Ingredients for a Healthy Tomorrow: Helping ourselves, helping our community.

Did you know that this is the 40^th year for Nutrition month? 

Every year nutrition month is used to encourage meaningful conversations about food and nutrition. This year’s theme “Ingredients for a Healthy Tomorrow” focusses on creating change for yourself, for the community and for the planet at large to encourage a healthier future for everyone.

The relationship between food and health can be very complex and there are numerous “ingredients” that affect both. Learning about these “ingredients” helps us to understand their impact. Once we understand their impact and how they are inter-related, then we can make educated decisions that can help us to not only create healthy change for ourselves, but healthy changes for our communities at large.

Ingredients for a Healthier Tomorrow

Food Security

Food security exists when there is:

• the availability of food in the quantity and quality sufficient to satisfy the dietary needs of individuals,
• physical and economic accessibility to adequate food for everyone, including vulnerable groups, and the food is free from unsafe substances and is acceptable within a given culture; and
• the means to purchase food.

Household food insecurity is when there inadequate or inconsistent access to adequate food due to the lack of or inconsistent income.

Food is only one of the expenditures for a family, and other necessary household expenditures will affect how much money is available for food. Pre-pandemic approximately 1 in 8 Canadians were food insecure and now it is thought to be 1 in 7. However for particular groups within our populations (i.e. indigenous communities) this rate can be significantly higher.

Studies have examined food insecurity in Canada and have found that food insecure households:

• shop on a budget more than food secure households;
• have the same cooking abilities and food preparations skills as those in food secure households;
• adjust recipes to make them healthier just as much as food secure households; and
• growing your own food does not  protect households from food insecurity.

While community food programs such as food banks, soup kitchens, food buying clubs, or community gardens may assist, most food insecure households rely more on personal coping strategies such as postponing bills, buying cheaper foods, buying food on credit, skipping meals or eating less.

As the root cause of household insecurity is inadequate or insecure income, this needs to be considered when proposing solutions.

Food Sovereignty

Food sovereignty is the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agricultural systems.

Food Sovereignty:

1. Focuses on food for people—People become the focus instead of food being a product to be sold.
2. Builds knowledge and skills—It builds on traditional knowledge and supports this knowledge being passed on to future generations.
3. Works with nature—Optimizes the contributions of ecosystems and resiliency.
4. Values food providers—Supports sustainable livelihoods and respects the work of food providers.
5. Localizes food systems—Reduces the distance between food providers and consumers, resists dependency on remote corporations, and rejects inappropriate food aid.
6. Puts control locally—Includes the input from citizens and producers.
7. Recognizes that food is sacred—Food is part of life and is not just something that is to be sold.

Food sovereignty is critical to how food security can be achieved.

Sustainable Food Choices

A sustainable diet is one with low environment impact and that contributes to food and nutrition security and health of present and future generations.

Sustainability requires long term protection and respect of the environment, consideration of cultural appropriateness, continued accessibility and affordability, nutritionally adequate and safe food supply, and at the same time make the best use of natural and human resources.

As you may notice, sustainable food choices are closely tied to food security and food sovereignty.

Nutrition Care and Prevention

Nutrition plays an important role in maintaining health, treating health conditions, and recovering health.  Supporting behavior change is important aspect of creating new habits to order for a person to experience healthier outcomes and well-being.

Nutrition guidance, whether this is for an individual or a population, should be based on evidence grounded in scientific research. However, we must also remain aware that there is no one solution or plan.

For a plan to be beneficial it must take into account people’s individual situations, their cultures, their experiences, and perhaps most important their right to decide what is the most appropriate action for them at that point into time.

Food Literacy

Literacy is the competency or knowledge in a specified area.

Food literacy is the competency and knowledge with regard to food, but it also includes attitudes and values that promote health and wellbeing.

Simply having knowledge about food and nutrition doesn’t always lead to better choices. Our food literacy must also include an understanding how the environment affects our eating:

• Economic environment—how the lack of financial resources and food pricing can affect food choices, food availability and overall diet;
• Social environment—how the impact of family, friends and cultural food habits guide our eating behaviors and food skills;
• Communication environment—how food marketing and the media can influence food decision and knowledge; and
• Physical environment—how our retail environment influences the access and availability of types of foods.

Approaching food literacy from all these areas, for both individual efforts or population interventions and policy, can improve the impact for healthful future changes.

So as you can see…..

The relationship between food and health can be very complex.

While these ingredients can be described individually, we shouldn’t think about them in isolation of one another.

These ingredients are very inter-dependent, but when considered together, they can really influence the effectiveness of our efforts for a healthier tomorrow…as an individual and as a community.

References:

• Dietitians of Canada (2016) Prevalence, Severity and Impact of Household Food Insecurity: A Serious Public Health Issue. A Background Paper.
• Dietitians of Canada (2022). Unlock the Potential of Food. Ingredients for a Healthier Tomorrow.
• Fernandez M. et al (2020). Food Literacy: 4 Initiatives in Canada. Food Studies: An Inderdisciplinary Journal. 10. 43-60.
• PROOF(2018). The Spending Patterns of Food Insecure Households.
• What is Food Sovereignty?

Chat Soon!

Lynda, RD

IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition

Holy Chicken! With a side of Smoke and Mirrors.

Anytime I come across a documentary about food or nutrition on a streaming service, it causes me to pause and take a second look.  Lately, I’ve avoided watching these types of programs because they often raise my frustration level, particularly ones that rely on fear rather than facts or are extremely one sided.

On this particular Sunday morning, I wasn’t in control of the TV remote, my husband was. When he asked if I minded watching this documentary “Holy Chicken!”, I sat myself down on the couch with my breakfast and coffee to join him, fully expecting to hear about chicken bashing and the evils of eating animals…but I was pleasantly surprised.

“Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!”

This 2019 movie is the sequel to the 2004 movie “Super Size Me”. In “Super size Me”, the creator Morgan Spurlock focused on the influence of the fast food industry and what happened to his health when he ate a diet of only McDonald’s for an entire month. In “Holy Chicken!” he takes a farm to table look at the fast food chicken industry.  He takes the viewer along for the ride as he looks into whether fast food is healthier than before, learns about the fast food business, and tries to put all this together to open his own successful fast food restaurant.

Now I am by no means a chicken expert; I’ve never visited a chicken farm, or talked to chicken farmers here in Canada so I have no idea if the experiences in this US based movie are the same as in Canada. My main interest was how the movie illustrated how the restaurant industry uses various strategies to get you to buy their products.

Fast food restaurants have been around for-ev-er. And like any business, they want to make money. In the movie, they show how many potential owners hire consultants to perform trend analysis, menu development and marketing to maximize the chances that you, the consumer, will choose them for your next meal.

Customers want to feel good about their food choices.

With so much focus on health these days, many customers want to feel good about their food choices. In response, restaurants need to make changes to keep your business. Does this translate into healthier menu items? Not necessarily. So how do they convince you to buy their product and eat out more?

They latch on to the customer’s desire to “feel better about their food choices” with carefully developed marketing strategies to influence customer purchases, sometimes without them even knowing it. One of these strategies is using Health Halos as part of their marketing.

What are Health Halos?

When you think of a halo, you think of something being good. The halo effect is when a positive impression formed from a single trait or characteristic is permitted to influence the judgement of unrelated factors. For example, assuming someone who is likeable is also smart and competent.

With a health halo, a consumer is drawn to a positive characteristic of a product, and forms an overall healthful impression for that product, even though there is little or no evidence to back this up.

There are various types of health halos.

Food-related Health Halos

Think of the way food is presented in a fast food restaurant.

 “Freshly Made”, “Crisp” lettuce. “Garden fresh” vegetables, “Hand-cut!”, “All natural!”, “Artisanal style!”,  “Freshly cracked” eggs, “without artificial colors and flavors”.

All of these bring up thoughts of foods that are simple, healthy, not overly processed that may be a better choice nutrition wise. These words, while very enticing, provide you with no factual information about the nutrient content of that menu item.

In terms of food related health halos, studies suggest that health halo marketing often leads a customer to overestimate the nutrient quality of their food as well as encourage them to eat more.

What about “chicken raised without antibiotics”?

This descriptor means that the chicken was not treated in any way with antibiotics. However, if chicken doesn’t have this description, this doesn’t necessarily mean that antibiotics were used in raising them and it doesn’t mean the meat is any less safe to eat. Even if antibiotics were used, there are strict regulations which dictate how much time must pass between when the animal was last treated with antibiotics and when it is sent to the processing plant to ensure there aren’t residues in the meat.

And then there are words not used.….

How often do you see words like “crispy” instead of “deep-fried”? Why is that?

That’s because “deep fried” brings you thoughts of fat and greasiness. 

“Crispy” appeals to ours senses and thoughts of texture and glosses over the fact it still deep fried. Sometimes with chicken burgers they completely skip over “crispy” and just call in a chicken sandwich even though it you can easily see it is crispy and fried.

Value-based Health Halos

With the value-based halo, a consumer uses ethical base claims such as organic, local, and fair trade as a positive attribute for the item and infers that is better choice.  Studies suggest that while customers may make choices for ethical reasons, they also may infer the choice is overall more healthy or safe even though there is no objective evidence to support this.  For this reason, it’s important to understand exactly what these terms mean.

Organic: The principle goal is to develop operations that are sustainable and harmonious with the environment. Neither this standard, nor the organic products produced in accordance with this standard, represent specific claims about the healthiness, safety and nutrition of such organic products.

Fair trade: Means it supports sustainable development in the developing world by setting standards that ensure that the conditions of production of all certified products are socially and economically fair, environmental responsible and promote the improvement of the livelihood of developing world farmers and workers.

Local:  Is defined as food produced in the province or territory in which it is sold or food sold across provincial borders within 50 km of the originating province or territory. Buying local has the benefit of supporting local businesses and farms, but the nutritional content is not necessarily higher.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Health Halos

This is when businesses engage in activities to enhance their corporate reputations with stakeholders and consumers. The company develops a reputation that they are committed to stakeholder/consumer interests and prioritize a range of issues beyond profit. This caring and compassionate image, donations to charity, motivation to enhance the welfare of others and preserve the environment can lead to consumers perceiving their food products as more healthful than a company with a more neutral reputation.

Research has demonstrated that corporate reputation for CSR can lead to an underestimation of calorie content and overconsumption, even in the presence of nutritional information. Consumers, believing they are choosing healthy and safe products, may eat more under the false assumption they are making healthy choices.

So how are these health halos used to influence my choices?

You will notice “Healthy” or “Value-based” wording used on menus as well as websites, and advertising.

Ever take a look what is written on your food wrappers or bags?

How about the art murals on the wall of your favorite fast-food restaurant? Their website?

They may use words to induce a “feeling” about eating in their restaurant or how they want you to “feel” about your food choices.  It may not relate to the nutrition quality of your choices.

They may “tell you about their corporate story” to showcase how they differ from their competitors and contribute to the community. Does this give you a warm and fuzzy about the company? It’s meant to.

All of this is meant make you feel good about your eating experience …right down to your food choices.

Balance and Moderation is the key.

For health reasons, we encourage people to prepare foods with healthy ingredients and choose healthier menu options more often in order to limit highly processed foods. Highly processed foods add a lot of excess sodium, sugar, and fat to the diet. 

We like to go to fast food restaurants for various reasons. It can be quick and convenient; we may have a craving or we may just decide that’s what we want to choose for that meal.

So in order to limit highly processed food, like fast food, might I suggest that you try to:

• Eat them less often
• Eat them in small amounts
• Or replace them with healthier options.

If you do decide to go to a fast food restaurant, try to recognize the difference between healthy choices and when foods are “being marketed to you”. Decide whether a food is healthy by using nutritional content info instead of relying on marketing messaging alone.

By learning about food marketing strategies and how they affect your decisions, you can at least make your food choice an informed one.

For more information, check out the following websites:

• Prime Video: Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!

• Marketing can influence your food choices – Canada’s Food Guide

• Chicken and Chicken Farming in Canada:

Chicken.ca | Raised by a Canadian Farmer

Chickenfarmers.ca

Chat Soon!

Lynda, RD

IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition

Adjusting Your Meals to Meet Your Training Goals.

Ensuring that you are meeting your energy needs is an important part of your sports performance nutrition strategy.  Regardless of age, if an athlete’s diet does not provide enough energy to support their requirements for health, daily living, growth (if you are a child or teen), in addition to your training, your sports performance can suffer.

If you are not eating enough, you may experience:

• Decreased muscle strength and endurance
• Decreased coordination
• Reduced glycogen stores
• Decreased training response
• Impaired judgement
• Decreased concentration
• Irritability and Depression
• Increased injury risk

As the intensity and duration of your training increases, your body expends more energy and you deplete your energy stores.  Your body stores energy as both fat and carbohydrate. Fat is stored primarily as body fat. Carbohydrate is stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver and as blood glucose in the blood.

During training you can become fatigued for numerous reasons. One reason can be depleted carbohydrate stores.The more intense or longer the exercise, the more carbohydrate stores are being used up. Unlike fat, the body can only store a limited amount glycogen so it needs to be replaced. By making slight adjustments to your meals, you can help to ensure you are well fueled going into training and you are replacing these carbohydrate stores to get the most out of your next training session.

When you exercise, your body will use a combination of both fat and carbohydrate, however certain energy sources are preferred by the body depending on the exercise intensity. During prolonged exercise at lower intensities, fat stores provide more energy To provide energy at higher exercise intensities, your body relies more on carbohydrate for energy such as muscle glycogen. . During exercise that lasts several hours, the body will also break down liver glycogen to maintain the availability of carbohydrate it needs to function.

So how can you ensure you are eating enough to support your training?

1. Practice Healthy Eating guidelines for Athletes.

Your everyday eating habits will have the greatest impact in terms of eating for performance.

The basic guidelines for healthy eating are the same for everyone, athletes included.

Eat a variety of Healthy foods each day and:

• Have a plenty of vegetables and fruits
• Eat protein foods,
• Eat grain foods, choosing whole grains more often

In Canada we have gone to a really simple way of thinking. Rather that recommend a particular number of servings per food group, we now suggest proportions as if you are looking at your plate.

• ¼ of a plate for protein foods—for example meats, milk, chicken, cheese, fish, beans, tofu….
• ¼ of a plate for grain or starch foods—potato, pasta, rice, grains, bread….
• ½ a plate of fruits and vegetables—cooked  or raw vegetables, salads, fruit

For more information on Canada’s newest food guide see my article here.

2. Fine tune your eating to better match your training needs.

As an athlete, your energy needs will change depending on the type of training and sport you are doing.  Some sports involve more intense activity, while other sports may be lower in intensity in terms of energy expenditure.  In addition, your training may differ from day to day or depending on your training goal.

As your training changes, so should your nutrition strategy.

One of the easiest ways to adjust your meals is to use the Athlete’s Plate® as a guide.

The Athlete’s Plate® is a tool that was developed by Dr. Nanna Meyer in collaboration with the United States Olympic committee with the aim of helping athletes adjust their food intake to meet the needs for varied training amounts and intensity. One of the great things about the Athlete’s plate® is that it can be easily adapted to a food culture and the athlete’s way of eating.

How does it work?

Each plate is made up of 3 food groups similar to Canada’s Food guide. Each food group has an important role in the athlete’s nutrition strategy:

• Grains(preferably whole grains): provides carbohydrates for energy to fuel muscles
• Vegetables and fruit : provides for nutrients for health and are linked to reduced oxidative damage
• Proteins: for building/repairing muscles

In addition, each plate also includes:

• Healthy fats:  to provide energy and essential fatty acids for health and flavor
• Spices/flavorings for enjoyment of tastes
• Fluids: for hydration

While the proportions are shown on a plate they could also be represented in a bowl. The Athlete then chooses the training plate that most closely matches their training day and uses it to plan their meals.

Introducing the Athlete Training Plates…

There are 3 types of athlete plates to choose from.

1. The Easy Training Day Plate

The easy training day plate is for days when you have an easy workout.

It is also for athletes in sports requiring lower amounts of energy.

The plate is very similar to Canada’s Food Guide in that it has ¼  protein foods, ¼  grain foods, and ½  vegetables and fruit.

2. The Moderate day training plate

This plate is for days that you have longer training, moderately intense training, or training that happens twice a day that may involve one technical session and on endurance training.

This plate is the one you will probably use most often during training.  

You’ll notice that the grains proportion goes up and the fruits and vegetables goes down.  This is because the training requires more energy from carbohydrate and the grains provide more than fruits and vegetables.

3. The Hard Training Day Plate:

The hard training play is for days that you have two hard training sessions or possibly a competition that uses a lot of energy.

You’ll notice that the grain section goes up even more making up half the plate. This is because this level of training requires more energy from carbohydrate. The fruit and vegetables goes down because the grains provide more carbohydrate.

Why doesn’t the protein change on the plates?

Research has shown that regardless of the training intensity, athletes will still meet their protein requirements with a ¼ plate proportion of protein foods at meal time. In addition you will likely get additional protein from snacks or beverages throughout the day, so larger portions of protein foods at meal times are not necessary.

What about mixed dishes that combine food groups? How would that work?

For meal items that include multiple food groups like casseroles, sandwiches, salads, the Athlete’s plate® can still be used. In those cases you would need to look at the individual ingredients and which food groups they would fall into and the proportion they make up in your meal. Then you adjust your serving size and additional meal components according to which Athlete’s plate® you’re following.

How can the plates work for everyone? Wouldn’t some people need naturally more or less energy than others regardless of their training intensity?

It is true that the energy requirements differ from person to person. Because these plates are based on proportions and can be used by smaller and larger athletes, males and females, people who eat more or less. The athlete would adjust their energy intake based on their personal feeling of hunger and being comfortably full at the end of a meal. An athlete would keep the same food group proportions but adjust their portions size to meet their hunger. For example a ¼ plate of protein remains a ¼ plate regardless of the portion size.

For more info on planning meals according to plate proportions, the following videos by Health Canada are great resources.

A Final note….

Remember the Athlete’s plate® is a tool to assist not a hard fast rule. As an athlete,  you need to determine what works for you.

Pay attention to your body.

Let you hunger cues be your guide.

Determine what strategies work best for you and your training schedule.

For more individualized guidance, you may want to seek advice from a sports nutrition dietitian.

For your downloadable (and much prettier) copies of the Athlete’s Plates® follow this link to the University of Colorado Colorado Springs website.

Nutrition month recipe 2021 (Yup, I tried them!) : Oatmeal Chocolate Lentil Bites

One of the things I like to do to “find my healthy” is to try out new recipes, particularly recipes that have a bit of a twist to improve the nutrient content.

One of the highlights of Nutrition month is there are always a few new recipes to explore.  The oatmeal chocolate lentil bite recipe is something easy to try with no complicated ingredients, and also is an introduction to how you can use lentils in a recipe in an unconventional way.

What are lentils?

Lentils are called pulses or edible seeds of legumes.  Other types of pulses you may have heard of include beans, chickpeas, field peas and faba beans. They can be part of a healthy eating plan, particularly if you are vegetarian. Lentils are high in protein, fibre, complex carbohydrates and a good source of folate, potassium and iron and low in fat.

In the grocery store you might find them dried (which require some cooking) or canned (already cooked). Split lentils lose their shape and become mushy, practically dissolving in recipes, when they are cooked. This type is frequently used in curries and as a thickener in soups. Brown and green lentils hold their shape. While they are also good in curries and soups, they are also great in salads, side dishes or as a plant protein in main dishes.

Lentils and baked goods?

A more unconventional way to use lentils is in baked goods. Lentils can be included as either a puree or a flour. Pulse flours such as chickpea flour, can be found in many grocery and bulk stores. Pulse purees can easily be made using either dried or canned lentils.

How to make a pulse puree:

• Put canned or cooked pulses in a food processor or blender.
• Add ¼ c of water for every cup of pulse. Puree until smooth.
• Not going to use it right away? It can be frozen for up to 6 months.

How to adjust your own recipes:

• Pulse puree:
  • add ½ c of pulse puree into cookie, muffin or other baked good recipes. 
  • Combine the wet ingredients with the puree pulse first, then add to your mixture of dry ingredients.
  • Try replacing ½ the butter, margarine, or oil in a recipe with an equal amount of pulse puree to lower the fat of the recipe.

• Pulse flour:
  • Substitute up to half of whole wheat or all-purpose flour in your baked good recipe with an equal amount of chickpea flour.

I took the easy way out and used a Nutrition Month recipe that already included lentils: oatmeal chocolate lentil bites.  I had never used lentils in cookies before, but I’m always up for trying a new recipe at home. To be honest I was bit skeptical. Would they taste beany? How would they compare to other cookie recipes?  More important…would they taste good? Well my teenage son ate them up, so that answers those questions.

I’ll definitely make them again. If you like a less sweet cookie, you’ll really like this recipe. The oatmeal really gave it a nice texture. If you are vegan or have an egg allergy, there are even directions for substituting with a “flax egg”.  For the original recipe (and other Nutrition month recipes) go to www.nutritionmonth21.ca.

Oatmeal Chocolate Lentil Bites

The ingredients you will need are:

• 1 c of cooked brown lentils…I used canned, drained and rinsed.
• 2 T water
• 1/2 c margarine…I used tub margarine
• 1/2 c  brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 2/3 c flour
• 1 c oats
• 1/2 tsp of baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup of chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease your cookie sheet.  I used a silicone liner on mine instead. Puree the lentils and water in a food processor or blender. I found my smoothie container blender worked perfect. Don’t worry if there are still a few chunks; the next step will solve this.  Add your margarine, sugar, vanilla and egg to your blender container and blend again until smooth.

In a large bowl, combine your flour, oats, baking powder and cinnamon. I like to whisk it a bit to make sure there are no lumps. Add your blenderized lentil mixture and mix until combined. Stir in your chocolate chips.

Drop the dough by tablespoons onto your cookie sheet. I did 12 to a sheet; they don’t spread much when they’re cooked. Cook for 12-14 minutes. Mine took about 13 minutes until they were golden brown on the bottom.

Lynda Hinch, RD

IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition

For more information and recipes on lentils:

Lentils.org

Lentils. Cooking made easy with lentils.

Alberta Pulse Growers

Baking with Pulses (Albertapulse.com)

All about Lentils (Unlockfood.ca)

Nutrition Month 2021—Find your healthy!!

What does this

mean to you?

It’s March again…Nutrition month! This year’s theme is “Good for you! Dietitians help you find your healthy”. It focusses on the idea that healthy eating looks different for everyone. When it comes to eating there is no one size fits all. There is not just one definition of what makes a healthy meal or a specific set of rules that determines what is considered healthy eating.

Despite what some people think, dietitians are not the food police.

We are not waiting to tell you what you should not be eating. In fact, if you know any dietitians they are probably the ones who have the most balanced and easy going attitude about food.

If they want a cookie, they’ll eat a cookie, but they might also share their new oatmeal chocolate lentil bite recipe too because it’s a new way to use lentils. If they are invited to your potluck they will bring tasty food, but it won’t necessarily be a fruit and vegetable tray….unless of course it was the only thing left to sign up for.

What we do love to do is talk about nutrition and food and help others reach their goals. Sometime these goals may be to help improve health or performance with food. Other times it can be just to help people understand nutrition information to so they can make more confident choices about their food.

Confidence in food choices can be a huge issue for many people.

It is easy to become overwhelmed by the numerous opinions and sometimes it’s difficult to tell fact from latest fad. Healthy eating can take many forms; there is no one best way. But you’d never know it from a quick google. Keto, low-fat, dairy-free, gluten-free…the choices are endless and every “expert” believes theirs is the best for health. People can be very passionate about their eating; it’s can be part of who they are, part of how they portray their values to others. They research it, they live it, they bond with others over it….and sometimes they argue over it.

Which foods are healthy? Which foods prevent disease? Which foods cause disease?  What is the best diet? What is best for our environment?

It’s enough to make your head spin. And so much pressure over what to eat!!

We need to remember that eating and food choices are a personal thing.

Personal…it doesn’t just mean belonging to a particular individual. It also refers to the elements of one’s private life. Eating and food choices are affected by culture, health, personal circumstances, preferences and nutritional needs. All of these will influence what healthy eating looks like for a particular person. It doesn’t just mean belonging to a particular individual. It also refers to the elements of one’s private life.

Eating and food choices are affected by culture, health, personal circumstances, preferences and nutritional needs. All of these will influence what healthy eating looks like for a particular person.

So find your healthy!

Find what works for you and your family. And if you need a bit of help, think of us dietitians who can help you cut through the clutter of nutrition misinformation. We can help and work with you to guide your nutrition goals in a way that’s “Good for you”!

Lynda Hinch, RD

IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition

Adapted from the Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month materials. Find more information about Nutrition Month at http://www.NutritionMonth2021.ca

SMART Nutrition Goals in 2021

Thank goodness 2020 is almost over.  I think most people are thinking that.  We’re all ready for a new start, and hope for good things and positivity for the year to come.  For some, this is also the time they make New Year’s resolutions.

Resolution. In the dictionary you will find definitions like “a formal expression of opinion, will, or intent” or “a stubborn persistence and unwillingness to admit defeat”.

I don’t particularly like the word or the process of New Year resolutions to be honest.

First, it focusses on change starting a specific point…1 January.  Second, resolutions may only consider an end result and not a plan or process or giving up something rather than something positive.  Third, a resolution often suggests that success comes down to will power and should your will and persistent falter, then you are have been defeated.  You are left with the feeling of “better luck next year”.

Change can happen at any time. The most important time is when you are ready. But if you are focusing only on the result, you may be tempted to take measures that aren’t healthy to achieve that end.

So what is another option?

Setting mini goals that can change with you and are part of an overall plan.

SMART goals are a way of creating direction and plan for change.

Each letter of SMART acronym represents criteria of a goal that makes it more concrete and actionable. Instead of have a goal of “I’m going to eat healthier” which is very vague you create a goal that describes exactly what your plan is for change.

Where do I begin?

To begin, think about the behavior changes you would like to make instead of a thought or feeling.  Focusing on a behavior makes your goal action-oriented. You may have several things nutrition-wise you would like to work on. But don’t try and do everything at once. Create one goal and then later, when you’re comfortable, try adding another goal. There’s no specific timeline to add goals…it’s all individual.

So say you want to “eat healthier”. Remember, there are numerous ways to “eat more healthy”, but to translate it into action or a new habit, you probably need to be more specific. Next, you will go through each of the letter/criteria so in the end you have a have a very detailed action-oriented goal.

• S-specific: You want to be very specific on the change you want to make. Instead of “I’m going to eat more healthy”, perhaps you might choose “I’m going to eat more vegetables.

• M-measurable: You want to be able to tell if you are achieving a goal. To do this the goal needs to be able to be measured or observed. For example,” I‘m going to eat more vegetables” isn’t something that can be concretely measured or observed, whereas “I’m going to eat vegetables 5 times” can.

• A-action oriented:  You want your goal to include details on how it will be achieved. This is part of planning for success; you know exactly what you want to do to achieve this goal. For example, “eating vegetables” doesn’t explain how you will do this.  However, if your plan is to “eat more vegetables by including a salad at lunch 5 times”, this would be a more detailed plan.

• R-realistic. To encourage lasting change, you need to ensure your goals are realistic.  Start with small changes and then build on these. So in the above example, do you enjoy salads or have recipes for salads? No? Well maybe start with cut vegetables, or by adding vegetables to a sandwich instead. Are you going to be able to do this 5 times? Not sure? Then maybe aim for 3 times to start.

• T-time frame. You may wonder why anyone would set a goal to eat vegetables 3 times.  They wouldn’t; they would include a time frame.  So if you weren’t a big vegetable eater before, in this example you may want to try a time frame of a week.  This not only gives a detailed framework for your goal, but also might help you decide if when you need to change the plan on how you will achieve it.  Was 3 days a week easy to achieve? Then maybe up it to 4. Are you ready to try salads now? Then try substituting a salad to one of those days.  

The result.

So now instead of having a goal of “I’m going to eat more healthy”, you now have a goal of :

“I’m going to include salads in my lunch 3 days a week”….which is in turn is a way that helps you to eat more healthy.

Is that goal now easy to achieve on a regular basis?  Then maybe you can handle adding another SMART goal.

What about “I’m going to lose X pounds in 6 months by doing Y”? Wouldn’t that be a SMART goal?

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The short answer….No.

The process of intentional weight is very complex. Losing weight is not simply a matter of eating less calories or increasing energy expenditure no matter how many diet books tell you different.  While what you eat (or drink) and your activity level can influence your weight, so can a multitude of other things such as hormones, stress, sleep, and hydration status. There is even research suggesting that you gut microbiome can influence weight.

Back to why a weight goal may not be a good choice.

With regard to weight loss, A + B may not equal C. How many times have you heard “I’ve been eating healthy and exercising more and my weight isn’t changing?” I’ve heard it a lot.  And what is sometimes the follow up to that? They say screw this healthy eating and try this new diet or stop exercising because they didn’t think it was helping them meet their goal. Meanwhile they may not recognize other healthy results that did come out of eating healthy and exercising, or notice that their body composition has been changing but it may not have been reflected on the scale.

In the end….

Whether or not you choose to make a New Year’s resolution or decide to create goals ….do what’s SMART for you. It doesn’t matter what your friend, or coworker, or relative has decided…do what works for you and do it when you’re ready.

And most important….at 12:01, be kind to yourself and celebrate the here and now.  It’s been a tough year!

For more inspiration on SMART health goals, check out the following articles:

Your Guide to Setting Healthy Living Goals – Unlock Food

10 “SMART” Healthy Eating Goals – Unlock Food

10 “SMART” Physical Activity Goals – Unlock Food

All the best.

Tips for a Healthy Christmas Dinner and Left-overs

I love Christmas!  I love the Christmas lights. I love that friends and family are in a more jolly spirit!  I love the general feeling of peace and joy there seems to be.  And while it can be a more indulgent time of year, there are ways to ensure it is a healthy time…and I don’t mean by eliminating all the chocolate and cookies.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

Christmas Turkey prep:

• Thaw that turkey safely!  Thawing it in the refrigerator is the safest method as it remains at a safe temperature; Health Canada recommends your fridge be at 4°C.  Keep the turkey in the original packaging and make sure that it is on a tray or pan even if it’s in your fridge so if the packaging leaks it doesn’t contaminate other food in the fridge. Remember it takes about 10 hours per kg to thaw.
• Thanks Lynda…but it’s Xmas eve now and my turkey is still frozen? Not a problem. In a large container, cover the turkey completely with cold water…still in its wrapping.  Change the water at least every hour to ensure it stays cold.  This method still takes 2 hours per kg to thaw.  And remember…do not leave your turkey in the bucket overnight. Put the turkey back in the fridge before you go to bed! And make sure you cook it within 48 hours.
• Clean, clean, clean your counter tops, utensils, sinks, hands…everything ….when handling raw poultry or any meat, fish etc for that manner.  Keep the juices away from other items to prevent cross contamination that could increase the risk for food borne illness. Disinfect anything that has been possibly touched by poultry juices. Wash any dish towels and throw out any sponges.

Cooking the dinner

• Feel free to stuff that bird…but be gentle. The dressing should be loosely stuffed just before cooking.  Dressing is moist and doesn’t cool down or heat up quickly so can be an ideal place for bacteria to grow. Yes it’s extra work on the day of cooking, but it is safer and worth the work. Did you make too much dressing?Don’t try and jam it all in that turkey.  Put it in a separate dish and put in the fridge. Just before dinner, pour a bit of chicken broth on it to moisten it if you wish and cook it in the oven. Then add it to the rest of your cooked stuffing when it’s ready.
• Speaking of cooking…make sure your turkey is thoroughly cooked before serving.  The best way is by using a meat thermometer…prevents over and under cooking.  The thickest part of the breast should be 80°C or 180°F; stuffing should be cooked to 165°F. Juices should run clear. Immediately after cooking, remove the stuffing right away from the turkey.
• Only make enough vegetables that can be used in 2-3 days. This is the recommended time frame for using leftovers. If you run out, you can always make more.

When it’s all done but the dishes…

Dinner is done, but before you sit down to enjoy some Christmas cheer, deal with your left overs so you can safely enjoy them later.

• Cooked food should be put in the fridge after it has cooled but within 2 hour of cooking.  Putting hot food in your fridge will raise you fridge temperature and possibly increase the risk of spoilage other foods in there. Don’t pack the fridge so full that the air can’t properly circulate.
• Speaking of storing food….anything that needs to be refrigerated should be stored in a fridge not a cold garage or the back deck, even if it is the middle of winter.  The safe food storage temperate is 4°C, and you can’t guarantee that except in a fridge.  Save your garage and back deck for chilling beer or wine, not storing food.
• Clean the meat of the bones instead of putting that entire turkey in the fridge.  I know it’s a pain, but removing all the meat makes it easier to store.  It also makes you realize how much turkey you actually have.  Are you a really going to eat all that turkey in 2-3 days (FYI- again…this is the recommended safety timeframe for leftovers)?  If not, freeze it right away for soups, sandwiches, and casseroles for later use.
• Like to make turkey soup with those bones? Either cook the bones within a day or freeze them. Don’t leave it in your fridge for a week first; you run the risk of food borne illness.  You can even freeze the broth to make the soup at a later time, when you’re not so turkey-ed out. Just make sure you let it cool first and freeze within 2 hours.  This way you’re being food safe and not melting your freezer contents.
• Reheat those leftovers so they are piping hot….to at least 165°F for solids, and a rolling boil for gravies. And don’t reheat them more than once…take what you need and put the rest in the fridge for later.
• Finally…as much as everyone wants to take a break….clean the kitchen, the dishcloths and get rid of sponges.  Leaving dirty dishes and countertops will breed bacteria that can make you sick. Cleaning counter tops and and dishes with used sponges and towels can spread harmful bacteria back over clean surfaces.

See…holiday tips from a dietitian and I didn’t even mention Christmas sweets! Ooops.

Have a wonderful Christmas and holiday season and the happiest of New Years!

Beat the Heat….

Hydration strategies for athletes and weekend warriors!!

Warmer weather is finally here and we want to get outside and enjoy it.  Now that COVID-19 restrictions are also being relaxed, some teams and groups may choose to move fitness and training activities outside in order to more easily meet social distancing guidelines. While enjoying your outdoor activity, don’t neglect hydration.

Dehydration can negatively affect both your health and your performance.

Body water is responsible for getting rid of heat within the body; when you exercise, your muscles generate a lot of heat.  When you become dehydrated, your body is less able to dissipate this heat and cope with physical activity particularly when it’s warm outside. This means that you could be at greater risk for overheating and possibly heat stroke.

In addition, studies have shown that dehydration can result in decreased aerobic performance, increased heart rate, increased fatigue and perception of effort, increased use of muscle glycogen and carbohydrate, decreased concentration and alertness, impairment of skilled movements and judgement….all of which can negatively affect athletic performance.

Weight loss during a training session is not fat loss; it’s water loss. Studies have shown that even a 1-2% loss in body weight due to fluid loss can have a negative impact on athletic performance. For an athlete that weighs 130 lbs, 1-2% would equate to a loss of 1.3-2.6 lbs; for a 180 lbs athlete, 1.8-3.6 lbs.

How does fluid loss happen? 

What probably first comes to mind, is fluid loss through sweat. Typically the warmer the environment, the more fluid lost by sweat and at high temperatures and humidity, this could be significant. Fluid loss happens through urination, feces, and skin, but also through your breathing. When you exercise, you breathe harder and more frequently which results in more fluid lost through your lungs.

How much fluid do I need? 

There is no one recommendation that will work for everyone. Fluid needs can be affected by numerous factors such as body size and composition, activity level, environmental conditions, acclimatization to temperature, and illness or medical conditions that may affect fluid loss.  Usually the harder and longer you exercise and the warmer the environment, the more fluid you will lose.

The goal for drinking should be to maintain the fluid balance of your body as best as you can prior, during, and after exercise. As most of your water loss during exercise is often through sweating, you want to be replacing this amount, but you don’t want to over drink.

Tips to maintain balanced hydration

Prior to exercise:

• Asses your hydration level, however don’t rely on your sense of thirst to determine if you are properly hydrated. Thirst is only triggered once you are already dehydrated. The most practical way to monitor your fluid status is through your urine. 

If you’re well hydrated, your urine should be color of lemonade. If you’re peeing only a small amount and your urine is the color of apple juice, you are likely dehydrated. The goal should be to maintain normal hydration and not over or under drink.

