Shakes Up the Salty Snack and Cracker Categories

Halen Brands, Inc., CPG incubator and venture capital company, is known for disrupting the better-for-you salty snack category with emerging brands that challenge the status quo. FROM THE GROUND UP™ is no exception offering nutrient-dense, plant-based versions of popular conventional snacks.

FROM THE GROUND UP™ is a line of cauliflower-based crackers and pretzels that also feature cassava flour and vegetable blend powders made from real veggies. The snacks are Non-GMO Project Verified, Gluten Free Certified and made with vegan ingredients. A 1oz. serving provides a good source of Vitamins A, C, D, E, B1 & B6, so the products are a fun and tasty way to get those veggies in (and a secret-weapon for parents trying to sneak in some nutrition at snack time). FROM THE GROUND UP™ made its exclusive retail launch this month at Kings, Fairway, Hy-Vee and Rouses. The snacks are also available now on Amazon, Walmart.com, Jet.com, Boxed.com and Fresh Direct. Also, FROM THE GROUND UP™ will be making its debut at Sprouts, Shop Rite, Fresh Thyme, Safeway, Albertson's and many others this fall, just in time for back-to-school.   
Halen Brands was launched in 2015 and co-founded by Jason Cohen and Leigh Feuerstein. Cohen's recipe for success has been conceptualizing and delivering better-for-you food and beverage offerings in sleepy categories. FROM THE GROUND UP™ is following suit by invigorating and innovating in crackers and pretzels – categories that have been stale for decades. These familiar formats will never be the same, as FROM THE GROUND UP™ redefines "better-for-you," by adding real vegetables to snacks and following through on the nutritionals. 

"At Halen Brands, we are listening to consumers and applying the wants and needs that we uncover to natural products," said Co-Founder of Halen Brands, Jason Cohen.  "Consumers were asking for a veggie-based snack that actually had increased nutritional value, so we began looking at the vitamin and fiber rich Cauliflower since it's so versatile and seemed to really be resonating with people," he continued.  "We're really proud about what we've been able to accomplish on the nutritional front with the crackers and pretzels," added Aaron Greenwald, President of FROM THE GROUND UP™.  "The products taste as delicious as the mainstream versions and have all the characteristics that a better-for-you customer is looking for. This was not an easy feat and took two years to perfect," he continued. 

Developing FROM THE GROUND UP™ required purchasing new equipment, finding gluten-free partners, sourcing unique plant-based ingredients and working with European suppliers.
FROM THE GROUND UP™ Crackers come in three flavors, including Sea Salt, Cheddar and Nacho; and the Pretzels come in Original flavor in Sticks and Twists shapes. 

FROM THE GROUND UP™ Crackers are available in 4 oz. boxes and Pretzels are available in 4.5 oz. bags for a suggested retail price of $3.99. For more information on FROM THE GROUND UP™, please visit fromthegroundupsnacks.com. "Like" us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram. 
About FROM THE GROUND UP™FROM THE GROUND UP™ is rooted in the belief that food should offer equal parts taste and nutrition. Our mission is to create premium better-for-you snacks in familiar shapes and flavors that are plant-based, Non-GMO and Gluten Free. Our Crackers and Pretzels are made with real cauliflower and are good sources of vitamins and nutrients. FROM THE GROUND UP™ Pretzels took home a 2018 SOFI Gold Award in the Savory Snack category and the brand was recently featured in an Eat This, Not That segment on the TODAY Show.  When it comes from the ground, its got to be good! For more information on FROM THE GROUND UP™, visit fromthegroundupsnacks.com.

About Halen Brands, Inc. Halen Brands, Inc., founded in 2015, is a privately held operating company focused on the food and beverage industry. Current investments include OWYN™, From The Ground Up™, Joyfuls™, Chef's Cut Real Jerky and CORE Hydration. Company executives also played a key role in formulating and bringing to market Mamma Says Biscotti, Inc. and Sensible Portions Veggie Straws, as well as investing and partnering with Party-Tizers Dippin' Chips, Mrs. Thinster's, Rickland Orchards and SkinnyPop Popcorn.  For more information on Halen Brands,
visit halenbrands.com.
Media Contact:
Rachel Powell
516-314-7730
198317@email4pr.com

Avocado Chips

INGREDIENTS

1 large ripe avocado

1 tsp. lemon juice

3/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325° and line a medium baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, mash avocado with a fork until smooth. Stir in lemon juice, Parmesan, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning and season with salt and pepper.
2. Place heaping teaspoon-sized scoops of mixture on baking sheet, leaving about 3” apart between each scoop. Flatten each scoop with the back of a spoon. Bake until crisp and golden, 15 to 18 minutes, then remove from the oven to cool completely. Serve at room temperature.

