Watching Weight on your Wish List?

    
Last week Molson Canadian 67 revealed the results of their latest nationwide survey. It appears that
during this holiday season 66% of people said they expect to gain between one and nine pounds. Nine
pounds is certainly extreme, but it's fact that on average most people do gain one to two pounds. A
pound or two isn't such a big deal if you take up and stick to the New Year's resolution of getting
healthy and fit. However this usually isn't the case. In fact, it's been proven that weight gainers over
the holidays don't seem to lose the weight, and even worse, it tends to accumulate year after year.
Holidays are a time to enjoy friends, family and food, and contrary to what many think, you can have
all three without putting on the extra pounds! Through mindful eating, moderation and with a few
simple tips you can avoid the belly like a bowl full of jelly this holiday season.

One of the most important things to do is plan ahead. Start at breakfast. Be sure to have a good
one, i.e. a balanced meal and certainly don't skip it! Those who indulge in the first meal of the day
tend to consume fewer calories throughout the day. If time is an issue start to prepare something
the night before. Baked beans, a veggie fritatta, or fruit salad take very little time and serve as great
leftovers, plus they won't put extra strain on the already tight purse strings. Skipping any kind of meal
throughout the day is a common practice this type of year, but also a big no-no. Often it results in
overeating, and over time it can interfere with the way your body processes food, storing it as fat. At
home, keep a good stock of healthy, lower calorie snacks in the fridge. The holidays can be such as
busy time, and so it's a great idea to have a 'healthy snack bin', or container of ready made grab and go healthy eats. Healthy snacks can double as mini-meals to keep you energized during busy days.

Ideal bin items can be fruit, vegetables, soups, low-fat yogurt and cheese, skim milk, hummus, whole-grain crackers and breads, and nuts and seeds. Always think ahead. If you know you're going to a holiday party and going to be consuming more than usual make extra effort in the days prior to. Remember the 80/20 rule. Eat nutritious higher-fibre, lower-fat foods 80% of the time so you can indulge in a few treats about the other 20%. When at an event, use a smaller plate. It allows you to put less food on there and encourages proper portion sizes. You can also start by filling your plate with vegetables and salad before going to the entrees and desserts. Eat slowly, and taste each bite. Wait about twenty minutes before going back for more. It takes about this much time for your brain to catch up with your stomach.

Equally important as foods are fluids. Be sure to drink plenty of water before, during and after meals.
This is important for watching our weight because it can help us feel full and reduce the amount of
food we eat. People tend to not get enough fluids, and many often confuse hunger for thirst. Before
reaching for holiday goodie have water first to be sure it's food (and not fluid) your body is really
asking for. Alcoholic drinks are fine in moderation, but they can be loaded with calories and can
dehydrate you. Drink them in moderation. Plan to have water or soda water with a slice of lemon or
lime between each drink to pace yourself. If you're hosting an event have one or more non-alcoholic
options, such as sparkling water with lemon, cranberry juice spritzers, 'virgin' Caesars, non-alcoholic
beers, and lower-fat eggnogs and hot chocolates.

Equally important to eating healthy is being active, so be sure to let the holiday spirit move you. Make plans with family or friends to get regular exercise during the holidays- at least 30 minutes a day. It won't just burn calories, but be a fun way to help destress and unwind from the holiday bustle.

As seen in The Telegram December 19, 2011

Healthy Holiday Gifts

    
Think you might be on Santa's naughty list this year? One way to get on the opposite side might be to
give a gift of health. You're likely going to pick up something for the people on your list anyway, so
why not make it great and a chance to improve their well-being? A gift of health is truly something
that keeps on giving. When you think about it, really, there's no better gift you can give than that. Did
I mention healthy gifts also add personal touch and make a thoughtful lasting impression? Getting out
of the routine of buying a Pot of Gold box, or fast food gift card probably seems difficult and more
work, so let's see if I can encourage you with some of my experiences and ideas for healthy holidays.

Last season I experienced a gift revolution one might say. I really wanted to give meaningful things to the very dear people on my list, but who also happened to be hard to shop for. Surprisingly it took a while to figure it out. The answer however was actually quite simple. A gift of health. So off I went making antioxidant rich vegetable soups, high fiber winter warming stews, and omega-3 rich nut breads and muffins complete with handmade labels to show what they food was, and what made it healthy. Like any sort of change, I wasn't sure how this would go over instead of 'gifts'. But truth be told it was a hit and preparations are well under way for the same this year. The purpose of this story is just to remind you that doing something simple and thoughtful for those you love, while making homemade gifts and goodies (and feeling like a kid again!) – it's really what the holidays are all about and meant to be.

More homemade healthy eats sure to go over well can include jam from berries picked over the summer, freshly made nut butter with almonds, walnuts, or cashews, personalized trail mix with dried fruit, nuts and small chocolate pieces, and favorite cookie and muffin recipes made with fun modifications for reducing sugar and fat (such as applesauce, can pumpkin and even avocado). Don't feel like being Santa's elf in the kitchen this year? Not to fret, there are still other great gift ideas for health. Take for instance a fruit basket, or even simpler yet, a box of clementine's in place of chocolates or fruitcake. Assortments of fine coffees or teas instead of hot chocolate and sugary drink mixes are sure to have more antioxidants with less calories. Ideas could also be a spice, oil or nut assortment, a cookbook, or kitchen gadget like a slow cooker, bread machine, or blender filled with recipes someone might enjoy. Don't forget about stockings! They can be part of the fun and healthy giving too. Does anyone remember having an orange in the toe in their stocking on Christmas morning? Whatever happened to that tradition? Along with the dark chocolate, mark it on your list to pick up some fruit this year too. Oranges, bright red pomegranates, a green apple, or perhaps some dried fruit leathers or raisins, fruit and veggies washes are alternate stuffer ideas. Be creative! Last year I included chocolate flavored vitamin D tablets in my loved one's stocking. I wouldn't recommend this for kids, as we wouldn't this to be confused this for candy, but it's a great idea for adults.

