This week, someone shared this Bloomberg Business Week article revealing interesting data from a few US chains showing increased salad sales on Mondays.
Monday - day of perpetual hope and new beginnings!
Diets always start on Mondays, usually to crash and burn with Friday night drinks after work. In fact, one business owner in the article cites Friday lunch as a boom time for burgers. Or, maybe Monday is the day of repentance, as the article suggests. Many of us have been there: weekends filled with nachos, beers and double-scoop ice cream to be followed by All Bran and skinny lattes come Monday morning. In fact, as dietitians, we always ensure that clients record food habits on both weekends and weekdays as dietary habits are so different during those times. Yet another option is if a new dietary regime is already in the works, we plan to start it on Monday. We can then "take advantage" of the weekend to get all of our favourites "out of our system".
You know when would be a good time to start a diet? Right now. And let's not call it a diet, so much as a "new way of eating". The best part? No radical overhauls to how you eat. You don't have to say goodbye to some of your favourite treats. You simply need to figure out how to make them work for you and your bottom line.
If you are planning on making a big change, think about what your goals are and how realistic your plan is for long term success. Dieting is a bore so if you have weight to lose, consider how well your plan can be followed for life. If you can't see yourself on this regime for the rest of your life (or if it doesn't teach you how to adapt the plan for maintenance) you may find yourself selecting another Monday for another new diet in 6 months time.
If like the fresh start Mondays provide, use that power for permanent change by trying my UnDiet project, with weekly tips to slowly makeover your diet for good. Small changes have a powerful effect over time.
Showing posts with label diets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diets. Show all posts
Friday, August 3, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
Wheat Belly? Wheat BERRY!
Diet books come and go - the shelves are filled with titles that generally go unnoticed. Every once in a while there comes a book that, as a dietitian who works with the public, you just know you have to read. Wheat Belly, by William Davis MD, is one of them. Actually, it is probably THE book to read in 2012 if you are interested in this sort of thing.
The premise of the book (spoiler alert!) is that wheat (and gluten - for which he uses the term "wheat" incorrectly and interchangeably) is the reason we are sick, fat and inflamed. To his credit, Dr Davis (and/or his editor at Rodale) knows how to spin a yarn. He has a very convincing and direct style - the only acceptable conclusion to the information he presents is that wheat makes us ill. In fact, Dr Davis' writing would be very much at home on the gossip sites - such is his sensational story-telling style. His arguments might be very convincing, until you look a little closer.
Franken-wheat?
Core to his argument is that modern wheat has been cross-bred to the point that it barely resembles the wheat we ate even 50 years ago. I won't argue that our 42 chromosome modern wheat is anything like the 14 chromosome einkorn wheat and that, according to a baker friend of mine, it is "much stronger" than wheat commonly used in Europe. It is also true that Celiac Disease is increasing in numbers; it is estimated that 1 in 133 of us have Celiac Disease and we might not even know it. And non-Celiac gluten sensitivity is also on the rise. Dr Alessio Fasano, one of the heavyweights of Celiac research, estimates that 6% of us have gluten sensitivity. So for those of us who fall into those categories, wheat and gluten do make us sick. But those numbers do not equal 100%. Dr Davis is a cardiologist, not a Celiac specialist.
1+1=3?
My biggest concern with the book are the Swiss cheese-like holes in his logic and the way he cherry picks his evidence to support his arguments. Dr Davis makes the case that the molecular structure of wheat causes it to raise your blood sugar more than any other food. Then he tells you that you must also avoid most gluten free alternatives because they also raise your blood sugar. If it truly was the wheat/gluten (which one is it?) raising your blood sugar, then shouldn't gluten free options not have the same effect? In reality, it is all of our processed wheat products that wreak havoc with our blood sugar - any processed grain food, be it rice, oat or quinoa will do the same. Dr Davis knows that - his diet plan is pretty low on grains of any sort. Here are just a couple more of his transgressions:
1. Dr Davis claims that gluten acts like an opium-like drug in our system, making it addictive. To back up his argument, he cites a study from 1979 which used a concentrated gluten sample that had 10,000 times more opiate-like activity than the original 100g sample of gluten it was derived from. If you drank a glass of wine that had 10,000 times the alcohol...you wouldn't be so alive. The poison is in the dose.
2. Dr Davis also claims that newly diagnosed Celiacs lose weight when they eliminate gluten. The study he incorrectly cites to back his claim actually found that 82% of already overweight patients gained even more weight on a gluten free diet. People with Celiac Disease generally have malabsorption issues; as their gut heals and they are better able to absorb nutrients, weight gain isn't uncommon. In addition, many gluten free foods have lower fibre than their gluten-containing counterparts - making them easy to overeat and contributing to weight gain.
Yes, but....
I agree with Dr Davis on this: wheat has a large part to play in our current diabesity epidemic. But it isn't the wheat itself - our biggest sin is what we have done to the incredibly nutritious wheat berry. And the fact that we eat it 4-6 times a day in place of healthier foods like fruits, vegetables and beans. I have never met anyone who had blood sugar issues or uncontrolled appetite or weight gain from eating a wheat berry salad. I will bet $20 that many of you have never actually seen a wheat berry! Take a peek here. Cup for cup, they are higher in fibre than quinoa and have almost as much protein. And we call quinoa a superfood. Using more sound logic, by that rationale, wheat berries should be superfood too.
I have met a few people who have lost significant amounts of weight on Dr Davis' plan. And the internet is packed with glowing testimonials. That his plan works is not part of the debate. If you, like most North Americans, gave up all the processed wheat products you currently eat there wouldn't be much left but a bit of meat and a few veg. You would be, in fact, on a low carb plan much like Atkins or South Beach. Those plans help you lose weight because they replace high calorie, unsatisfying food with very satisfying options that result in a lower calorie intake.
Dr Davis knows this. He also would know, after years of counselling, that people will have less trouble following a diet plan if the rules are clear and concrete. If wheat and gluten are poison, it is easier to rationalize avoidance of a whole food group. It takes willpower out of the equation somewhat because the overarching diet philosophy is so black and white. If you simply hear that you should "try and avoid processed grain foods" which is the kind of sane nutrition advice a dietitian would give - it requires you to make constant judgements about the definition of processed, how much is too much, etc. Much easier to rationalize falling off the wagon.
Do the ends justify the means?
What bothers me most about this book is that it further confuses an already confused public, nutritionally speaking. Yes, you can lose weight by avoiding processed grain foods like cereals, granola bars and cookies. No, wheat is NOT the same as gluten. Wheat contains gluten but so do other grains such as rye, barley, spelt and commercial oats. Eating a wheat berry will not cause the health effects outlined in Wheat Belly (unless you are gluten sensitive or intolerant, in which any crumb of gluten will trigger a reaction). If you think gluten-containing foods are causing illness, you should go and get the tTg blood test to screen for Celiac Disease so you can get the medical care you need and nutrition support to help you fully adopt a gluten free diet for life. Because a lot of foods that have nothing to do with bread - BBQ sauce, ice creams and trail mixes - contain gluten.
