Nutrition Inventory - Are You Treating Yourself Right?

Did you know that every March since the 1970’s we have been celebrating National Nutrition Month? For those in a healthcare profession this is a time extra emphasize is placed on nutrition education and getting the message out to you. How can you get the most out of this time focused on nutrition? Every March provides you an opportunity to take an annual inventory of your nutrition habits. Are you “fueling” your body the way you want?

If this is the first time you have taken “inventory” focus on just a few areas. I will help you narrow it down by starting with beverages, snacks, and dining out. Do you select the healthiest choices in these areas?

Beverages

What is sitting on the corner of your desk or in the cup holder in your car? Soda, coffee, water? If you are a soda drinker, consider what you can do to cut back. A 12 oz. can of regular soda contains about 150 calories. If you drink one can everyday you consume 4200 soda calories each month and 50,400 calories each year. This is equal to an extra 14 ½ pounds of body weight. What are you adding to your coffee? Frequent Starbucks consumption, or adding cream and sugar to your coffee means extra calories expanding your waistline. Positive steps towards being healthier - Switch to diet soda to drastically decrease sugar and calorie intake. Try nonfat dairy creamers, less sugar and cream, or adding sugar substitutes to your coffee. Save dollars and calories by brewing coffee at home and have Starbucks for the occasional treat. If you are toting around a bottle of water you are doing great. Everyone should be consuming six to eight 8-oz. glasses of water daily. Water is the beverage our bodies need and crave to keep us replenished and feeling our best.

Snacks

Are you heading for the vending machine for your afternoon snack? Most vending machines contain high fat and high sodium products. Forgo the Swiss cakes by bringing snacks to work with you. You know you are going to have an afternoon craving, so plan ahead. Some good snack choices include fruit, yogurt, crackers and cheese, or a handful of nuts.

Dining Out

Is the drive in lane your destination several evenings after a long day of work? Most fast food is deep fat fried and includes significant fat, calories, and sodium. If you are tired and do not want to deal with cooking a meal at home you can select healthier options at the drive through. Opt for products that are not breaded, such as a grilled chicken sandwich. Forgo the fries and get a yogurt, side salad, or fruit to go with your sandwich. Your heart will thank you.

Just remember when March rolls around next year to take another inventory. Expand to other areas, such as fruit and veggie intake, omega 3’s, whole grains, etc. If you evaluate how you are doing every year and make modifications you are taking positive steps towards a healthy long life.

Now, if you want to receive regular heart health and weight loss tips from dietitian Lisa Nelson, go to http://www.enutritionservices.com/f/The_Heart_of_Health.html and subscribe to The Heart of Health today!

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Brain Food - Improving Children’s Academic Performance With Optimal Nutrition

In the era of lunchables, cheesestrings and conveniently processed snack packs, it’s no wonder why over 26% of Canadian children are overweight or obese. More children today are facing an early onset of diabetes, heart disease, cancers and more notably mental health and cognitive issues, such as ADHD, poor concentration, and decreased learning ability. For years, numerous studies have linked inadequate nutrition to the above conditions - including poor academic performance.

The Food Brain Connection

The human brain, although extremely complex, operates on a simple principal - it requires ample nutrients, including vitamins and minerals to function optimally. Even the slightest nutritional deficiency can have a huge impact on brain chemistry, resulting in impaired learning and cognitive functioning, decreased attentiveness, inability to problem-solve, anxiety, and other behavioural disorders. Skipping a meal entirely or substituting wholesome meals with nutritionally depleted foods laced with sugars and saturated fats can have the same effect.

But it’s not only malnutrition that impacts student performance. A newly released study conducted through the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta and Dalhousie’s Faculty of Medicine highlights that a quality diet with an adequate and diverse selection of quality foods is significant in academic performance. This stresses the importance of variety with particular emphasis on increased fruit and vegetable intake and moderate consumption of dietary fat.

What to do?

Simply put, what we put in, we get out. In order to achieve optimal health and academic performance, we must begin with optimal nutrition. Here are some tips to help your child to reach their full potential

1. Begin with Breakfast

We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but that’s not a reason to give Froot Loops the same kudos as rolled oats. A sugary start to the day will have the same negative cognitive impact as skipping breakfast all together. Opt for wholegrains, fresh fruit and proteins, such as nuts and seeds, for long-lasting energy and mental alertness.

Try this:

* Sprouted wholegrain bread with natural peanut butter or almond butter for sustainable energy and protein.
* Add nuts, seeds and fresh berries to wholegrain cereals
* Use quinoa as a warm cereal. Quinoa a complete protein source that contains all essential amino acids and is an excellent source of energy and essential fatty acids. Mash in a banana and stir-in coconut flakes for natural sweetness.

2. Add Healthy Fats

Omega 3 (alpha linolenic acid) is an essential fatty acid critical for proper brain development and functioning. Studies show that children with the highest levels of DHA (an omega 3 derivative) have the least risk for depression, bipolar issues and ADHD. Sources of Omega 3 include flax seed, hemp seed, walnuts; and for DHA, oily cold water fish.

Tips to try:

* Make baked fish sticks using salmon
* Sprinkle ground flax seeds onto morning cereal or use flax seed oil in dressings and dips.
* Substitute cow’s milk with hemp seed milk for a healthy dose of omega fatty acids

3. Limit refined sugars, simple carbohydrates and processed food

Refined sugars, sodas and simple carbohydrates suppress the immune system, cause blood sugar fluctuations and yeast imbalances - all which effect mood, concentration and performance.

Tips to try:

Instead of refined sugar use:

* Agave nectar - a low qlycemic natural sweetener extracted from a cactus plant
* Pureed fruit - such as dried apricots or fresh apples
* Sweet spices - such as cinnamon, nutmeg and clove

4. More Greens Please

Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients essential for optimal brain functionality, with dark leafy greens, sprouts and algaes being the most powerful.

Tips to try:

* Make a green smoothie blending leafy greens and sprouts with fresh fruit, such as bananas and mango - you’ll be amazed how good it tastes!
* Use collard greens as a sandwich ‘wrap’ or crispy romaine leaves as a fun taco shell
* Pack raw veggies with dip as an at school snack

Making small changes in the right direction will yield tremendous result in your child’s development and path towards optimal health, happiness and success. Get ready to watch their grades soar!

Peggy Kotsopoulos

Nutrition Consultant

beVibrant Wellness Consulting

www.beVibrant.ca

Peggy Kotsopoulos is a Nutrition Consultant and Health Educator focused on teaching REAL health through lifestyle and dietary choices that are easy, effective and delicious! As the founder of beVibrant wellness consulting, Peggy has successfully instilled healthy habits amongst hundreds of adults and children through the design and delivery of schools wellness programs, parent education seminars, corporate wellness workshops, and individual and group consultations. To find out more, visit http://www.bevibrant.ca or contact Peggy at peggy@bevibrant.ca

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Easy Ways to Avoid Eating Fast Food

It seems everyone these days has a busy agenda and certainly when it comes to eating, healthy food is not usually on the agenda.

The secret to eating healthily is planning. It is no good rushing out of the house in the morning and hoping that you pick up something good as you rush out of the door.

It just will not happen, as usual you will grab the first thing to hand or just opt to buy your lunch as usual.

The truth of the matter is, there is no need to give up healthy eating just because you are busy, but you do need to plan in time to prepare healthy meals, the best time is in the evening. Prepare your meal then put it in the fridge ready for the next day.

With a good healthy diet, you will be much better able to handle the stress of daily living, organic food can really help you here as it will provide a greater concentration of nutrients per pound than regular food.

Even if you frequently have to eat in restaurants, it’s still possible to have a healthy meal. You just have to pay attention to the portions, and choosing the right kinds of food like salads, and other dishes containing fresh fruits and vegetables.

Whenever possible, it’s best to stay away from heavy meals, like hamburgers and French fries. They may be tempting but they will help to pack on the extra pounds faster than you can eat them.

Waiting around in airports can be stressful and boring, which is why it’s important not to sit around and eat just because there’s nothing better to do. Eat when you’re actually hungry, and not from pure boredom.

If you spend a lot of time in your car, it would be a good idea to keep some healthy snacks handy at all times, like organic fresh fruit, vegetables or nuts.

Using this method you will find it much easier to pass by the fast food places as you will not be hungry and so less tempted.

If your house is like mine then the most hectic times of the day are first thing in the morning and early evening when everyone comes home.

You really need to find time to have a decent breakfast, it really is the most important meal of the day and is crucial to people who are trying to lose weight. Those in particular must have a healthy breakfast to start the day right.

In summary, if you plan into your day some time to prepare healthy meals in advance and buy some fruit to keep in the car and in preparation for long journeys then it really is possible to give the fast food restaurants a miss.

Your body really will thank you for it and you will feel better and more alive as a result.

Finally, take a look around at your local supermarket for organic food options. If you lead a fast life then organic options will help to keep you more healthy and energetic.

Virginia Louise is an organic food enthusiast. She firmly believes in free education in health and offers 7 free organic recipes and information to visitors to her web site.

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You Are What You Eat

I recently read an article about how many whole foods have a pattern that resembles a body organ or physiological function. The similarities between the food and organ signal the benefit that food provides. Basically saying, you are what you eat.

I did a bit more research and found the similarities between different whole foods strikingly similar. It may surprise you, and hopefully encourage you to continue eating those good-for-you foods. Here are just a few examples.

A sliced carrot looks like the human eye. The lines inside the carrot resemble the pupil, iris and radiating lines in your eye. Science shows that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

A tomato resembles the heart. Tomatoes have four chambers and are red, just like the heart. The lycopene in tomatoes are crucial in the fight against heart disease.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell. Research today shows that grapes are also a profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

A walnut is strikingly similar looking to the brain. The shape of a walnut looks just like the left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds are on the nut just like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.

Celery, Bok Choy, and Rhubarb look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength and they replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

Onions look like body cells. Today’s research shows that onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes.

Rachel Lukasavige is a Health Coach at Lukas Coaching. You can view more free articles, download free books, and become a member of the Reader’s Group at no cost by visiting http://www.healthierwayoflife.com

For free resources to help you improve your health, visit http://www.healthierwayoflife.com/resources.htm

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