I have been going to Health Network Labs for as long as I can remember, and I recently had a great experience with them and wanted to share my feelings about them with everyone!  I want to preface this by saying, always check with your insurance to see if the lab is in network before you have tests done!  Recently, there were two ladies there working together and they handled several complicated lab slips that I had brought in with smiles on their faces!  Handled a difficult task with grace!  I also appreciate that I have NEVER had a bad stick by anyone at HNL-which is saying something cause I have terrible veins and when I go to the hospital for something, I always have trouble getting a good stick!  Everyone at HNL is well trained and competent.  I have come across some people who were on the surly side, but even they always did good sticks!  I think part of the problem is that sometimes the site I visit is understaffed, and the techs get stressed out!  I don't blame them for that.  I suggest that if you are bringing alot of slips or a slip with alot of tests, that you bring something to read or do and leave the poor tech alone while they enter your tests in the computer.  Follow this link to find the nearest Health Network Lab location!  I do recommend avoiding the HLN centers located INSIDE hospitals, as these tend to be the busiest locations.

Also-HNL now does housecalls for lab testing.  Has anyone tried this service?  Comment below!

Alright everyone-March is national nutrition month!  I decided to share a shopping tip for indulging in more fruit (and veggies too)!

I have always been afraid to buy big containers of fruit in the grocery store, for fear it would spoil before I could eat it all.  I recently discovered that grocery store salad bars HAVE fruit (sometimes it's pre-cut in to bite sized pieces!), so I can pick a little of everything I want and I know it won’t go bad before I can eat it!  As well-fruits that are normally large and ungainly to cut are always pre-cut (melons for example).  This tip works well if you live in a small household!  If you can't find fruit in your grocery store's salad bar-try the short "endcap" of the bar...at our Weis that’s where it is, hidden behind a pole!  Locally both Weis and Giant have salad bars in the produce section.

Bonus-I can also buy small amounts of fruit I may not like, but my pets do.  For example, our pets all like strawberries, but because I have chronic kidney stones, I'm not supposed to eat them.  So I just buy a few from the salad bar!  I know they will be able to eat the amount I get (whereas if I buy a whole container of strawberries I know they WONT be able to eat all of that before it spoils).  This helps aid in my pets' nutrition too!

National Nutrition Month-Not Just For Humans!

Anyone else have tips for national nutrition month?  Share in the comments below!