Yes, wheat contributes to weight gain but only because we abuse it, not because it is some franken-plant. Sure, having a diet rich in processed (usually wheat) foods can contribute to acne but only because unstable blood sugars lead to acne-promoting inflammation and usually leave a person without much in the way of nutrition to support healthy skin. Switch all your processed wheat to wheat berries and let's see what happens.
The bottom line
If you take one thing away from Wheat Belly (and this review!), I hope it is this - we are not meant to eat wheat 6 times a day and we should not eat such poor quality, processed wheat foods all the time. Just please don't allow his mis-information to cloud your mind. You are savvy, intuitive eaters - real food brings health, processed food diminishes it. Now go enjoy an apple. You know, to keep Dr Davis away.
A HUGE thank you to Melissa Baker, Marianne Bloudoff, Kim Lucas - three very savvy future dietitians - who took the time to dig deep into the science behind Wheat Belly. Marianne has her own blog, French Fries to Flaxseeds. Follow her on Twitter here. Melissa, who has been one of my amazing volunteers this year, also has a Twitter page here.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Eat...to find YOUR Healthy Weight
In my day job, I get to do a lot of cool stuff and this month is no exception.
I am proud to announce (shameless plug!) that I wrote a little weight loss plan for Choices Markets, our first ever, called Find YOUR Healthy Weight.
Before you go doubting my intentions...this is no fad diet. Find YOUR Healthy Weight is all about getting off the diet roller coaster (a familiar theme around here, n'est pas?) and eating whole food, plant-based diet to help you normalize your weight for life. Included in the book is a workout plan designed for us by Innovative Fitness, a 7 day meal plan, grocery shopping lists and 25 recipes to help get you started. The book is just $11.95 at your local Choices Markets.
We are also hosting an unprecedented amount of programming at the stores to support you on your path to health: nutrition tours, dietitian consultations, a weight loss club and seminars.
You can learn more in our newsletters and at the Find YOUR Healthy Weight home page.
If you want to hear me speak about finding YOUR healthy weight, you can do so at the following times and locations:
Thursday, January 5 7PM Choices Markets Kelowna
Monday, January 9 7PM Choices Markets South Surrey
Thursday, January 12 7PM Canadian Memorial Centre for Peace West 16th Ave @ Burrard
Tuesday, January 17 7PM Choices Markets at the Crest (Burnaby)
All seminars are $5 at the door.
Good luck to you as you make 2012 your healthiest year yet!
Desiree
I am proud to announce (shameless plug!) that I wrote a little weight loss plan for Choices Markets, our first ever, called Find YOUR Healthy Weight.
Before you go doubting my intentions...this is no fad diet. Find YOUR Healthy Weight is all about getting off the diet roller coaster (a familiar theme around here, n'est pas?) and eating whole food, plant-based diet to help you normalize your weight for life. Included in the book is a workout plan designed for us by Innovative Fitness, a 7 day meal plan, grocery shopping lists and 25 recipes to help get you started. The book is just $11.95 at your local Choices Markets.
We are also hosting an unprecedented amount of programming at the stores to support you on your path to health: nutrition tours, dietitian consultations, a weight loss club and seminars.
You can learn more in our newsletters and at the Find YOUR Healthy Weight home page.
If you want to hear me speak about finding YOUR healthy weight, you can do so at the following times and locations:
Thursday, January 5 7PM Choices Markets Kelowna
Monday, January 9 7PM Choices Markets South Surrey
Thursday, January 12 7PM Canadian Memorial Centre for Peace West 16th Ave @ Burrard
Tuesday, January 17 7PM Choices Markets at the Crest (Burnaby)
All seminars are $5 at the door.
Good luck to you as you make 2012 your healthiest year yet!
Desiree
Saturday, November 26, 2011
UnDiet...Week 48
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| Santa is watching, UnDieters...drop that cookie! |
Hello UnDieters!
Just a few weeks to go in 2011...hope you are starting to enjoy the glitter of the holiday season without submitting to the all too pervasive stress of it all.
As the days get darker and we get more sedentary, I would like you to explore your nighttime noshing. Usually when we eat after dinner, it is for one of two reasons: we didn't eat nearly enough during the day or we are simply in the habit of snacking in front of the television. After a long day, we rush get dinner on, kids fed, bathed and tucked in and then we crash in front of the television to decompress. Potato chips in hand. And before you know it, you are passed out in front of The Office and the potato chips are gone.
It is exactly this kind of behaviour that can result in massive weight gain over time. At night, we are less likely to need those extra calories we are ingesting and far less likely to burn them off if we eat them. This week, let's try and break from routine. If you want to eat after dinner, eat only vegetables. You still get to engage in what is probably a deeply engrained habit but you will be eating healthy, low calorie food that contributes to making you a healthier human. We can capitalize on our propensity to overeat and work towards getting our 10 daily servings of vegetables!
To make this task easier, as you grocery shop this weekend, buy extra vegetables and then wash and chop them right away. Place the chopped veggies in an airtight container in the fridge so that if you have a snack attack, you have emergency snacks at the ready.
Ever tried to overeat broccoli? Trust me, you will thank me later.
To your health,
Desiree
Saturday, November 19, 2011
UnDiet...Week 47
Hello UnDieters!
Week 47....New Year's Day is just around the corner. Hopefully, with a year of UnDieting under your belt the one thing you won't be worried about come January 1st is how you are eating. This week I want to get you eating some more food to save your nutritional soul...greens.
"Kale!" is a routinely heard battle cry at the office. We shout "kale!" when things really rock. Don't laugh. Yes, I am a food geek. That is besides the point (or it is the point entirely.) Why should kale represent the height of my exuberance? Because kale and other greens are serious foodie medicine. So nutritious is it almost ridiculous to start naming names...all you really need to know is that you should eat greens every day. Even Canada's Food Guide, which is not always heralded as the most progressive of texts, recommends you get some daily greens. Who am I to argue?
Does a daily green food seem like an impossible task? Perhaps it is because you simply need more ideas on how to use them. First, let me start by counting the greens...
Black kale, purple kale, curly kale, red chard, rainbow chard, collard greens, mizuna, broccoli, bok choy, gai lan, beet greens, spinach, baby kale, arugula, broccolini, rapini, cilantro, parsley, basil, dandelion greens...you get the picture!
Next, here are 10 ideas on how you can use all of those delicious greens in your daily diet:
Steam collard leaves and use instead of tortillas.
Stew chard with onions and garlic as the base for a hearty winter soup.
Add de-stemmed black kale to a blueberry smoothie.
Saute your favourite green with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and chili flakes for a simply delicious side.