BRAD HOLLAND

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Nature's Path Leaves Organic Trade Association as Protest to Save Organic

Company to invest in farming, research and associations that best reflect its vision for how
organic can protect and enhance the health of both people and planet

RICHMOND, BC, June , 2018 /CNW/ - Today, Nature's Path Foods, North America's Largest organic breakfast company, announced its resignation from the Organic Trade Association (OTA) citing concern the OTA is shifting its commitment from supporting and representing the core principles of the organic food movement, to begin pushing a non-organic agenda which threatens the future of organic. Recent actions by the OTA that have driven the company's decision include misrepresenting organic food companies and US consumers to support a vague and misleading national GMO labelling law, and allowing hydroponics to fall under the organic certification label where there is no organic agriculture nor soil present.

"Our departure from the OTA is an act of protest to raise awareness of our concern that the important role organic plays to support the health of consumers and our planet is being compromised," says Nature's Path founder and co-CEO Arran Stephens. "We believe giant food corporations, that also happen to own small organic brands, use the OTA to influence policy decisions to protect the best interest of their large, non-organic food portfolios."
In 2016, the OTA actively worked to pass the first-ever national, GMO food labelling law in the US (Stabenow-Roberts Bill) that pre-exempted strong, state-led GMO labelling laws. The OTA support of the new mandatory bill was without the knowledge or expressed consent of many organic members like Nature's Path. Currently open to public comments until July 3, 2018, the new law could exclude almost three-fourths of products with genetically engineered ingredients and use confusing new GMO terminology and symbols for on-pack disclosures.
"We believe organic can protect and enhance the health of people and planet. Organic can build a better world, free from food with chemical residues, free of toxic environments for farmers, and free of catering to big business at the expense of real people," adds Stephens. "We're alarmed the new bill works against our basic human right for food transparency which exists in 64 other countries around the globe with clear GMO labels."
As one of the first certified organic companies in North America and a founder of Organic Merchants in 1971, a predecessor of the OTA, Nature's Path will continue its investment to support the vitality and future of the organic food movement. The company will continue its membership with the Canadian Organic Trade Association, fund research by the Organic Center, Organic Farmers Association and the Rodale Institute plus continue to look at other groups to invest in supporting organic.
"We are committed to rebuilding what we believe is lost, by being a strong voice to ensure that organic continues to change food and agriculture for the better," says Stephens. "From using our social channels to raise awareness and action, to investing in research, farmers and organic associations that closer reflect our vision for organic, we will publicly work to protect and enhance the health of both people and planet."
As the proposed GMO bill closes for commentary on July 3, 2018, Nature's Path is calling for consumers to sign a petition to fight for their right to know what's in their food and help create a new food labelling law that helps keep them and their family safe. The company has launched a public campaign on its social channels to help bring consumers into action. Consumers can visit http://www.justlabelit.org/ to have their voice heard.
About Nature's Path Foods
Nature's Path Organic Foods, is a privately held, family-owned company, producing USDA, Canadian and UK Soils Association Certified Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified breakfast and snack foods sold in grocery and natural food stores in over 50 countries around the world. Committed to the triple bottom line— socially responsible, environmentally sustainable and financially viable, Nature's Path works diligently to support communities and champion the cause of people and planet. Brands include Nature's Path®, Love Crunch®, Qi'a®, Que Pasa®, Flax Plus®, and EnviroKidz®. Founded in 1985, Nature's Path is headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia and employs hundreds of valued team members at its four facilities in Canada and the United States. Visit http://www.naturespath.com/ or follow on Twitter @NaturesPath and Instagram @NaturesPathOrganic.

SOURCE Nature's Path Foods Inc.

Wendy Kubota, Nature's Path, 604-838-2679, wkubota@naturespath.com

The fat-burning sweet potato muffins you can eat for breakfast (100% gluten-free!)

These delicious muffins not only taste great, but they are also full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories!

The flesh of sweet potatoes contains high levels of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that works to fight dangerous free radicals in your body. These free radicals can affect the DNA makeup of your cells, which can lead to mutations in the cells. This cell mutation is what leads inevitably to cancers of various kinds.

Sweet potatoes are also full of the anti-inflammatory nutrient anthocyanin which is what gives the sweet potato it’s vibrant color. Inflammation is usually the cause of multiple chronic diseases and can lead to further health issues if left untreated. The best part? Sweet potato works against both chronic and acute inflammation, healing you of both.

We love these sweet potato muffins and look for any reason to bake them and we’re sure you will too!

