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