There will be lots of treats and goodies throughout the season, by giving healthy choices this year it's
sure to be a welcome change that will leave a lasting impression. You never know, it might even spark a tradition for a family trend of healthy gift giving, like it has for mine. The holidays are certainly a time for fun, but it doesn't mean health and nutrition has to go down the chimney. Here's to health and happiness with gift giving this ho ho ho season.

 As seen in The Telegram December 12, 2011

Extreme Grocery Couponing for Healthy Holidays

  

When it comes to holiday store midnight madness and tax free savings you've likely seen, and taken
part in some of the great deals this year already. The Bank of Montreal 2011 Holiday Spending
Outlook last week predicted there will be less under the tree and more on tables this year. Each year
it seems we spend more and more on food. It shouldn't come as a surprise really. The cost of food
has continued to increase, and in addition a lot of us are still eating more than we should. But in
putting portions aside for this discussion, what if I told you there are deals similar to tax free savings
all year round at one of the places you shop the most. Yes that's right, the grocery store. Remember
couponing? It's making a big comeback. Perhaps you've seen TLC's show Extreme Couponing? Well
there's actually a way to get some deals similar to this but do it the healthfully too.

A common misconception among people who don't use coupons is that the value of the coupon really
isn't enough to make a difference in the long run. Nothing could be further from the truth my healthy
eating friends. As a rule in our house the priority list for grocery choices it's always nutrition first, and saving money second. As an example, last week's groceries included lots of fresh and can fruits and veggies, assortment of nuts, haddock, yogurt, cottage cheese, whole grain cereals and bread, and a few miscellaneous products like dish detergent and baggies. Had we not used coupons and shopped sale items total spent would have been over $75, but because we shopped wisely we paid only $41.43.

So how can this be done? Plan your meals for the week by using Eating Well with Canada's Food
Guide. Shop flyers and then use both these and the guide to make your grocery list. Match coupons
only with the foods you are going to eat and buy. The key is to only buy what you intend on eating,
and not because there is a sale. This is how you avoid the pitfall of ending up with 'junkier' cheaper
foods. If you consider the food guide, there are tons of choices here that regularly have coupons.
Juices, canned fruits and veggies, whole grain cereals, breads, pasta and rice, yogurt, fortified soy
beverages, canned meats and fish and nuts butters are some of the popular ones. From time to time
there are also coupons for fresh produce too believe it or not. But how do you really get the deals? As
in food for free, or better yet, making money towards the rest of your grocery purchase? (And yes it
can be done, because I have done it). It's takes a little of what's called grocery cart and supermarket
smarts.

When I say couponing I don't just mean using one coupon here or there to save a dollar. I mean really
using grocery coupons to their full advantage to get the healthiest eats for the absolute lowest dollar
possible. For example, did you know that in some stores you can use a manufacturer and store coupon. That's called coupon stacking. Other stores during a buy one get one free promotion will allow you to use coupons on those items too. Some stores will not only match sale prices from others, but they will also accept competitor coupons too. Combing a sale price, or something that is 50% off (say day old bread or about to expire yogurt) with the above coupons tips and tricks is really the key to big savings.

To become fluent in this try to shop at the same store and get to know their coupon policy.
So where can you find coupons? Just about anywhere really. Newspapers and magazines, grocery
stores, the internet, products (especially cereals) are places to keep your eyes open. Certain food
manufacturers have also been known to send coupons to loyal customers who have contacted them.
It's somewhere around 2% of coupons that are distributed actually get used. If you ask me, that's big
savings that a lot of people are missing out on. If you looking to save money and eat healthy this
holiday season (or all year for that matter) grocery coupons are the way to go. Saving $20 a week is an extra $1040 a year, which is enough to make anyone's season a little more jolly.

As seen in Telegram December 5, 2011

Warning: This Food May Give You ____________

                                           
Ill health, obesity, chronic disease, or even death with long term use. Does it get your attention?
Ever popular is the discussion of a food tax for controlling obesity, but what about another equally
polarizing strategy: warning labels on food. There are no countries with food health warnings in effect to date, but some of the keen places who have implemented the so called 'fat tax' have talked about it.

A warning label for food would feature statements and explicit pictures about the harmful effects of
consuming certain foods or nutrients in excess. You've probably noticed we currently have optional
and regulated claims on food which showcase its healthfulness, making it easily identifiable for a
consumer that this product is a good choice. E.g. "a healthy diet low in saturated and trans fat may
reduce the risk of heart disease" is often found on food which meet the statement nutritional criteria.
So why not have the opposite? It isn't that far fetched when you think about it in those terms. In fact, a study this year in the Journal of Consumer Affairs actually suggested that a warning label system might work better than a food tax. With their examination, price alone wasn't enough to stop people from buying certain foods, and interestingly enough those who had the least resistance to increased prices were also the heaviest people. A warning label however, well it did make more people not purchase that food, or go for a healthier alternative. Obviously this study is only one piece of the research pie, but it's a tasty one none the less.

 

So warnings labels may work. But if we base this assumption on the popular historical cigarette
package example, we might be hard pressed. Comparing nutrition to smoking, is like comparing
apples to oranges. All in all we know smoking isn't good for us. Whether it's us ourselves smoking,
or second hand smoke, it doesn't really matter. Food isn't so straight and narrow. We need certain
amounts of nutrients, some more often than others. Foods are often stated are 'good' or 'bad', and in an
ideal world we try and want to try and have a balance- remember the rainbow! But even in some of
the so called 'bad' foods there can actually be a little 'good' nutrition. Take French fries as an example. Even though they are deep fried, high in saturated and trans fat, and don't forget sodium, an unnamed favorite takeout's medium size can also have % daily value of 20% for fiber and 15% for vitamin C. (% daily value basically lets you know if a food have a little or a lot of nutrients. 5% or less is a little, 15% or more is a lot. In the run of a day we want to have more of the healthful nutrients, things like fiber and vitamin C, and less of the not-so-healthful). It's easy to see that food is complex, and it's not a one situation fits all, like smoking. Food is essential for life, but it's also about enjoyment. So it's finding that line between nourishment and pleasure. Dietitians encourage people to have and enjoy treats as part of a balanced diet, it's all a part of moderation. When it comes to smoking that's not so much.

