10 Terrific Tips to Eliminating Risks in Your Kitchen

I've hosted my home to a good deal of people and based on my experiences, here a few tips for those of you that would truly like to succeed in the kitchen and your life:

1. Eliminate any air from bags or packages with food to maintain freshness. Squeeze tight!

2. If you're fortunate to have two sponges at your kitchen sink, designate which one is exclusively for the kitchen counter tops and which is exclusively for washing dishes.

3. Only use the trash bin for dry trash. Use the sink for liquid waste.

4. You can save 87% more time and effort by quickly washing a dish by hand (versus rinsing it, putting it in the automatic dishwasher, preparing the dishwasher, waiting, and unloading the dishes.)

5. Expiration dates are often a brilliant marketing strategy to encourage increased spending for food products. Processed foods, especially, can last years well beyond their "best by" or "expiration date".

6. Back to the sponges again: once in awhile, put your sponges in the microwave for a minute to kill the bacteria. Give the sponges a good soak in water first to be more effective.

7. Speaking of the microwave, some research has shown that changing the molecular components of food prior to consumption can be dangerous. Use the stove or oven instead to reheat a dish and boil your tap water for tea.

8. Cleanliness is next to godliness my mother once said (each morning, day, and night). Keep in mind that your skin is your largest organ and what you put on it will be absorbed into your system. Select a safe hand soap or dish detergent.

9. Each time you prepare a meal or snack ask yourself, "Is this the best option for my health and well-being?"

10. Nearly 70% of the US population is overweight or obese and most have a sedentary lifestyle and eat animal products. Additionally, close to 50% of our population is on anti-depressants. Why do you think that is? What do they all have in common? Human consumption. Open your mind and see why plant-based diets lead to less occurrences of death and disease. Did you know that 50% of Americans will die from Heart Disease or Cancer? Lower your risks and start preventing disease in your own kitchen. FYI, arthritis, MS, and digestive disorders accounts for 75% of health-care costs. As they say, what (you eat that) doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger.