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