During this history of smoking and poor nutrition choices there are events which seem to suggest
poor food choices are following in the smoking shadow. The ban of smoking in public areas, some
restaurants and food manufactures in other parts of the world are actively banning trans fats. Lawsuits
against tobacco companies, and now the same for fast food giants due to chronic health problems and
obesity. The previously socially accepted, now shunned cigarette, where now that has shifted to being
overweight or obesity. Due to the high rates of obesity and associated chronic disease seen not only
here in Newfoundland, but across North America there is evidence that we need to do more. But what?

Most would say there is a lot of information on food packaging already. Could it be effective helping
consumers, or add to the confusion? Would a warning label on food with a picture of a blocked
arteries, or morbidly obesity make you think twice about consuming it?

As seen in The Telegram November 28 2011

Popular Not-So-Good-For-You 'Diets'

                                           
I suppose it started about 100 years ago with 'No diet, no baths, no exercise. FAT - the enemy that is
shortening your life - BANISHED. How? With sanitized tapeworms – jar-packed". Yes that's the right the tapeworm diet. Sure it's extreme, but it just goes to show how far people were willing to go to lose weight. In recent years this diet has been making a comeback, along with a whole slew of others. Sure the ones below don't seem as extreme, but from a science perspective don't veer far off the same path.

The Alkaline Diet
The thought here is that certain foods are alkaline (most fruits, vegetables and plant proteins) and others are acidic (animal proteins, dairy, starchy vegetables, grains, coffee, etc). Acidic foods apparently promote damage to the body and create chronic disease, whereas alkaline foods are           protective and 'healthier'. The modern diet is thought to be more acidic and hence when this isn't accompanied by alkaline foods it can cause disease. If that wasn't odd enough, the other part to this diet is measuring your pee. Bottom line? Looking specifically at the foods and measuring pee in this
manner are not reliable ways to prevent or manage chronic disease. There are no hard facts telling us this diet can prevent or cure obesity, diabetes, heart disease or even cancer, which it is often promoted as doing.

The Blood Type Diet
The blood type diet is, you guessed it, based on the eating the 'right' foods for your blood type. Depending on your blood type you should and shouldn't eat certain things. As an example, those who
are type A are better suited to a vegetarian diet, type O should get a lot of animal proteins with less grain and dairy, type B are susceptible to different diseases than A and O and should eat accordingly, and somehow AB is a combination of the recommendations for blood types A and B. What you eat
and how you exercise essentially depends on who you are. Bottom line here is blood type has little to
do with digestion or the rest of our body chemistry. Limiting specific foods and whole food groups can also leave us nutritionally devoid. Similar to the first diet, this one too lacks the hard science and facts.

Paleolithic Diet
This one dates back to caveman days where people during that time ate a diet of wild plants and animals. It consists mainly of lean meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, roots, and nuts; and excludes grains,
legumes, dairy products, salt, refined sugar, and processed oils. People at this time we apparently free from disease and according to diet founders a diet like this today can help do the same. Free from disease, probably not. Free from nutritional deficiency, absolutely not. Without dairy it would difficult to get enough calcium and vitamin D through the diet, and grains and legumes help to give us fibre. Remember nutritional deficiency and disease are linked.

Sure there are others out there like the cabbage soup diet, grapefruit diet, and whole other realms of  thinking like the formerly popular Atkins (eating low carb) and fruitarinism (where people eat only fruit). It's actually been shown that consuming very low calories amounts in the form of twinkies can help one lose weight. Why? Because you are consuming less than you are expending. Would it be
advisable to do this? Absolutely no. You might lose weight initially, but with the lack of nutrition
you run the risk of chronic disease for the future. When hearing about these diets and being enticed
to try ask yourself one question. Is the science there and does it make sense? Know the facts before
starting out on a diet like the ones above. Even though it's just food, we know that eating more of less
of something, or even nothing at all could have the potential to be dangerous.

As seen in The Telegram November 21, 2011

At the Tip of the Iceberg for Diabetes

                                           

November 14th, otherwise today, is World Diabetes Day. Did you know that Newfoundland and
Labrador has the highest prevalence of diabetes in the country? Future forecasts expect this to
increase too, at an alarming rate. It's a bigger issue than most people think. (Before we get any further
remember there are a few types of diabetes. For our purposes we are talking about Type II which is
when the pancreas still produces insulin but our bodies aren't as efficient at using it). Currently it's
estimated that 9% of the people in our province have diabetes and by 2020 that number will be 14%.
That's an astonishing 73 000 people! It costs our province about $254 million every year, which by
2020 will be over $322 million. This is just the tip of the diabetes iceberg too. Many people have
diabetes several years before being diagnosed, so these numbers likely don't truly reflect the amount
of people who have this disease in our province. Estimated numbers here don't include people who
are living undiagnosed, those who have diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) or those with pre-diabetes. Pre-diabetes is not diabetes, but also not a normal blood sugar either. It's when blood sugar sits between what is normal and that of someone with diabetes. It's thought by 2020, rates of diabetes and pre-diabetes in Newfoundland and Labrador will be at 32%. Yes, that's right, one in three.

Diabetes is a chronic disease and something people will have for life. It's a disease that doesn't show
itself right away and causes slow damage over a period of time. Because of these things unfortunately
diabetes is a disease which often gets overlooked. It's not often taken with the same seriousness and
sentiment, as say cancer, but rather discussed and treated as a not-so-serious medical condition, as say irritable bowel syndrome. Like cancer, we all know someone with diabetes. Interestingly enough
cancer can sometimes be curable, diabetes is not, and they both can one how or another result in
premature death. Diabetes is much more serious than some would like to believe, and it is suffice to
say it has become an epidemic in our province.

For the health and sustainability of our people we need to get serious and act now. Reports from
the Canadian Diabetes Association earlier this year told us given the circumstance, and when in
comparison to other provinces we (Newfoundland and Labrador) are doing a pretty poor job at the
prevention of this disease. The fact of the matter is that they are right. Second to Quebec, we are the
only province not have a provincial chronic disease prevention program for diabetes in place. One
is apparently in the works, but when looking at other provinces they seem to have had strategies and
programs in place for years. Provincially we also lack a diabetes registry, meaning we aren't able to
effectively track what's happening to manage the disease and it's partnering health conditions. This too, along with our lifestyle factors are partly to blame.

There are several risk factors associated with Type II diabetes. Being over forty, having a family
history, having high blood pressure, cholesterol or heart disease, and being overweight especially
around the middle are just a few. What's scary is that many of us, and people we know surely have one or more of these risk factors. In addition to this, it has been noted Newfoundlanders and Labradorians nationally have the highest prevalence of unhealthy diets and second highest prevalence of inactivity and obesity. So what can we do to prevent it? Besides the obvious things we can't control like age, sex, race and genetics, we can start by eating a healthy, balanced diet. Participate in regular physical activity. Maintain a healthy body weight, and last but not least not smoke. It's all things we've heard before and sounds relatively simple, doesn't it? Perhaps we need to do more, or at least pay more attention given provincial rates still continue to climb.

As seen in The Telegram November 14, 2011

Movember

                                           

Did you know in 2011 there will be more cases of prostate cancer diagnosed than breast cancer?
November is Movember. For those of you who don't know, it's a month for men around the world to
grow moustaches and raise awareness about male health, in particular for the prostate. Stats Canada
released a report just a few days ago letting us know cancer has become the leading cause of death in
every province across our nation. It has surpassed heart disease. Prostate cancer, along with along
with lung, colon and breast are among the top four. To aid the efforts of Movember, (since I won't be
growing moustache!) here's the need to know on eating well to protecting your prostate against cancer.

Eat tomatoes! That's right. Any kind counts. Fresh, canned, frozen, whole, chopped and even pureed. Tomatoes and other red orange fruits and vegetables (think watermelon, apricots, pink grapefruit and papaya) are high in a special type of antioxidant called lycopene. It's a powerful protector for the prostate, and other cancers too. What's unique about this antioxidant is that processed foods have more lycopene that our bodies can use! Canned tomato sauce, pureed tomatoes, tomato soup and juice, even pizza sauce and ketchup can be sources. When these foods are heated, they have even more usable lycopene again. It's kinda contrary to what people normally think of as being the healthiest choice, i.e. Fresh and raw, and is a good example of how many different foods can have a place in our diet and be nutritious too. Remember processed doesn't always mean bad. It's just something that has been taken from it's original form and modified. (The nice thing about this is we can get canned tomato products around our province all year and it's something that often goes on sale too). You'll want to cook and eat these foods a couple times a week in order to reap the benefits here.

Foods that have the mineral selenium are also thought to be prostate cancer fighters. Selenium, is also an antioxidant, like the lycopene in tomatoes. Brazil nuts, fish (including cod, tuna, halibut, and salmon), whole grains, and wheat germ are all good sources. One serving for nuts would be a post it note, for fish, a deck of cards. Having meatless protein choices a couple times a week is also really good. Try a fortified soy beverage instead of milk and use tofu in replace of meat in stir-fries, casseroles and stews. Add beans and lentils to soups, salads and pasta sauces. It important to know that sometimes high doses of particular supplements can actually make cancer worse rather than better.

Bigger and more isn't always better! Foods should always be first and supplements reviewed by a
doctor. Carrying around excess weight we know is not good for cancer prevention and health overall.
Especially important is where we carry it too. Excess fat around the waist and upper body (which is
usually where men carry it) is a greater health concern than fat on hips and thighs. Are you not sure
if you need to lose weight? Measuring your waist is a good place to start. Find the halfway point
between your lowest rib and hip bone (it's usually around your belly button). Measure around your
belly here with a long tape. If you're a male and it's at or over 40 inches (102 cm) that's too big and it's putting you at risk for poor health. (For the females who want to do this at home too, it's 35 inches or 88 cm).

Prostate cancer is a disease that affects about one in seven men. One in three of all cancer cases are
preventable with reasonable and appropriate diets, physical activity and maintenance of appropriate
body weight. Take some preventative action steps to help reduce your risk and share your strategies
and tips with friends and family members. To learn more about Movember and to get involved visit
www.movember.com.

As seen in The Telegram November 7, 2011

Healthy Halloween Tricks & Tips

                                           

Halloween is certainly a fun time for both kids and adults alike. We get to dress up in fun costumes,
go to parties, and of course for kids trick or treat! With all that fun it can also be a time where we get
carried away. The amount of candy and sweets collected and thought of trying to have a moderate
sweet intake with such large amounts of sweets in our homes is enough to make even the most diet
conscious frustrated and overwhelmed. Aside from being the food police (with or without costume!)
there are tricks caregivers can try to ensure kids have a healthy and still happy Halloween with treats.

Trick #1. Set your expectations before trick or treating this evening. Determine a reasonable amount
of days to enjoy the treats (probably not until all the treats are gone, as kids are likely to get a lot!)
It's good to talk to kids and explain how it's fun to go trick or treating, and how treats can be part of a
healthful diet, but in small doses. Help your kids see the benefits of how making Halloween treats last
longer is a good thing. It helps to control the amount eaten, and more importantly establish healthy
eating habits for when they become adults.

Trick #2. Having supper before going out, or even a snack, should supper have been early, is a very
good idea. This way tummies will be full and kids will be less tempted to reach into their pumpkins
before getting home.

Trick #3. Trick or treat at homes you know. This helps to ensure treat safety, limit the amount of
food collected and increase possibility of getting healthy items. Thing like popped popcorn, apples
and homemade goodies can be kept from homes you know and are obviously healthier variations of
Halloween treats.

Trick #4. When home enjoying treats provide them with a glass of milk or water. Not only will kids
fill up quickly, but they will get extra fluids and in the case of milk, calcium and vitamin D.

Trick #5. Be a good role model. Practice healthy eating yourself. Kids mimic your behaviour and
attitudes. Practice skills of moderation around kids and store treats in the kitchen (not bedroom) to set
good examples.

Trick #6. Get your child to choose which candies or treats they would like to have in the next few
days. Have them place these into small baggies for each day. This empowers kids with decision
making and ownership, but also teaches portion control and moderation skills. It's also a good idea to
set your own expiration date for the candy. Pick a date of no more than two weeks away. Any treats
not eaten after this date can be used for other purposes.

But what to do with all that excess candy? Against putting it in the  garbage or bringing it to the staff lunch room? Instead of wasting it completely or increasing the waistlines of your fellow co-workers, here are some suggestions . Try using small pieces of crushed treats or candy on a peeled banana, insert a wooden stick and freeze. This makes yummy banana pops. A snack kids will enjoy and obviously served up in a healthier way. Use small pieces like M&M's and Reese's Pieces together with healthy food tidbits such as dried fruit, pretzels, and popcorn to make a trail mix snack. This is a great shelf stable snack that can be stored in large containers and then portioned out. Rather not eat the treats? Use it at Christmas for a gingerbread house, or bring to daycare or school to use in arts and crafts.


Don't let Halloween haunt you. It should be fun for both kids and parents alike. Treats can certainly be a part of a healthy eating plan as long as you practice moderation and portion control.

As seen in The Telegram October 31, 2011

The Hunger Puzzle

                                           
It's a complex one and one with many pieces. With a picture on the box, it seems easy enough to solve. The edge pieces to most seem like the logical place to start – akin to creating more food and equalizing its distribution. We soon realize, with all pieces right-side up that the finished picture will take more time and thought. After completing the puzzle frame, we can see those 'where to place' middle ones. Empowerment of women, the price of food, livestock, and the specific food we eat - all crucial pieces, which, when placed in the right spot could solve the picture. Such is the puzzle of the picture of hunger.

After World Food Day, experts across the globe gave their input as to how we can control and modify
the crisis of 1 billion, or 1 of every 6 people, not having enough to eat. The ideas below are a summary of the most interesting thoughts and innovative ways reviewed for us to solve this picture puzzle.

Empowerment of women. Specifically, women in developing areas of the world. Here women are the primary caregivers and teachers. They are in charge of feeding families, the bulk of agricultural work, while working long hours daily in fields and then marketing crops and fish for sale. While doing all this, they are too discriminated against and denied access to information and resources in comparison to men. Empowerment benefits women, families and communities. This powerful step alone is said to be able to decrease hunger for 150 million people.





Genetic engineering. Making crops and foods more efficient and effective for growth and production. They can be built to produce greater yields, withstand weather elements, disease and pests. A new science, with still much to learn but in the most simplistic view, increased production of reliable food can help with world hunger and malnutrition.

Increase food cost. Ironic yes, as rising foods costs are also thought to be a problem. This train of
thought however is based upon wastage. It's estimated that 30% of food worldwide is wasted and in
Canada and the US specifically we waste about 50% of food. Some foods can be quite costly, but there is also the other side of the spectrum where many are cheap and available in large quantities too (some being the unhealthy choice, i.e. $1 drive through menu items, $0.30 noodles in the grocery store). But the notion is true that people will respect something more if there is a higher dollar value associated with it. If food was to get more expensive would you think twice about wasting as much as you do?

Eating less meat. Livestock requires more water, grain, soybean, corn and sometimes land than it's veggie counterpart. Interestingly enough, meat production globally continues to rise and so does
hunger. Maybe the food we are using to the feed animals we eat could be used to feed people. We (especially in North America) are consuming more meat than ever before, in greater frequency and
proportions.




There are many pieces to the puzzle, but it seems that we have nearly all the ones we need. We've got
the framework done, and now it's a matter of placing those in the centre to solve the hunger picture.

As seen in The Telegram October 24th 2011

Mini Chocolate Pistachio Avocado Cupcakes

This is the recipe that was featured at the Healthy Living Show today.  It's a another version for a standard chocolate cupcake, but with a few healthy substitutions.

Avocado in replacement of shortening/lard/margarine/butter (for those looking to choose healthier fats), and pistachios or another nut flour in place of flour (for people with Celiac disease).

These are just a few examples of how to modify a favourite food, with still having great taste.  Obviously this is still something to have on occasion in combination with a healthful diet.

None the less they were gobbled up pretty fast so there is no picture, but trust us- they were really good!

Ingredients

• 3 oz.
  pistachios, shelled
• 3 ¹⁄₂ oz.
  dark chocolate chocolate, finely chopped
• 3 oz.
  margarine
• 3/4 cup
  sugar, divided
• 2
  eggs, separated
• 1
  ripe, fresh avocados, peeled, seeded and diced
• ¹⁄₂ tsp.
  vanilla extract
• ¹⁄₃ tsp.
  baking powder
  
  
  
  

  Instructions

  1. Finely grind nuts in the food processor, pulsing on/off, until the consistency of fine meal. 
  2. Increase oven heat to 350ºF. Line muffin pan. 
  3. Combine chocolate and butter in a bowl and microwave on medium power for 2 1/2 minutes Stir until smooth. 
  4. Beat egg yolks with the whisk attachment in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating until yolks are very thick. Add the avocado to the mixer, increase speed, and beat until smooth. Reduce speed to low and gradually stir in the vanilla and chocolate and nut mixtures.
  5. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with baking powder on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, and continue beating until stiff, but not dry. Gently fold the beaten whites into the yolk mixture (yolk mixture will be very thick).  Fold the yolk mixture back into the remaining whites.  Pour about 1 tbsp batter into mini muffin cups.  

Will Taxing Unhealthy Foods Make a Difference?

                                         

Just last week Denmark was the first country in the world to create a fat tax for specific foods. What
is a fat tax you ask? For Denmark, it's a tax that will be charged on all foods having more than 2.3%
saturated (or bad) fat. It affects everything from milk, to oil and packaged products. The money
generated from this new tax will be used to fight obesity in that country. Denmark isn't alone in the
food tax arena as it appears other countries are following their lead. Hungary has just started a tax on
all foods with unhealthy levels of sugar, salt and carbohydrates, and high levels of caffeine. Countries
including Denmark, Switzerland and Austria have banned trans fats, and Finland and Romania are
considering fat taxes too. Tax methods that have also been discussed here in Canada, mostly Quebec,
and include those for 'junk' foods, soft drinks and energy drinks.

So what does all this mean and how can it help? Well there are certainly pros and cons when it comes
to being the food police. On the positive side a food tax may help to show people that there are
healthier, more cost effective options for purchase and eating. With less people choosing these foods
it may help to curb the chronic disease associated with poor choices over time, including heart disease, high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and obesity.

However despite, this the question still remains whether increasing the cost of these foods will actually help curb people from putting those foods in the grocery cart. If a small bag of chips regularly costs $1 and the price jumps top $1.25, is that really enough of a difference to stop people from buying it? My thoughts are probably not. We all know human nature is the more people know they shouldn't do something, the more they'll want to do it. As another side note let's look at soft drinks. If we tax the regular, high sugar soft drink one would think it might create a shift towards more diet drinks being consumed. This is possibly a better choice as there is less overall calories and sugar, however it is still nutrient devoid and replacing something in the diet that could have been more nutritious, like milk, water or even juice. Taxing one specific component of food (like sugar or fat) may not be the answer as there are many components of food which could all make a food equally healthy or unhealthy (including salt, caffeine, total calories, a lack of vitamins and minerals, and the list goes on). It has not been one specific food component which has steered us towards the obesity and chronic disease cycle, but rather a collection of not-so-good eating habits over time.

So say people are in favour of an unhealthy food tax. Do we actually have the right to dictate to people what they should and should not be eating? Some would say yes, given everyone who pays taxes is indirectly responsible for each others healthcare. That is somewhat true I suppose, however fatter people don't necessarily cost the healthcare system more. A food tax is usually aimed at decreasing obesity rates. Don't forget the skinny people eat potato chips, drink pop and get heart disease too.
There is certainly not one solution to the complex problem of the food supply but here's my alternate
suggestion for a food tax. Instead of punishing people for making bad choices lets reward them for
making better choices. Let's not tax the 'junk' food and strive to make healthier foods cheaper and
available for everyone. Educate more on the benefits of a healthful diet, show people how they make
these alternate choices and more importantly subsidize the cost of milk, fruits and vegetables and then see how many people will fill their carts with these foods first.

As seen in The Telegram October 17, 2011

Discovering the Health Benefits of Cocoa and Dark Chocolate

 Chocolate, it's a food that many of us love and enjoy, myself included. Interestingly enough, as much
consumption happiness as there is for chocolate, there is frequently as much or more consumption
guilt as well. If you are one of the many people involved in this love, hate chocolate relationship then
this article is for you. The news is when eating the right kind and right amount it's actually something
we should feel good about eating. That's right. Feel good, not bad. Why? Because certain types of
chocolate and cocoa can actually be good for us!

The use of dark chocolate and cocoa dates back to people of the past where it was used as money and a gift to the gods. Both cocoa powder and chocolate are made from the seeds of a special kind of ancient fruit. Today, cocoa beans (yes they're called beans, but technically they are seeds) are harvested, fermented, dried, roasted and then milled to create a chocolate liquor. Cocoa powder is then made by pressing the fat content, or cocoa butter from the this. As both cocoa and chocolate come from plants they often have high amount of flavanols. It's a fancy for word for antioxidant, which for the most part work to scrub our arteries and take out the other garbage in our body. This likely sounds a little familiar. The other places where we can find a lot of these dietary garbage collectors are mostly brightly colored fruits and veggies, and whole grains.

Dark chocolate and cocoa have equal or sometimes more antioxidants than other 'superfruits' like acai, blueberry, cranberry and pomegranates. (Obviously we know it's not a healthier choice than these foods, as the fruits will come with more vitamins, minerals, and fiber, but this is just to demonstrate the power of moderation and again to show how we shouldn't feel guilt about eating it that way). Sometimes chocolate and cocoa products will have a lot of added sugar and be in super size portions. Think of the checkout counter standard bars, and candy and drive through hot drinks. These are not the kind of healthful chocolate we are going to talk about and want to eat more of. What is the right chocolate prescription per se? Think quality and quantity. Remember small amounts are key and there can always be too much of a good thing. Amounts can vary, but for heart health as little as 6g has shown to be helpful for some people. To give you a visual, that's about one and a half (dark) Hershey kisses a day. Both dark and milk have the good-for-you flavanols, however milk usually has less as the non-fat cocoa solids are replaced by milk. White chocolate doesn't have any.

An ancient fruit with a whole lot of modern day benefit. Although it has been around for many years
the health benefits of chocolate are only something we have come to realize in the past 30 years or
so. We know that both cocoa and chocolate can help the heart as it can decrease blood pressure and
improve cholesterol. Yes, it can help cholesterol and yes chocolate can be high in bad fat. The key
here is the kind of fat. The saturated fat in chocolate is mostly one which doesn't affect cholesterol
levels (for those who are interested it's called stearic acid). Benefits can extend beyond the heart too.
We are learning that eating small amounts can extend to improve the action of insulin, memory and
even protect the skin against harmful UV rays.

The other thing we know not from science, but from learning and experience is that good usually
trumps bad. With all this said be sure to foster that love relationship for chocolate. Truth be told, a
refill of it might just be what the dietitian or your doctor will order.

As seen in The Telegram October 11, 2011

Food Matter for Breast Cancer Prevention

                                           
'The projected number of new cancer cases in 2011 is roughly the population of St. John's, NL.' It's pretty intense statement to say the least, and one that was made by the Canadian Cancer Society
to show 2011 numbers for across the country. There is good news, but they go on to tell us Atlantic Canada has the highest overall rates and numbers of death. Science tells us diet alone is unlikely to be
the sole cause or cure of cancer, but (good news) it is thought to be partly responsible for about 30% to 40%. That's roughly 1/3. We all know someone with cancer, who has had cancer and many of us
someone who has left us due to cancer. With any situation, even something as devastating as this, it is important to focus on what is positive and how we can learn - One in three can be largely prevented with changes in our diet. We hear a lot about eating well to prevent cancers of things like the stomach, bowel and prostate, but not so much for breast cancer. After prostate and lung, it's the third most common form and one that is in the public eye a lot (just yesterday was the annual Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure). We still have more to learn, but it seems that physical activity, a healthy diet (particularly one low in fat and high in vegetables and fiber), reducing alcohol, and having a healthy weight are all things which can help lower breast cancer risk or having it come back.