Make a salad with mizuna, baby spinach, cilantro and add Mexican flavours like chipotle simmered black beans, corn and queso fresco.
Stir fry gai lan with lots of garlic and add sriracha marinated tofu. Serve over rice noodles.
Layer steamed, sliced beet greens in a vegetarian lasagna.
Simmer broccolini with white beans, garlic and finish with lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Make kale chips with your favourite kale by tossing pieces with olive oil, salt and pepper and baking at 325 for 15-20 minutes...watch carefully!
Wrap dandelion greens with feta, pickled beets, hummus and grated carrot in a sprouted grain wrap.
See? It's easy being green...
Week 47....New Year's Day is just around the corner. Hopefully, with a year of UnDieting under your belt the one thing you won't be worried about come January 1st is how you are eating. This week I want to get you eating some more food to save your nutritional soul...greens.
"Kale!" is a routinely heard battle cry at the office. We shout "kale!" when things really rock. Don't laugh. Yes, I am a food geek. That is besides the point (or it is the point entirely.) Why should kale represent the height of my exuberance? Because kale and other greens are serious foodie medicine. So nutritious is it almost ridiculous to start naming names...all you really need to know is that you should eat greens every day. Even Canada's Food Guide, which is not always heralded as the most progressive of texts, recommends you get some daily greens. Who am I to argue?
Does a daily green food seem like an impossible task? Perhaps it is because you simply need more ideas on how to use them. First, let me start by counting the greens...
Black kale, purple kale, curly kale, red chard, rainbow chard, collard greens, mizuna, broccoli, bok choy, gai lan, beet greens, spinach, baby kale, arugula, broccolini, rapini, cilantro, parsley, basil, dandelion greens...you get the picture!
Next, here are 10 ideas on how you can use all of those delicious greens in your daily diet:
Steam collard leaves and use instead of tortillas.
Stew chard with onions and garlic as the base for a hearty winter soup.
Add de-stemmed black kale to a blueberry smoothie.
Saute your favourite green with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and chili flakes for a simply delicious side.
Make a salad with mizuna, baby spinach, cilantro and add Mexican flavours like chipotle simmered black beans, corn and queso fresco.
Stir fry gai lan with lots of garlic and add sriracha marinated tofu. Serve over rice noodles.
Layer steamed, sliced beet greens in a vegetarian lasagna.
Simmer broccolini with white beans, garlic and finish with lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Make kale chips with your favourite kale by tossing pieces with olive oil, salt and pepper and baking at 325 for 15-20 minutes...watch carefully!
Wrap dandelion greens with feta, pickled beets, hummus and grated carrot in a sprouted grain wrap.
See? It's easy being green...
Monday, November 7, 2011
UnDiet...Week 45
Hello UnDieters!
2011 is slowly drawing to a close and I want to ensure that all of you who have stuck with me through my ups and downs creating this Un-Diet plan finish off the year on solid footing. We have introduced so many different types of foods; skimmed the fat where it isn't necessary and added quality fats (by the measured spoonful, of course!) where they are. We have gotten up to our elbows in roughage and celebrated the harvest. So let's finish strong, with a focus on good food fundamentals.
Last week, we revisited the apple (or pear) a day challenge and I do hope you can keep going with it throughout the balance of the year. For this week, I want to introduce a habit that is also worthy of maintaining for the last 7 weeks of the year at the very least. Could it really be only 7?
Each time you sit down to eat, I am asking that you put your fork or spoon or chopsticks down in between bites. In our fastest-just-gets-there-fastest world, this seems almost ridiculous now. But what are we really rushing to accomplish? By physically getting in the way of hoovering your meal, you can stretch out the eating process for just a little longer. This is a good idea for your stress levels, your waist line and your overall health.
When the rest of our day is fast paced and stress filled, why not consider meal time as a break from the madness? If you are already making the commitment to nourish your body with food, why not go the extra step to truly nourish your body with a moment's respite from chaos? Doing so will actually help you maintain a healthy weight as well; eating slowly gives our body time to realize that it is full and satisfied before we over eat. A slower pace also helps promotes proper digestion and absorption of nutrients so that we derive all of the benefits of the food we eat and don't end up with an angry gas filled gut later on. We need a relaxed environment and state of mind for our body to do its best work.
So for the rest of the year, simply take a moment's pause. It's good for you. And if you want to be really bold, invite a friend to break bread with you. Use those pauses to reconnect.
Cheers,
Desiree
2011 is slowly drawing to a close and I want to ensure that all of you who have stuck with me through my ups and downs creating this Un-Diet plan finish off the year on solid footing. We have introduced so many different types of foods; skimmed the fat where it isn't necessary and added quality fats (by the measured spoonful, of course!) where they are. We have gotten up to our elbows in roughage and celebrated the harvest. So let's finish strong, with a focus on good food fundamentals.
Last week, we revisited the apple (or pear) a day challenge and I do hope you can keep going with it throughout the balance of the year. For this week, I want to introduce a habit that is also worthy of maintaining for the last 7 weeks of the year at the very least. Could it really be only 7?
Each time you sit down to eat, I am asking that you put your fork or spoon or chopsticks down in between bites. In our fastest-just-gets-there-fastest world, this seems almost ridiculous now. But what are we really rushing to accomplish? By physically getting in the way of hoovering your meal, you can stretch out the eating process for just a little longer. This is a good idea for your stress levels, your waist line and your overall health.
When the rest of our day is fast paced and stress filled, why not consider meal time as a break from the madness? If you are already making the commitment to nourish your body with food, why not go the extra step to truly nourish your body with a moment's respite from chaos? Doing so will actually help you maintain a healthy weight as well; eating slowly gives our body time to realize that it is full and satisfied before we over eat. A slower pace also helps promotes proper digestion and absorption of nutrients so that we derive all of the benefits of the food we eat and don't end up with an angry gas filled gut later on. We need a relaxed environment and state of mind for our body to do its best work.
So for the rest of the year, simply take a moment's pause. It's good for you. And if you want to be really bold, invite a friend to break bread with you. Use those pauses to reconnect.
Cheers,
Desiree
Sunday, October 30, 2011
UnDiet...Week 41
Hello UnDieters!
Are any of you still eating an apple a day? If you can remember back, oh-so-long ago, that was our very first challenge in this year of healthy eating. Sometimes the simplest missions are the best.
You would easily be forgiven if you had abandoned your resolve to eat a daily apple through the summer, with all of that blushing summer produce. However, now that the berries, peaches and plums have been either preserved or composted, it is time to get reacquainted with the fruits of fall labour. So as we get back in touch with our original goal, let's up the ante just a little bit. You are all now very well established UnDieters and it shouldn't faze you at all!
For this week, let's eat one apple AND one pear a day...and keep it up through New Year's Day. These beautiful fruits are the very best that BC has to offer right now. Crisp, sweet and packed with fibre, eating an apple and a pear everyday will help boost your intake of fruit and veg in a season when it can be all too simple to forget produce. Red skins will provide anthocyanins for a healthy heart; apples feature quercetin to support respiratory health and copper in pears helps build SOD, a super antioxidant in the body. Just what this busy season calls for, I think...
To your health!
Desiree
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| Don't those look good? |
Are any of you still eating an apple a day? If you can remember back, oh-so-long ago, that was our very first challenge in this year of healthy eating. Sometimes the simplest missions are the best.
You would easily be forgiven if you had abandoned your resolve to eat a daily apple through the summer, with all of that blushing summer produce. However, now that the berries, peaches and plums have been either preserved or composted, it is time to get reacquainted with the fruits of fall labour. So as we get back in touch with our original goal, let's up the ante just a little bit. You are all now very well established UnDieters and it shouldn't faze you at all!
For this week, let's eat one apple AND one pear a day...and keep it up through New Year's Day. These beautiful fruits are the very best that BC has to offer right now. Crisp, sweet and packed with fibre, eating an apple and a pear everyday will help boost your intake of fruit and veg in a season when it can be all too simple to forget produce. Red skins will provide anthocyanins for a healthy heart; apples feature quercetin to support respiratory health and copper in pears helps build SOD, a super antioxidant in the body. Just what this busy season calls for, I think...
To your health!
Desiree
Sunday, October 16, 2011
UnDiet...Week 39
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| Kiwis growing in the warm Vancouver sun... |
Hello UnDieters!
I hope you enjoyed this gorgeous autumn weekend. It really couldn't have been more beautiful. I spent these sunny days taking full advantage of the season: we wandered through a corn maze, visited the UBC apple festival (and saw these kiwis growing at the botanical garden!) and picked up our CSA share of local wheat from Urban Grains. And I bought an apple tree. Which I intend to grow on my patio. Wish me luck folks - I hope to have some 0 mile apples next fall!
As the days turn colder, we start looking for heartier food and sometimes it is easy to forget a bit about fruits and vegetables in favour of grains and proteins. So this week, we are going to measure up! You all know that I am not a big fan of counting calories but a few simple metrics can help us all eat a bit healthier. So this week, your number is 50. Each time to sit down to a meal or snack, ensure that 50 percent of the food you are eating is a fruit, a vegetable or both!
Basing all of your meals on produce is an easy way to keep calories down without skimping on the actual volume of food you are eating (and therefore not feeling satisfied). You all already know how energizing fruits and veggies are so I won't spend volumes expounding upon the virtues of fresh produce. Even if won't touch another salad until April, be sure to get those veggies in. Cool weather fruits and vegetables lend themselves beautifully to cooking: think stewed greens with cannellini beans; roast squash or red peppers over pasta; baked apple crumbles and poached pears.
Enjoy the harvest,
Desiree
Friday, October 7, 2011
UnDiet...Week 37
Hello UnDieters!
For all of my Canadian friends, this weekend marks Thanksgiving, one of my favourite feast days. I love thanksgiving because there is no other celebration, recognized across different faiths and cultures, that is solely focused on gratitude. We give thanks for the love we receive from others, the blessings and abundance we have in our life and the beautiful food that we feast with.
In fact, this is a great intention to set for the whole week. So, UnDieters, in keeping with our theme of evaluating how and why we eat, this is a week to give thanks. Each time that you are about to put food to lip, take a 30 second pause to reflect on how that particular food got to your lips and give thanks. Nothing formal, nothing out loud...just a brief pause to connect yourself with your food.
Whether it was the turkey who provided its life as nourishment, the warm sun that helped the pear to ripen or your roommate who took the time to prepare a simple dinner because you are both far from family - give thanks for the conditions that aligned to help nourish your body at this moment.
What am I thankful for this Thanksgiving? The miracle that is my son, the amazing people I am proud to call my friends, colleagues and family and that through my work I get to help people live healthier and happier lives. And some good food.
Thanks to you for continuing to read!
Desiree
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| This turkey is breathing a sigh of relief that this is a Tofurkey house! |
For all of my Canadian friends, this weekend marks Thanksgiving, one of my favourite feast days. I love thanksgiving because there is no other celebration, recognized across different faiths and cultures, that is solely focused on gratitude. We give thanks for the love we receive from others, the blessings and abundance we have in our life and the beautiful food that we feast with.
In fact, this is a great intention to set for the whole week. So, UnDieters, in keeping with our theme of evaluating how and why we eat, this is a week to give thanks. Each time that you are about to put food to lip, take a 30 second pause to reflect on how that particular food got to your lips and give thanks. Nothing formal, nothing out loud...just a brief pause to connect yourself with your food.
Whether it was the turkey who provided its life as nourishment, the warm sun that helped the pear to ripen or your roommate who took the time to prepare a simple dinner because you are both far from family - give thanks for the conditions that aligned to help nourish your body at this moment.
What am I thankful for this Thanksgiving? The miracle that is my son, the amazing people I am proud to call my friends, colleagues and family and that through my work I get to help people live healthier and happier lives. And some good food.
Thanks to you for continuing to read!
Desiree
Friday, August 26, 2011
UnDiet...Week 31
Hello UnDieters!
It's hot out there, people! As promised, for another week or two we are going to keep our approach to healthy eating simple lest we anger the blood with too much exertion. So when I was thinking how best to keep my cool during these dog days, I immediately thought of cucumbers. Cucumbers don't get much respect in the nutrition world but they are a deliciously cooling vegetable and at their best right now as the heat produces some gorgeous field cucumbers.
That gorgeous dark green skin is chock full of anti-oxidant pigments and its high water content is perfect for these dehydrating days. Rich in anti-inflammatory flavonols and a unique source of anti-cancer lignans, cucumbers deserve a regular place in your diet. So this week, try and have some cucumber everyday.
Here are some easy ways to enjoy cukes...
If you juice, add a bit of cucumber to a green juice (goes well with lemon, apple and kale)
Make a tzatziki or raita...the ultimate cooling blend of yogurt and cukes!
Chop cucumbers with tomatoes, olives, red onion and feta for a classic greek salad.
Top cucumbers with hummus for a quick snack.
Stay cool, cucumbers!
Desiree
It's hot out there, people! As promised, for another week or two we are going to keep our approach to healthy eating simple lest we anger the blood with too much exertion. So when I was thinking how best to keep my cool during these dog days, I immediately thought of cucumbers. Cucumbers don't get much respect in the nutrition world but they are a deliciously cooling vegetable and at their best right now as the heat produces some gorgeous field cucumbers.
That gorgeous dark green skin is chock full of anti-oxidant pigments and its high water content is perfect for these dehydrating days. Rich in anti-inflammatory flavonols and a unique source of anti-cancer lignans, cucumbers deserve a regular place in your diet. So this week, try and have some cucumber everyday.
Here are some easy ways to enjoy cukes...
If you juice, add a bit of cucumber to a green juice (goes well with lemon, apple and kale)
Make a tzatziki or raita...the ultimate cooling blend of yogurt and cukes!
Chop cucumbers with tomatoes, olives, red onion and feta for a classic greek salad.
Top cucumbers with hummus for a quick snack.
Stay cool, cucumbers!
Desiree
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
UnDiet...Week 27
Hello UnDieters!
How did your ingredient reading experiment go last week? Any shocking revelations? Any happy reassurances? Hopefully you felt a little more connected to what is in your food...and going into your body.
This week is all about celebrating the harvest once more. It is time to eat tomatoes. Nothing beats the flavour of a tomato straight from the field, with nothing more than a little salt and freshly cracked pepper. Aside from being gorgeous and delicious, tomatoes pack in a nutritional punch.
Packed with vitamin C to help support healthy skin through collagen production and vitamin A for skin integrity, tomatoes can even help defend your skin from sun damage thanks to the antioxidant, lycopene. Lycopene also helps to support prostate health. For the most lycopene absorption, cook your tomatoes with a little healthy fat such as extra virgin olive oil. Tomatoes are also rich in potassium for healthy blood pressure and low in calories...making them the perfect summer food.
Taste summer this week and try and eat tomatoes (grown close to home!) twice this week. Go for something new and try chocolate, zebra or other heirloom varieties to take a break from the everyday hot house, mass produced varieties.
Shine on,
Desiree
How did your ingredient reading experiment go last week? Any shocking revelations? Any happy reassurances? Hopefully you felt a little more connected to what is in your food...and going into your body.
This week is all about celebrating the harvest once more. It is time to eat tomatoes. Nothing beats the flavour of a tomato straight from the field, with nothing more than a little salt and freshly cracked pepper. Aside from being gorgeous and delicious, tomatoes pack in a nutritional punch.
Packed with vitamin C to help support healthy skin through collagen production and vitamin A for skin integrity, tomatoes can even help defend your skin from sun damage thanks to the antioxidant, lycopene. Lycopene also helps to support prostate health. For the most lycopene absorption, cook your tomatoes with a little healthy fat such as extra virgin olive oil. Tomatoes are also rich in potassium for healthy blood pressure and low in calories...making them the perfect summer food.
Taste summer this week and try and eat tomatoes (grown close to home!) twice this week. Go for something new and try chocolate, zebra or other heirloom varieties to take a break from the everyday hot house, mass produced varieties.
Shine on,
Desiree
Sunday, July 3, 2011
UnDiet...Week 25
Hello Summer (and UnDieters)!!
I hope you are enjoying the glorious summer sunshine; it has finally graced Vancouver with its presence for 2 consecutive days and I am feeling optimistic that it is here to stay.
So now that summer is here in our Pacific Northwest home, that can only mean one thing...berries. So this week, it is time to celebrate in true UnDiet fashion and commit to eating 1 cup of fresh berries every day.
Berries are one of the most nutrient dense fruits that nature offers us. Not only are they full of filling fibre and glow restoring antioxidants, their nutrients also help to stave off heart disease, cancer and other chronic disease. Berries are also slow to release their energy, making them a great choice for maintaining stable blood sugars. Did I also mention, they are delicious? Nothing beats the succulent crush of berry juice dribbling down your chin - it is like summer itself. Choose whatever tickles your fancy at the market: strawberries or blueberries, raspberries, cherries or blackberries. Just enjoy a cup full everyday.
What to do with berries? Snack on them instead of something starchy at movie time; swirl them in yogurt for a snack or bake them with an oat topping for a treat. And if you really want to earn bonus points, go find yourself a few flats of berries and either can them or freeze them to enjoy local berries off season.
Go berry pickin', people!
Desiree
I hope you are enjoying the glorious summer sunshine; it has finally graced Vancouver with its presence for 2 consecutive days and I am feeling optimistic that it is here to stay.
So now that summer is here in our Pacific Northwest home, that can only mean one thing...berries. So this week, it is time to celebrate in true UnDiet fashion and commit to eating 1 cup of fresh berries every day.
Berries are one of the most nutrient dense fruits that nature offers us. Not only are they full of filling fibre and glow restoring antioxidants, their nutrients also help to stave off heart disease, cancer and other chronic disease. Berries are also slow to release their energy, making them a great choice for maintaining stable blood sugars. Did I also mention, they are delicious? Nothing beats the succulent crush of berry juice dribbling down your chin - it is like summer itself. Choose whatever tickles your fancy at the market: strawberries or blueberries, raspberries, cherries or blackberries. Just enjoy a cup full everyday.
What to do with berries? Snack on them instead of something starchy at movie time; swirl them in yogurt for a snack or bake them with an oat topping for a treat. And if you really want to earn bonus points, go find yourself a few flats of berries and either can them or freeze them to enjoy local berries off season.
Go berry pickin', people!
Desiree
Sunday, June 26, 2011
UnDiet...Week 23+24
Hello UnDieters!
You know when you are swimming lengths in a full size pool and in the middle of the lane the water gets a bit rough and choppy and it is a bit of a slug to get through it? I think that is where I am at with the UnDiet. I was considering bowing out early but I think that it is important to keep things going. Because these posts, like being on a healthy living journey, go through ups and downs. So I am going to stick with it, if you are going to stick with me!
So for this week (and last), let's do something bold. Can you handle going without an sweetened drinks for a whole week? Yes!! A whole week. That is no soda, no sweet tea, no mocha hazelnut frappucinos, no margaritas. Yikes.
This challenge will separate the big kahunas from the teenie wahines. Sugar is all pervasive in our society and drinking sweetened drinks is a huge contributor to obesity. Blah, blah, blah. We all know it. Time to put our money where are mouths are. Who knows...you may even come out of this week looking pretty darn good on the beach.
Since I like to focus on what you can drink....here is a list of "Green Light" bevvies:
- coffee and tea, plain or with milk or veggie alternative. Think iced skim latte instead of coffee frap
- plain ol' water or club soda or seltzer or carbonated mineral water
- beer or wine (although if you go too crazy on the hooch, you probably won't shed pounds. if that is okay with you it is okay with me!)
- unsweetened liquor like vodka (watch out, some have added sugar!) or gin, with club soda or neat, you stallion, you!
- plain coconut water
- milk, soy milk, almond milk....all the veg milks but only UNSWEETENED versions
This could be a rough one, folks. But I believe in you. It is time to cut the sweet tooth. If you like the way you feel this week, try and keep it going all summer long.
In good health,
Desiree
You know when you are swimming lengths in a full size pool and in the middle of the lane the water gets a bit rough and choppy and it is a bit of a slug to get through it? I think that is where I am at with the UnDiet. I was considering bowing out early but I think that it is important to keep things going. Because these posts, like being on a healthy living journey, go through ups and downs. So I am going to stick with it, if you are going to stick with me!
So for this week (and last), let's do something bold. Can you handle going without an sweetened drinks for a whole week? Yes!! A whole week. That is no soda, no sweet tea, no mocha hazelnut frappucinos, no margaritas. Yikes.
This challenge will separate the big kahunas from the teenie wahines. Sugar is all pervasive in our society and drinking sweetened drinks is a huge contributor to obesity. Blah, blah, blah. We all know it. Time to put our money where are mouths are. Who knows...you may even come out of this week looking pretty darn good on the beach.
Since I like to focus on what you can drink....here is a list of "Green Light" bevvies:
- coffee and tea, plain or with milk or veggie alternative. Think iced skim latte instead of coffee frap
- plain ol' water or club soda or seltzer or carbonated mineral water
- beer or wine (although if you go too crazy on the hooch, you probably won't shed pounds. if that is okay with you it is okay with me!)
- unsweetened liquor like vodka (watch out, some have added sugar!) or gin, with club soda or neat, you stallion, you!
- plain coconut water
- milk, soy milk, almond milk....all the veg milks but only UNSWEETENED versions
This could be a rough one, folks. But I believe in you. It is time to cut the sweet tooth. If you like the way you feel this week, try and keep it going all summer long.
In good health,
Desiree
Friday, May 13, 2011
UnDiet...Week 20
Hello UnDieters,
No...you didn't miss last week's post. It was, ahem, a week off. Every once in a while, you need a freebie. I will pretend it was premeditated and not a consequence of being blindsided by life. However, the break does nicely illustrate one of the key philosophies of the UnDiet.
One thing to remember when embarking on path of healthy living is that it is a marathon, not a sprint. What makes the UnDiet so special is that it is not about drastic measures. The UnDiet is about permanent change. We don't tend to be good at moderate. We like extremes. Starve yourself by following a hundred and one diet restrictions or go hog wild at a buffet because you already "broke" your diet at breakfast by eating a piece of toast.
This week, I would like to put your commitment to diet sanity to the ultimate test and introduce you to one of dietitians' favourite healthy eating "rules": the 80/20 principle.
This is a rule to live by: 80% of the time, eat beautiful, nutrient dense foods prepared fresh. That means really good food: whole grains, lean protein, tons of fruits and veggies. Muffins, luncheon meat and seasoned side dishes don't count. 20% of the time, indulge in whatever adds excitement and indulgence to your life. Whether indulgence to you is organic ice cream, mac and cheese or fried chicken, you cannot do harm with 20% indulgence when 80% of your diet is nutrient dense. If you tend to live by an all or nothing approach, this philosophy can be dangerous as a little indulgence could trigger a landslide. If this is what happens for you, take a step back to consider what is going on for you. Sometimes, it is worth talking to someone about it. Our relationships with food are complex.
For the rest of us, consider the 80/20 rule a reprieve from the bad/good mentality. Even if you have a generally healthy attitude to food, it can still be difficult to live in the grey area but it will help to reset your attitude to eating. If you need some more solid quantification, try 2 indulgence meals a week. Keep the size moderate; a buffet binge doesn't count as a single meal. Another approach to 20% indulgence could easily net you about 100-200 calories of treat a day depending on your size and activity level. For most moderately active women, keep it to 100 calories. For very active women or men, try up to 200 calories of whatever floats your boat be it triple cream brie or Cheetos.
What is your favourite indulgence? Let me know...mine? A tie between Salt Spring Island truffle chevre and black current tea truffles from Chocolaterie de la Nouvelle France.
Time to get radically moderate,
Desiree
No...you didn't miss last week's post. It was, ahem, a week off. Every once in a while, you need a freebie. I will pretend it was premeditated and not a consequence of being blindsided by life. However, the break does nicely illustrate one of the key philosophies of the UnDiet.
One thing to remember when embarking on path of healthy living is that it is a marathon, not a sprint. What makes the UnDiet so special is that it is not about drastic measures. The UnDiet is about permanent change. We don't tend to be good at moderate. We like extremes. Starve yourself by following a hundred and one diet restrictions or go hog wild at a buffet because you already "broke" your diet at breakfast by eating a piece of toast.
This week, I would like to put your commitment to diet sanity to the ultimate test and introduce you to one of dietitians' favourite healthy eating "rules": the 80/20 principle.
This is a rule to live by: 80% of the time, eat beautiful, nutrient dense foods prepared fresh. That means really good food: whole grains, lean protein, tons of fruits and veggies. Muffins, luncheon meat and seasoned side dishes don't count. 20% of the time, indulge in whatever adds excitement and indulgence to your life. Whether indulgence to you is organic ice cream, mac and cheese or fried chicken, you cannot do harm with 20% indulgence when 80% of your diet is nutrient dense. If you tend to live by an all or nothing approach, this philosophy can be dangerous as a little indulgence could trigger a landslide. If this is what happens for you, take a step back to consider what is going on for you. Sometimes, it is worth talking to someone about it. Our relationships with food are complex.
For the rest of us, consider the 80/20 rule a reprieve from the bad/good mentality. Even if you have a generally healthy attitude to food, it can still be difficult to live in the grey area but it will help to reset your attitude to eating. If you need some more solid quantification, try 2 indulgence meals a week. Keep the size moderate; a buffet binge doesn't count as a single meal. Another approach to 20% indulgence could easily net you about 100-200 calories of treat a day depending on your size and activity level. For most moderately active women, keep it to 100 calories. For very active women or men, try up to 200 calories of whatever floats your boat be it triple cream brie or Cheetos.
What is your favourite indulgence? Let me know...mine? A tie between Salt Spring Island truffle chevre and black current tea truffles from Chocolaterie de la Nouvelle France.
Time to get radically moderate,
Desiree
Sunday, April 10, 2011
UnDiet...Week 15
Hello UnDieters!
A little late in this week's posting...but I am not sending you to the grocery store, so not to worry! This week, I would like to get you thinking about what you put on your plate. Literally.
We know that portion sizes (and consequently, our stomachs) have gotten much larger over the past 30 years. As our portions have swelled, our view of what a reasonable serving size is has gotten pretty distorted. So I would like this week to be an exercise is conscious eating.
Because overeating starchy foods tends to be an Achilles Heel for many of us, whenever you are at home this week, I would like you to serve yourself any starchy carb (pasta, rice, quinoa, breakfast cereal etc.) out of a 1/2 cup measuring spoon. I am not asking you to cut down or limit your portions but simply to become aware of how many 1/2 cup portions of starches you typically serve yourself in a day. Keep a simple tally of each half cup serving you eat for at least 3 days this week. Not eating a measurable starch? A slice of bread, a half a pita, a small tortilla, or 100 calories of crackers or granola bar are all a portion for the purposes of the exercise. For all of you well acquainted with the food guide, these servings are a bit different but I wanted to simplify the exercise for you. If you want to measure the "correct" servings, take a peek at the guide here.
Our national food guide recommends 6 to 8 servings of starches every day, which is a good guideline for the average person. It sounds like a lot but if you have a bowl of cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and some brown rice for dinner...you have probably reached 6 servings. If after completing this exercise, you feel like you may be eating too many starches, consider taking your portions down by a half cup at one of your meals each day. If this week has reaffirmed that you are on the right track, kudos to you!
Have a great week,
Desiree
A little late in this week's posting...but I am not sending you to the grocery store, so not to worry! This week, I would like to get you thinking about what you put on your plate. Literally.
We know that portion sizes (and consequently, our stomachs) have gotten much larger over the past 30 years. As our portions have swelled, our view of what a reasonable serving size is has gotten pretty distorted. So I would like this week to be an exercise is conscious eating.
Because overeating starchy foods tends to be an Achilles Heel for many of us, whenever you are at home this week, I would like you to serve yourself any starchy carb (pasta, rice, quinoa, breakfast cereal etc.) out of a 1/2 cup measuring spoon. I am not asking you to cut down or limit your portions but simply to become aware of how many 1/2 cup portions of starches you typically serve yourself in a day. Keep a simple tally of each half cup serving you eat for at least 3 days this week. Not eating a measurable starch? A slice of bread, a half a pita, a small tortilla, or 100 calories of crackers or granola bar are all a portion for the purposes of the exercise. For all of you well acquainted with the food guide, these servings are a bit different but I wanted to simplify the exercise for you. If you want to measure the "correct" servings, take a peek at the guide here.
Our national food guide recommends 6 to 8 servings of starches every day, which is a good guideline for the average person. It sounds like a lot but if you have a bowl of cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and some brown rice for dinner...you have probably reached 6 servings. If after completing this exercise, you feel like you may be eating too many starches, consider taking your portions down by a half cup at one of your meals each day. If this week has reaffirmed that you are on the right track, kudos to you!
Have a great week,
Desiree
Sunday, March 6, 2011
UnDiet...Week Ten
Hello UnDieters....we are into the double digits now! Talk about commitment. Hopefully by now you are starting to feel just a little different. A little more regular and a little less bloated. Perhaps there is a bit more energy coursing through your system. It is time to continue supercharging your body with nutrition and start incorporating more nutrient dense power foods into your life.
Let's start tackling seeds. We talk all the time about the health benefits of nuts but seeds are largely forgotten. Seeds are filled with heart and skin loving unsaturated fats, vital minerals and fibre (yes, more fibre...get used to it!). They are the total package. For our first week of seeds, we are going to try some classics.
Pumpkin seeds boast anti-inflammatory omega 3 ALA and plenty of relaxing magnesium. A natural source of plant sterols for your heart, pumpkin seeds are also rich in immune boosting zinc. Sunflower seeds contain a synergistic blend of vitamin E and selenium in addition to more sterols and magnesium.
For this week, buy either sunflower or pumpkin seeds (or both if you're keen!) and add a couple of tablespoons to a meal or snack a few times this week. Add your seeds to trail mixes, granola or cereal. You can sprinkle them on salads or even over pasta for some crunch. Snack on them on their own or try them stirred into yogurt. Ensure you buy raw, unsalted seeds and store them in the refrigerator to preserve their quality. If they start to smell like paint thinner, it is time to toss them.
To your health,
Desiree
Let's start tackling seeds. We talk all the time about the health benefits of nuts but seeds are largely forgotten. Seeds are filled with heart and skin loving unsaturated fats, vital minerals and fibre (yes, more fibre...get used to it!). They are the total package. For our first week of seeds, we are going to try some classics.
Pumpkin seeds boast anti-inflammatory omega 3 ALA and plenty of relaxing magnesium. A natural source of plant sterols for your heart, pumpkin seeds are also rich in immune boosting zinc. Sunflower seeds contain a synergistic blend of vitamin E and selenium in addition to more sterols and magnesium.
For this week, buy either sunflower or pumpkin seeds (or both if you're keen!) and add a couple of tablespoons to a meal or snack a few times this week. Add your seeds to trail mixes, granola or cereal. You can sprinkle them on salads or even over pasta for some crunch. Snack on them on their own or try them stirred into yogurt. Ensure you buy raw, unsalted seeds and store them in the refrigerator to preserve their quality. If they start to smell like paint thinner, it is time to toss them.
To your health,
Desiree
Friday, February 25, 2011
UnDiet...Week Nine
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| The new Dietitians of Canada Cookbook...featuring a recipe by yours truly! Available in my Amazon store. |
Hello UnDieters!
This week, I want to appeal to the adventurer in you...your mission this week is to try a recipe that you have never tried before. Whether you hoard cookbooks that you rarely use (like me) or think that a big cooking day is boiling pasta, it is time to be bold. Make the effort. You can make something elaborate or search for a 30 minute meal that will help you survive the weeknight dinner crush. It is up to you: choose a recipe, shop for the ingredients, make something fantastic and have fun!
Life is busy; the effort involved in planning a meal with multiple ingredients can seem daunting but once you have mastered a recipe it becomes part of your repertoire and effortless to enjoy on a regular basis. Also, when you get stuck in a rut, healthy eating becomes boring. Way more boring than ordering a pizza. Weekends are the perfect time for a culinary adventure. You have got the time to browse recipes over morning coffee, make a shopping list and maybe even check out a farmer's market without the stress of trying to decide on how you are going to get dinner on the table after work.
So crack open one of your dusty cookbooks or browse online for a recipe...I know you are tempted to skip this week because "it isn't as important" as eating blueberries but believe me, I have your best interests at heart. Cooking is a critical skill for eating well and trying something new is important for keeping healthy eating fresh.
I have included a few of my favourite sites for you here so you have literally thousands of free recipes at your fingertips:
Get Cooking...let me know how your culinary adventures went!
Desiree
Saturday, January 29, 2011
UnDiet...Week Five
Hello UnDieters!
My apologies for the late post...another week, another little nutrition tweak. Let's talk yogurt. Specifically, you. Eating yogurt. Good yogurt. Not "yogurt": a vague dairy like substance with a pound of sugar and a bunch of stabilizers holding it together because the manufacturer cannot seem to make proper yogurt.
Yogurt is a simple super food. Just milk mingling with your friendly neighbourhood bacteria to enormous benefit. Probiotic bacteria in yogurt help to colonize your gut with happy bacteria and compete with and crowd out the kind of bacteria that no one wants: bugs that cause localized inflammation and reduce the integrity of that all important gut barrier between the inner you and outer you. The extent to which gut health affects overall health and the role that regular yogurt, not standardized supplements, plays is still up for debate in the research community. To read more about the immune enhancing effects of yogurt, see my earlier blog post.
Let the lab rats debate...food first, I always say...so belly up to the bar and enjoy 3/4 cup of plain organic yogurt every single day. Yes, plain. If you can't afford organic, stick to nonfat. The ingredients should read: milk and probiotic cultures. No gelatin, no sugar, no modified milk ingredients. If your sweet tooth can take the beautiful tang of yogurt au naturale, stir in a bit of honey or chopped fruit.
In addition to probiotics, yogurt offers calcium, magnesium and protein which are three nutrients we all need more of. Here are 3 super quick ways to enjoy your daily yogurt:
1. For breakfast: with your bran cereal and a cup of chopped fruit and a drizzle of honey.
2. In a snack smoothie: blend yogurt with a bit of skim milk or not-from-concentrate berry juice, 1/2 cup frozen berries and half a banana.
3. For dessert: topped with a bit of good granola, a bit of honey and maybe a few dark chocolate chips.
For bonus points, check out Liberte Kefir, a traditional Russian drinking yogurt. Makes a nice healthy "cocktail" when mixed one-to-one with a not-from-concentrate juice like blueberry or pomegranate.
Healthy Dreams,
Desiree
My apologies for the late post...another week, another little nutrition tweak. Let's talk yogurt. Specifically, you. Eating yogurt. Good yogurt. Not "yogurt": a vague dairy like substance with a pound of sugar and a bunch of stabilizers holding it together because the manufacturer cannot seem to make proper yogurt.
Yogurt is a simple super food. Just milk mingling with your friendly neighbourhood bacteria to enormous benefit. Probiotic bacteria in yogurt help to colonize your gut with happy bacteria and compete with and crowd out the kind of bacteria that no one wants: bugs that cause localized inflammation and reduce the integrity of that all important gut barrier between the inner you and outer you. The extent to which gut health affects overall health and the role that regular yogurt, not standardized supplements, plays is still up for debate in the research community. To read more about the immune enhancing effects of yogurt, see my earlier blog post.
Let the lab rats debate...food first, I always say...so belly up to the bar and enjoy 3/4 cup of plain organic yogurt every single day. Yes, plain. If you can't afford organic, stick to nonfat. The ingredients should read: milk and probiotic cultures. No gelatin, no sugar, no modified milk ingredients. If your sweet tooth can take the beautiful tang of yogurt au naturale, stir in a bit of honey or chopped fruit.
In addition to probiotics, yogurt offers calcium, magnesium and protein which are three nutrients we all need more of. Here are 3 super quick ways to enjoy your daily yogurt:
1. For breakfast: with your bran cereal and a cup of chopped fruit and a drizzle of honey.
2. In a snack smoothie: blend yogurt with a bit of skim milk or not-from-concentrate berry juice, 1/2 cup frozen berries and half a banana.
3. For dessert: topped with a bit of good granola, a bit of honey and maybe a few dark chocolate chips.
For bonus points, check out Liberte Kefir, a traditional Russian drinking yogurt. Makes a nice healthy "cocktail" when mixed one-to-one with a not-from-concentrate juice like blueberry or pomegranate.
Healthy Dreams,
Desiree
Saturday, January 22, 2011
UnDiet...Week Four
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| Water, Water Everywhere...photo of the Calanques in the Mediterranean. |
Good Morning UnDieters!
Time flies, doesn't it? Right about now, many people's New Years Resolutions are waning. Days of celery and chicken breasts are getting boring. And no one wants to slog out to the gym in the snow. You? You are coasting through the detritus of abandoned resolutions. You might even be enjoying the Hot Chocolate Festival and Dine Out Vancouver with nary a care in the world, knowing that you are on the path to better health.
We are already eating an apple a day, skimming the fat off our milk and getting comfortable with roughage. Now is probably a good time to hydrate. So what's next?
Water: some people love it, others hate it. Regardless of your opinion, water is critical to life. Our body is essentially a liquid medium and dehydration of even 2% can lead to significant declines in mental and physical performance. Feeling tired, foggy and sluggish? Could be dehydration. Feeling snacky? Could be dehydration. Skin slack and dull? Water might be contributing to that too. Last week's fibre not working that well? Try water. Water is critical for healthy bowel movement and dehydration can significantly slow things down, down there.
So this week, we are going to start drinking a glass of water before every meal. If you are already drinking plenty of water, pat yourself on the back and kick your heels up for the rest of the week! How do you know if you are drinking enough? Your urine should be clear or very pale yellow (except if you take B vitamins and then you might have a couple of day-glo voids) all the time. Drinking a glass of water before each meal may also help you to feel a bit more full after you eat.
Don't like the taste of plain water? Try a generous squeeze of lemon or lime. Need a bigger flavour boost? Add a splash of juice...and make it a good not-from-concentrate blueberry, cranberry or pomegranate to get some antioxidants in there. Need a bone health boost? Try a mineral water rich in calcium and magnesium, like Gerolsteiner.
Until next week...now that my big presentation is over, I might even try to get a midweek post done!
Desiree
Saturday, January 15, 2011
UnDiet...Week Three
Good Morning, UnDieters!
As of this morning, you are eating your apple a day and have sneakily trimmed some fat from your diet (and soon, your hips). Now it's time to get serious about fibre. The average Canadian only consumes about 14 grams of fibre a day, which is a far cry from the 25 to 38 grams recommended for better health.
"Fibre, blah blah blah...." you say. "I have no issues in the 'going' department, so I must be fine when it comes to fibre" you say.
Sure, staying "regular" is a key benefit of getting enough fibre but the benefits of roughage go way beyond logging bathroom time. Fibre ensures that the waste your body produces moves on out quickly, minimizing the amount of time you are exposed to potential toxins in your waste. That is why fibre is a key component to detoxification.
On the way through your gut, fibre also grabs on to a few things you may not want sticking around. Like cholesterol. And fats. Fibre also helps to physically stretch your stomach and slow down the rate that your stomach empties, making you feel full and satisfied. Fibre helps delay the release of sugars into your bloodstream, helping keep blood sugars on an even keel to keep you energized and make weight loss easier to achieve.
So I am going to give you a trick to boosting your fibre intake. Get to know All Bran Buds with Psyllium. This dietitian's secret weapon delivers 11 grams of fiber in an 80 calorie, 1/3 cup serving along with a hefty dose of iron, magnesium and thiamin, a B vitamin. You can toss the buds on your favourite breakfast cereal, stir them into yogurt (or on ice cream....just not everyday please!) or hide them in a smoothie. No massive diet change required. Just a simple addition.
Check out the ingredients and nutrition facts for All Bran cereal. Looking for an organic option? Nature's Path Smart Bran is great...Gluten Free? I've got you covered...meet Enjoy Life Crunchy Flax
To your health!
Desiree
PS...I should mention that whenever I feature a product on my blog...it is NOT solicited by the company who makes the product. I will never feature any product I would not use myself and if ever a company asks me to feature something I already adore, I will be sure to be up front about it.
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