• Recognize the signs of dehydration before you start to exercise.  Headaches, light headedness, fatigue, rapid heartbeat, and dark urine are all possible indicators of dehydration. 

• Drink throughout the day so you are not loading up just before you exercise.  Water and other beverages, as well as foods such as soup, fruits and vegetables can all provide fluid.  Alcoholic beverages actually act increase fluid loss and should be avoided as a source of hydration.

• Looking for drinking guidelines? While there is no one recommendation, prior to working out 5-10 ml/kg body weight 2-4 hours before exercise is a good goal to try.

• Bring fluid with you to your workout or a water bottle that can be refilled as necessary.

During training/competition

• Practice drinking during training.  You may need to make a conscious effort to take water breaks as it can be easy to forget.

• Drink early, before you’re thirsty.

• Keep a comfortable amount of fluid in your stomach.  Drinking too much can make you uncomfortable.

• Choose a fluid that works for you and that you enjoy.  If you don’t drink it, you won’t get rehydrated. In many cases, water will be just fine for low to moderate activity that lasts less than an hour.  Sport drinks may be useful for intense activities lasting over an hour, exercise in hot or humid conditions, when wearing heavy sports equipment, when you sweat a lot or your sweat is very salty, or when you have more than one training/sport event in a day. 

• Periodically record your weight before and after activity, to help you estimate you fluid loss during training sessions. 

After exercise

• Assess your hydration.  If you have weighed yourself prior to training, weigh yourself after.  Make sure you remove any training gear or sweaty clothing first. A weight loss of 1 kg equates to approximately 1 L of fluid loss. 

• Rehydrate!! To fully rehydrate, fluid loss should be replaced at an amount of 125-150%  in order to compensate for increased urination that usually accompanies drinking more fluid.  For example a 500 g loss would represent 500 ml of fluid loss and would require drinking 625-750 mls of fluid.  You could drink water, but other beverages and foods can be sources of fluid as well.

Individual hydration plans for competitive and elite athletes

Competitive and elite athletes often follow a customized programmed drinking plan to ensure that they are getting the best advantage out of their hydration practices. 

Assessment of fluid needs

• The needs of the athlete will vary depending on the type of training, its duration and intensity, as well as the training environment. 
• Athletes may be asked to occasionally weigh themselves before and after training or competition situations in order to gain a better understanding of their fluid losses and how it may differ depending on the situation. 

Planned drinking schedule

• The fluid schedule may vary from training situation to training situation depending on the assessed need.
• The plan will detail how much and how often the athlete should be drinking to minimize the risk of dehydration to their performance.
• The plan will also consider the method of rehydration that will best work for the athlete. Fluid only hydrates when you drink it…so choice of fluid by the athlete may come down to personal taste preferences and what works best for their digestive system or general well-being.
• There may be different plans for competition as compared to training. However the competition plan should always be practiced in advance of the event so it is second nature to the athlete on the day of competition.

Assessment of the plan

• Assessment of the plan after the fact is crucial.  A good plan is a plan that best meets your needs. The athlete should identify what worked or didn’t work for them, and with the help of a sports dietitian the game plan can be fine-tuned to better meet their performance goals.

A note on salt….

Not only is fluid loss individual, so is salt loss.  While plain water may be appropriate in many situations, if you sweat a lot or are a salty sweater, you may need to replace sodium as well as fluid. 

How do I know if I’m a salty sweater? 

After a workout, look at the inside of your shirt (a darker shirt may make this easier) or look at your skin.  If your shirt or skin has a white powdery substance on it after working out, this is salt and you may find that a sports drink may be beneficial in order to help you replace both fluids and salt.

Hydration tips for young athletes 

Children and teens are more vulnerable to heat related illness caused by physical exertion than adults.  One of the risk factors of heat related illness is poor hydration. 

The following are a few tips specifically for reducing the risk of dehydration in younger athletes.

Before training: It is important for younger athletes to start off their training well hydrated.

• Encourage regular drinking throughout the day.
• It may beneficial to occasionally weigh the athlete before and after exercise (removing sports gear and sweaty clothes first) to better estimate fluid loss.
• Ensure they have a full water bottle before they leave for practice so it’s ready when they need it.  They may not have easy access to a water fountain at the training area.

During training: Children and teens may sweat less than adults, so don’t rely on appearance of sweat as the sole indicator of fluid loss.

• It is important to remind younger athletes to drink even though they are not thirsty. 
• Kids and teens often will wait for their coach to give them permission to take a water break. Coaches need to keep this in mind and schedule breaks in training to encourage drinking.
• While there is no one guideline, a reasonable starting point would be to encourage younger athletes to drink about 100-200 mls every 20 min, however teens may require more; possibly 300-500 mls every 20 min depending on the situation. 

Type of fluid during training: If your child doesn’t like plain water, adding a bit of flavoring, such as orange slices or sugar-free flavor drops, might be helpful to encourage drinking.

• If the child’s training is under an hour or they are participating in recreational activities, water is usually fine.
• If the training is longer than an hour or in higher temperatures, a sports drink may be beneficial.

After training:  It is important to rehydrate after training as most of the time athletes will still be a bit dehydrated.

• If your child is thirsty, that’s a good indicator they are still dehydrated. However, remember the color of their urine is a better indicator of hydration, not thirst. Thirst can’t tell you when someone is fully rehydrated. 
• Excessive drinking is not required. You’re aim is to replace the water weight loss during the training session as you would for adults. 
• Encourage regular drinking throughout the day using a variety of fluids from beverages (i.e. Water, milk, juice etc.) and foods. 

So with the nice weather finally here, enjoy the outdoors as part of your fitness routine…and don’t forget to hydrate.

Tips for Grocery Shopping…. during this time of Social Distancing

Photo credit: Alexas_Fotos at Pixibay.com

Last week, I never would have never thought that I wouldn’t be able to just pop into the grocery for a few things anytime I wanted. Funny how life changes in 1 week due to COVID-19.

Last Wednesday after work, I decided to pick up a few things as we were getting low. I picked up my usual milk, eggs, bread, hamburger, chicken; garbage bags and paper towel as we were down to our last couple of rolls. As I was walking past the canned goods, I was thinking about the news reports of the increasing number of cases of COVID-19 overseas and what would happen if a pandemic was declared. How would people react? Would the grocery stores be affected? Just in case, I threw a few extra cans of tomatoes, tomato sauce, pasta and canned beans into my cart. I even threw in some yeast and baking soda, feeling a bit silly…it’s not like we’re going to run out bread, but I do have a bread machine.