So what steps can a man (yes they can have breast cancer too) or woman take? Avoid alcohol. It
sounds a little extreme, and yes in moderation alcohol can have benefits to the heart. But, when it
comes to breast cancer specifically drinking any amount of any kind your risk. If you do choose to
drink, limit to no more than one drink per day (this would be 350 mL bottle of beer or 150 mL of wine or 45 mL of liquor like vodka, whisky, rum or gin). Eating a variety of foods is also important and for many reasons. It is still being examined whether specific foods or nutrients such as vegetables, fruits, soy, flax, and fibre can affect breast cancer risk, but good news is do we know that they are important for overall health and general chronic disease prevention. We also know that supplements don't do the trick. In order to get these healthful prevention factors we need to eat good old fashioned food. A low fat diet may lower the risk of breast cancer and is also good for overall health. It can also help you low weight and stay at a healthy body weight, which both help to lower risk. When I say low fat I don't mean avoid the good ones like those found in fish, nuts and healthful oils. I mean reduce fat through having 2% (or less) milk and milk products, avoid fried and deep fried foods, watch the bakery aisle, choose lean cuts of meat, and use no more than 1 tsp of fat/oil at each meal. Another way to achieve the lower fat diet, eat well for prevention and weight control (in addition to eating more of something most don't get enough of) is to set aside the meat, or poultry one night a week. Have beans, peas, or lentils. If you want to try eating more beans, or lower fat foods and are stuck on ideas check out www.eatingwell.com, my personal number one resource for all recipes healthy.

I'm going to end this with a powerful take home message. Read carefully because if you remember one thing to take away from this article to try at home it should be this. 'Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.' I can't take credit as it was first coined by author, Michael Pollan, but as simple as it is, it may just be the one of the answers to the ever confusing question of what we should be eating to have healthy and prevent disease.

As seen in The Telegram October 3, 2011

Eat Well, but Don't Starve a Cold or Fever

                                         
It's an old wives tale- feed a cold, starve a fever. There are many myths and misinformation when
it comes to nutrition, our immune systems, and cold and flu prevention. Including recently the ever
popular notion that more is always better. One thing for certain is that 80% of our immune system lies within our stomach and intestines, and that good eating choices really do make a difference. With
colder weather approaching and sick season down the road it's a good time to talk about eating to
prevent illness.

First and foremost if you remember one thing it should be food first, supplements second. It's always best to get nutrients from food as opposed to dietary supplements, and for several reasons. There are many healthful vitamins, minerals and other good for you factors in foods not found in supplements. Take an orange and vitamin C tablet as an example. We all know that both are high in vitamin C,                      however the orange also has other nutrients such as B vitamins, minerals, fiber and whole load of
antioxidants which all can help to play a role in health and immunity as well. The other reason foods are usually better than taking a supplement is that the amount of vitamins and minerals found in a food is likely a dose that will not be in excess. Unknown to many, and quite similar to medications, vitamins and minerals have optimal doses too, and when in supplements can sometimes interact with other pills if not taken under the direction of a professional. Some swear by taking large doses of vitamin C, zinc or selenium as a cold and flu prevention tactic. Truth be told, if you take vitamin C as a supplement it will not prevent a cold. It is actually one of the vitamins that when consumed in excess we will pee it out. For the other minerals including zinc and selenium, the majority of people eat enough to meet their need. It's a misconception that consuming extra of these through a supplement will help to prevent a viral sickness. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and seafood is the best way to get enough of these above nutrients and others as well for health and prevention. Supplements can have their place for specific situations, but too frequently they are eaten like candy, unknowingly and freely when healthful foods could be in their place.

Other myths for cold and flu prevention include things like eating too much sugar, or (yikes!) not
eating at all. Eating too much sugar does not suppress your immune system. It can however replace
other nutrient rich foods in your diet which may not aid your mission in avoiding illness during high
season. An old wives tale of 'starving a fever' is also not a good idea. This actually does more harm
than good. When we don't eat we simply don't get the nutrients needed to aid our bodies in getting
better.

The bottom line is simply this- being healthy and preventing seasonal illness doesn't require
complicated diet. Food over supplements is certainly the best choice, not to mention easier and
cheaper. It's all about planning a well balanced diet with variety alongside Eating Well with Canada's
Food Guide servings and suggested choices.

As seen in The Telegram September 26, 2011

A Tale of Two Fish

As we all know from grocery shopping, in a given aisle there could be many foods from around the country or world. Even though we are an island and seafood surrounds us, the same is true for fish. Atlantic, Pacific, farmed, and wild. Fish from all origins supply our grocery shelves. To know the difference between Atlantic and Pacific is somewhat self-explanatory, but what about the difference between farmed and wild? For the basis of this discussion let's consider salmon, given it's farmed right here in NL.

Unlike wild salmon who go from interior streams to the Pacific Ocean, farmed fish are raised in floating net pens and fed a diet of fish oil, plant based protein and pellets of concentrated nutrients. Farmed salmon are also given carotenoids. For some people this may sound familiar as it's a pigment similar to those in carrots, that tints the flesh of farmed fish to look like the rich red and pink that occur naturally in Pacific species like Coho and sockeye salmon. As there are also some nutritional differences between the two. The main being wild salmon sometimes have more vitamin A and D and lower amounts of omega 3 fat than farmed.

Aside from nutrition, farmed salmon can contain more toxins (PCBs) than wild. It is useful for you to know that all food, including beef, chicken, seafood, grains and vegetables, contain trace levels of PCBs. These chemicals are everywhere in the environment in very, very small amounts. Seafood's, like any other food with a higher oil content will likely have higher levels than some other foods, as oil or fat is where toxins are stored. (As a sideline, because I know what some people will be thinking, before you decide to cut these healthful oils from your diet, a more sensible approach to avoid toxins would be to trim your waistline. As humans we are not immune to toxin storage, and fat is where store them too). The Canadian Food Inspection Agency regularly monitors farmed salmon and all food products to ensure that they are safe to eat. Many people often wonder about antibiotics and hormones in agriculture and aquaculture so let's talk about this too. Antibiotics are less frequently used in salmon farming than in other livestock farming, and hormones are not used in farm salmon grown for human consumption.

How do I know if what I buy in the grocery store is wild or farmed? If the fish is labelled as Atlantic Salmon, it is farmed. Usually it will be less expensive than wild salmon, available year round, and have more fat marbelling. Pacific salmon was once associated with being wild, however some farmed Pacific salmon is now on the market too, specifically farmed Pacific Chinook. If you are not sure if the salmon is wild or farmed, look at the colour and fat marbelling. If the colour is deep orange-red, and there is noticeable fat marbelling, it is likely farmed fish. Canned salmon is wild salmon, unless it is labeled as Atlantic.

The health benefits of eating fish far outweigh any potential health risks. Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, char, trout and sardines are a nutrient rich food which more often than not people don't get enough of. The recommendation is to have at least two servings (each about the size of a deck of cards) of these fish a week.

As seen in The Telegram September 19, 2011

How Food Secure Are We?

 Although there is more than enough food to feed the entire global population, well over 790 million people in the world suffer from constant hunger and malnutrition. With the continuing food insecurity problem in the Horn of Africa, perhaps it might be good to take some time to consider our own provincial food situation. Too often we consider the problems often associated with food excess, namely obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease and we may not consider the problems associated with the lack thereof. The Community Food Sharing Association estimates that, in our province today, there are 32 000 people without enough food to eat.

To understand the full picture, let's familiarize ourselves with the term food security. The Food Security Network of Newfoundland and Labrador tells us when all people at all times have access to enough food which meets our dietary need, is affordable, safe and healthy, culturally acceptable, accessible, and produced in ways that are socially sound and just. If you visited the Refugee Camp in the City hosted by Doctors Without Borders at Bannerman Park over the weekend, you may have just had a glimpse at what a large scale (similar to the current situation in Somalia and surrounding countries) food emergency crisis in Newfoundland could look like.

When you consider the evidence, Newfoundland and Labrador is not overly sustainable on it's own should a food emergency crisis occur. Consider the produce shelves at the grocery store if there has been bad weather and the trucks don't make it in for a day or so. As an island, we are isolated. Don't quote me on this, but I've heard we hold about a two to three day supply of fresh foods. Yes, we do produce some of own foods (about 10%), like milk, eggs and of course some vegetables, but because of our geography and weather, the growing season is relatively short and we can't provide the grocery store assortment of fruits and other fresh produce we have grown accustomed to (the other 90). Not only can food sometimes take a while to get here, but in addition to that it can be expensive. It's quite common knowledge that you can buy two to three two litres of pop for the same price as one two litre carton of milk. Due to some of these factors as well is the fact that our traditional diet, with the exception of berries and fish, are not overly healthy choices, and the fact is many people just simply aren't used to healthy eating. In addition, the fact that young people are not choosing farming as a career choice and the land in some places, specifically in Labrador, not being arable provides more challenges Add some, or all of these factors together and you're got a large entangled net of potential food insecurities.

Food security is a determinant for health. It is a large scale, and complex issue, but there are things individually we can each do. Perhaps there is an opportunity coming up where you can organize a local food drive. Maybe on your next trip to the grocery store, you can purchase that extra can of beans or tomatoes and place them in the donation bin on your way out. To save, you don't have to create stockpiles or go dumpster diving like the Extreme Couponers on TV. There are ways you can save a few dollars for healthy foods. Try collecting coupons, search for and compare sales and buy discounted grocery items. You can also learn more about how to grow, harvest or catch your own food, local community gardens, farms or markets and share this knowledge with the people you care about.

As seen in The Telegram September 12, 2011

Back to School, Breakfast and Health

Breakfast, or in other words, breaking of the overnight fast. It's one of the best ways to start the day the healthy way and begin the school year right. Making a commitment to have a balanced breakfast daily is certainly cool for back to school not to mention your health. After all, it's apparently the most important meal of the day. It's an old saying, but actually has some truth and a whole lot of benefit to it if you consider the science and facts. Yes, the benefits involve eating breakfast itself and hopefully nutritious food, but the benefits go beyond that as well, and some of them may surprise you.
Nutritious food. By the time children wake up to go to school, most have gone for eight, ten or more hours without eating. By eating breakfast, it helps to give kids more of the nutrients they need, including energy and essential factors for healthy growth and development. Kids who skip breakfast may not make up for the nutrients they miss out on at that meal.

Healthy weight and perhaps disease prevention. People who eat breakfast have healthier body weights. Skipping breakfast is not a smart weight control strategy, contrary to what some may think. In fact, children and adults who do eat breakfast daily have healthier weights than those who skip breakfast! In addition to healthier weights, there is also emerging information telling us that eating breakfast may provide other potential health effects including the promotion of heart, digestive, and bone health, reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome (a condition that increases your risk for heart disease) and likely increasing our overall energy.

School. A daily breakfast might be all it takes it get that next A or B on the report card as skipping breakfast can affect success in school. Get this, studies suggest that eating breakfast is associated with improved memory, better test grades, greater school attendance and better behaviour.

Ok, so we know it's good, but what exactly is a balanced (good) breakfast? Examples could include, whole grain toast and nut butter with juice, oatmeal topped with berries and a glass of milk, yogurt with cut fruit and granola, a cheese and veggie omelet. Essentially three or more of the food groups, which in turn provide fiber, protein and healthy fats to keep kids full and alert until recess or lunch. Avoiding heavily processed foods too is a good rule of thumb too to help avoid white flour and high sugar options (e.g. toaster strudels, pop tarts, white flour waffles, eggos and pancakes with syrup and some cereals, and muffins) as these don't help to keep us full, provide more calories but not as many of the other nutrients.

So about 93% of us believe breakfast to be important. What's interesting is that even though most of us know it's good for us, only about 44% of people consume it daily. The list is endless for reasons as to why people don't eat breakfast. Lucky for us, to help ensure kids have access to breakfast at schools daily is a provincial nonprofit organization called Kids Eat Smart Foundation. They focus on providing balanced breakfasts with the help of registered dietitians to schools, helping kids eat their best and do their best. To learn more about Kids Eat Smart, get a breakfast club started at your child's school, or just read more about some of the benefits to a balanced breakfast, visit www.kidseatsmart.ca.

As seen in The Telegram September 6, 2011