Sometimes all you need for relief of hot flashes is a “bitty” breeze.   That’s what Stephanie Redman, the creator of the Bitty Breeze Fan,  had in mind when she designed these pretty, fold-away fans for women of a certain age.  As she put it,  you can use the fan “to turn a potentially awkward situation into a Audrey Hepburn moment!”  They’re available in five stylish designs and two sizes (the larger one is only $10) and they fold up to fit neatly into a small purse. Sometimes the simplest, low-tech solutions work the best!

Not too long ago, I wrote about a recent study that concluded that simply consuming less calories is more important than the type of diet you choose when trying to lose weight.  Portion control is a key factor in any weight loss program, but it can be tricky. Dietitians recommend portions the size of our palm, or a hockey puck. But whose palm? (Your husband’s if you’re real hungry) And just how big is a hockey puck anyway?

So you might be interested in a new weight management tool that I found online.  It’s called the Northstar Portion System, a series of 11 containers with lids in various sizes that will help you measure healthy portion sizes for everything you eat and drink.  The System also includes eight laminated cards for comparison of hard to measure foods such as a muffin, burger or baked good. There’s a helpful guidebook and a daily guide to keep track of how many portions you eat from each food group. It costs $34.95.

The Northstar System is the brainchild of Jan Defeo, a Los Angeles-based Registered Dietitian who told me via email that she’s been disturbed by the growing portions that the food industry sells to consumers. “The growing portions are hugely responsible for the growing waistlines of adults and many people are now unaware of what an actual portion of many common foods are. Pasta, ice cream and rice, for example, should be just 1/2 cup,” she explained.

“We wanted to provide consumers a tangible system that did not include measuring tools or scales. The Northstar System is not a diet -  it’s a “weigh” of life. Eat what you want, just eat less. Smaller portions equal fewer calories, equals weight loss.”

Jan’s website offers lots of good information about portion control and you’ll find her contact information there if you have any questions.