Flash forward to Friday, after the Pandemic was declared. I stopped at the grocery store again on my home from work and I was shocked. No bread, no vegetables, no frozen veg or fruit, much of the frozen food section was empty. No milk, no cheese, no eggs. Shelves that had been previously stocked full of dried pasta, rice, canned vegetables, soups, sauces, and meats held nothing but empty boxes. No toilet paper, no paper towel. But hey, if you were in the mood for cookies, candy, or yogurt (apparently not very popular) you were good to go.

Now that we’re in full blown pandemic, social distancing is the new reality to prevent or at least slow down the spread of the virus. Schools have been temporarily closed, and now many public spaces as well as restaurants have been ordered to shut down. Lucky for us, grocery stores are deemed essential services, however we are still being asked to stay at home unless it’s essential to purchase food or for medical reasons to limit your chance of exposure.

In this new time of social distancing, what can we do to make grocery shopping easier?

Before you go:

1. Take stock of what you have in your cupboards and fridge. Look for ways to use the perishable stuff before it goes to waste. Look for ways to use what you already have so you can delay going for groceries as long as you can.

2. Make a list of “go to meals” that you know you and your family will like in the upcoming weeks. Don’t forget…while food is fuel, food is also morale. It’s important to keep people’s spirits up, and a good familiar meal can do that.

3. Make a grocery list. The last thing you want to do is forget something you need and having a list gets you in and out of the store quicker.
   • Write down all the ingredients, including spices you need for the meals you’ve chosen.
   • Include some of your family’s or your favorite foods including treats.
   • Don’t forget about the items you frequently use, perishable and non-perishable.
   • Keep a running list of things you are low on.

When you go:

1. Avoid crowded times at the grocery store. Social distancing only works if you’re keeping your distance from others.

2. Shelf stable items can provide you with options for extended periods of time and still provide good nutrients.
   • Canned beans and lentils can be added to casseroles for protein if you want to use less meat, and can make soups heartier. 
   • Pastas and rice are good options if you are looking for something if you don’t have potatoes.
   • Canned fruit can be used instead fresh fruit. Packed in juice is a better choice that packed in syrup but don’t stress about it.
   • Fresh vegetables such as potatoes, squash, turnips, can last a while. Other shelf stable options are canned vegetables. While they may have a bit more salt, they are still a better option than no vegetables at all.

3. Keep in mind your available storage space. For perishable foods, ensure they are safely stored, in fridges or freezers if appropriate and according to instructions to avoid food borne illness.

Be kind and remember that everyone is in the same boat.

We’ve been advised that our food supply is not in jeopardy so don’t stock pile items unnecessarily.  Clearing shelves by bulk buying will prevent other from meeting their day to day needs. Don’t forget that many people may be on fixed incomes and may only be able to purchase what they need now. Others may not have transportation available to make larger purchases. Take what you need for 14 days and then come back when you need more.

One final note….

Please, follow public health direction regarding reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19. As per a notice put out by Dietitians of Canada, while there are many nutrients that are involved with normal functioning of the immune and we encourage people to eat a variety of healthy foods each day to support immunity, there is no…I repeat…no…specific food, supplement, or natural health product that will prevent you from catching COVID-19 or protect you from it.

Please don’t spread misinformation. Please get your health information from a regulated health professional. Spend your hard earned money on regular food not celery juice, immunity-boosting supplements or whatever the next trend is going to be on Facebook.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to find a use for the bottle of mincemeat that I found in the back of my cupboard…using up what I already have before the next grocery run.

P.S. Found a great recipe for mincemeat squares. Yum!!

Lynda, RD

Craving something sweet but light? Try these….

One of the things on my to-do list for “Nutrition month” is to try some new recipes.  Anyone who knows me knows how much I love browsing through recipes for ideas.  One in particular caught my fancy the other night…Yogurt Bark from “Cookspiration”.  Looked easy, looked pretty, and all the ingredients were easy to find. 

One of the good things about this recipe is you don’t need to follow the amount in the recipe. You can adjust them easily depending on how much bark you want to make.  And you can change the toppings or even the yogurt flavor to whatever you like.

What you’ll need:

• A baking sheet – it calls for a baking sheet but you could put it in another container. Just remember whatever you use needs to be freezer safe and it needs to actually fit in your freezer.
• Parchment paper—to line your pan so you can get this stuff out after it’s frozen.
• Vanilla flavored Greek yogurt—whatever fat content you prefer; 1 ½ c but if you want more bark, just use more yogurt. It won’t affect the final result.
• Frozen mango, thawed—3/4 c, or if you prefer peaches than go for it.
• Fresh strawberries, sliced—6-8
• Handful of coconut strips and a handful of pumpkin seeds. I bought mine at the Bulk Barn.

How to make it:

1. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Spread the yogurt out. It should be about 1 cm thick. If you’re using the exact amount that the recipe calls for, in order keep that thickness you may not be able to spread the yogurt over the entire baking sheet depending on its size.
3. Purée your mango, or whatever frozen fruit you chose with 3 T of water. The recipe calls for using an immersion blender but I just used an ordinary one—it worked out fine. Just make sure you blend it smooth.
4. Drizzle the purée mango over the yogurt and then using the end of a knife or something similar, swirl it into the yogurt to create a marbling effect.
5. Sprinkle your strawberries, coconut strips and pumpkin seeds over the top and you’re done!! Pop the whole thing in the freezer until it’s solid.  This took several hours.
6. Once it’s solid, just lift the bark out of the container using the parchment paper and break it into pieces.  Store it in a container in the freezer.

This was super easy to make. I did use more yogurt than the recipe called for because my baking sheet was bigger. I was glad I did because it gave more room for the toppings and everything wasn’t too crowded.  I tried it when I came home from the gym last night last night and it hit the spot! It had just the amount of sweetness from the fruit and crunchiness from the coconut strips and pumpkin seeds. 

For the recipe in its entirety, it can be found here. It’s a great way to enjoy a new recipe as part of healthy eating!

Lynda, RD