Sweet Potato Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 small organic sweet potato, roasted (1 cup, packed)
• 3 organic free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• ¾  cup of organic canned coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons of organic olive oil
• ½ cup of pure organic maple syrup
• 1 cup of organic brown rice flour
• ¼ cup of organic coconut flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
• 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
• ⅛  teaspoon of ground cloves
• ⅛  teaspoon of ground nutmeg

Directions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 400 ℉ and lightly oil a 12-hole muffin tray.
2. When the oven reaches the right temperature, poke holes in your sweet potato and place it on the middle rack of the oven to cook for about 60 minutes, or until it is very soft. Once it’s cooked, remove it from the oven and let it cool.
3. Once the sweet potato is cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh from the skin and place the pulp in a mixing bowl. You can discard the skin, or eat it as a quick snack. The skin is actually packed with a lot of the same vitamins as the rest of the sweet potato.
4. Add the olive oil, almond milk, and maple syrup to the sweet potato and mix until it creates a smooth mixture. In a separate bowl, mix your dry ingredients together until well combined. Pour the dry ingredients into the rest of the sweet potato and combine until everything is uniform.
5. Pour the batter into the muffin pan, filling the spaces until ¾ of the way full. Place them on the middle rack and cook for 30-35 minutes, or until a knife in inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.

Here are a few more delicious sweet potato recipes to try!

Natural Food Medicine

https://www.facebook.com/NaturalFoodMedicine/

Medical errors too common but patients are paving the way for change

The Elizabeth Wettlaufer case should serve as a warning to all of us about the issue of patient safety By Fiona MacDonald and Karine Levasseur EvidenceNetwork.ca We've all been there: it's 3 a.m. and your partner, child, sibling or parent becomes ill suddenly and needs medical care. Will they be safe? The ongoing public inquiry into the safety and security of residents in the long-term care homes system is shedding new light on the employment history of an Ontario nurse whose career in long-term care ended after the murders of eight patients and attempted murder and/or assault of six more. Fiona MacDonald While the Elizabeth Wettlaufer case is an extreme example of what can go wrong in health care, it should also serve as a warning to all of us about the issue of patient safety. The inquiry, which began recently, has revealed new aspects of the case. One such detail is that Wettlaufer had a history of medical errors that went largely ignored. This is important not just in this case, but in understanding patient safety more generally. Canadians have a high level of trust in their medical system. A 2011 EKOS research study suggested 81 per cent of respondents believed they would receive the appropriate care if they were seriously ill. While these findings suggest the highest level of public confidence in over a decade, research also suggests that medical errors are common in Canadian medical systems. A 2016 report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information concludes that for every 18 hospitalizations, one patient will experience harm that was preventable. Yet the true number of errors is difficult to track because most studies rely on medical records or critical incident reports. Many errors are not captured with this methodology since records are often incomplete or errors aren't recognized as official critical incidents. Karine Levasseur So the rates of medical harm may be much higher. While the numbers are disturbing, there are positive signs of change. One important shift involves apology legislation now in place in most jurisdictions throughout Canada. The legislation gives medical professionals the opportunity to apologize for a medical error or mistreatment without fear of becoming legally liable. The legislation still allows patients to pursue a lawsuit if they choose but it prevents people from using the apology as evidence of fault in a legal proceeding. Reception of the legislation has been mixed but numerous patient safety groups have heavily advocated for it. With funding from the University of Manitoba and the Law Foundation of B.C., we are interviewing patients who have experienced medical errors or mistreatment to explore the impact medical apologies may have on those involved. Our research shows that medical errors are not unusual and that patients often hit a wall of denial when trying to hold clinicians accountable. Many patients we've interviewed are now committed to promoting safe, high-quality health care. Some work with patient safety and quality organizations, some filed complaints with a college of physicians and surgeons, some wrote lengthy letters to administrators, and others met with clinicians and administrators to demand changes. The Wettlaufer case demonstrates a complete breakdown in accountability that resulted in senseless and tragic loss. Records from the inquiry show Wettlaufer was disciplined multiple times for harassment, failure to complete assigned duties, failure to meet the needs of patients and medication errors. Yet she continued to work in the field. The inquiry suggests a need for cultural change. This finding is consistent with our research. Patients we interviewed often spoke of feeling dehumanized in the health-care culture. They also emphasized the need to recognize the humanity of clinicians to allow for more open interactions and transparency. If we want to find some meaning in these tragic events, we must remember that we're no different from the patients victimized in this case. Patients are not a small special interest group and we would benefit from remembering that everyone is, in some ways, a patient in waiting. Fiona MacDonald is associate professor, Department of Political Science, University of the Fraser Valley. Karine Levasseur is associate professor, Department of Political Studies, University of Manitoba. They are expert advisers with EvidenceNetwork.ca, which is based at the University of Winnipeg.

© Troy Media