Fighting Cold and Flu
Vitamins and Other Supplements to Strengthen Your Immune System When we’re not feeling well, getting enough sleep, drinking enough fluids, and getting plenty of rest is what we need to get better. But what about our diet? How can we change what we eat to get better? And, can what we eat help prevent us from getting sick? In this post I’m joined by University of British Columbia student Alyssa Chai to share what the scientific literature has to say about what supplements to strengthen and maintain a healthy immune system. Fighting Cold and Flu with Supplements Vitamin C Vitamin C...
Read MoreWhat is Collagen?
The ever-present buzzword that invades the minds of beauty gurus, health experts, and all who pursue the path of attaining soft and supple skin. Collagen is a protein that is key in skin’s support structure. Therefore, it plays a crucial role in skin’s integrity, firmness, elasticity, and overall functioning. Despite its vital role, the aging process triggers the progressive decline of collagen in the body which leads to the weakening of skin and the development of wrinkles. As today’s beauty standards value younger-looking skin, it is no wonder that this protein is sought after by so...
Read MoreDo I need to Soak Nuts
Recently I was asked: “Is there any truth to the idea that we should be soaking our nuts and grains to make these foods more digestible, more nutritious or to avoid so called ‘anti nutrients’?” Ah, the Internet, such a double-edged sword. I love it – after all, it’s how I’m communicating with you today. And, I hate it. In my 23+ years of experience in nutrition, I’ve never seen people so confused about nutrition. This question is yet another example of how people are confused about nutrition. What’s the source of this confusion? I commonly see two sources. One source is the...
Read MoreStop the Mid-Afternoon Slump
Do you get that feeling at about 3pm that you just want to crawl under your desk and take a nap? Here’s 1 simple trick to stop the mid-afternoon slump that I use with my clients. And, that I use in my life. What’s the trick? It’s to have your morning coffee with your breakfast – not before breakfast. In other words, don’t drink your morning coffee on an empty stomach. You may be surprized that I’m addressing something in your morning routine when it’s your afternoon energy levels that are the problem. Here’s why. The rate that caffeine is absorbed and reaches peak...
Read MoreFoods To Avoid for Hay Fever
Hay fever. I have it. Do you? Did you know that what you eat could be making your hay fever worse? All human bodies contain histamine. Most of us, most of the time, aren’t bothered by it one bit. However, our bodies have a threshold for histamine. When the level of histamine in our bodies goes above that threshold, we experience symptoms. They are the symptoms that us hay fever sufferers know all too well – itchy eyes, watery eyes, sneezing, runny nose, etc. Histamine in the Body Where do the histamines in our bodies come from? There are three major sources. The first source are...
Read MoreChew your food.
Improve Digestion, Reduce Bloating, and Get More Vitamins with This Simple Step Do you want to get more vitamins, minerals and other nutrients from the food that you eat? Want to reduce bloating and poor digestion? Want to experience more enjoyment from your food? How about feeling more full from eating less food? What if there was one really easy way to achieve all this? Well then I’ve got good news for you. There is one easy way: Chew your food. Yes, chew your food. Okay, I’m being a bit sensationalist. But I have good reason to be. It seems too obvious and too good to be true. But it...
Read More4 Ways to Stop Cravings
If you’re feeling like your cravings are controlling you, you’re not alone. Getting control over cravings is something that I’m asked for help with by almost all of my clients. While there’s all sorts of anecdotes and myths about cravings circulated by word-of-mouth and on the internet, the scientific literature doesn’t have a very thorough understanding of cravings – why we get them or what they mean. So, I’m going to share with you two ways to stop cravings from the literature and two ways that I’ve discovered in my many years of nutrition counselling. Stop Craving Tip #1:...
Read MoreBusting Some Big Fat Myths
Most clients I work with have an uneasy relationship with fat. It’s no wonder. In my 23 years of nutrition experience, I’ve seen the pendulum swing from one extreme to the other regarding fat. I was in University training to become a dietitian during the fat-phobic years. Back when everyone ”knew” that fat was bad for you. To be healthy, you needed to eat a low-fat diet. Pasta and bagels were the king and queen. Practically every parent fed their babies yams and rice cereal as their first foods. Contrast that to the present where my social media streams are full of avocado recipes...
Read MoreWhat’s the Best Time to Eat?
Eating healthfully involves more than what you choose to eat. It also includes when you choose to eat. Because even if you choose the right things, eating them at the wrong time can set you up for cravings that will drive you to eat things you will be upset at yourself for eating. Determining when to eat doesn’t involve memorizing times on the clock that are universal rules for everyone. In other words, there is no “best time” to eat. Here’s how to create a plan to eat at the right times that’s unique to you. Eat Within 1 Hour Of Waking Up While I don’t agree that breakfast is...
Read MoreShould I Take a Multivitamin?
One of the most common questions that I’m asked as a registered dietitian is “should I take a multivitamin?” Here’s what I think about multivitamins for women. First I need to tell you that when it comes to nutrition, one size doesn’t fit all. We each have different nutrition needs – based on our sex, age, physical activity, health concerns, etc. And, our eating habits vary widely. That’s why when I work with clients, the first thing I do is a nutrition assessment of you. It’s from the results of my nutrition assessment that I create your individual action plan. So, without...
Read MoreStay Hydrated This Summer
How Much Water Do I Need? You’ve likely heard the common adviceof drinking 8 glassesof water a day. But is that really how much water you need? The fluid recommendations are 2.7 Litres of total fluid per day for women. This is for us women who are between 19 – 70 years old who aren’t intense athletes, living in 30 degree C or hotter weather, or pregnant/ breastfeeding. (Men need 3.7 Litres of total fluids). You may have noticed that I used the term “fluid”, not “water” in the last paragraph. That’s because the recommendation is for total fluids – including everything you...
Read MoreWhat is the Right Breakfast?
I don’t believe in the old saying “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”. It may not be the most important meal. But it certainly is an important one. Starting off with the right breakfast raises your blood sugar gradually and keeps you full for hours. It’s like armor protecting you from the tempting, junky foods that surround us all day. The great news is that there isn’t just one perfect breakfast. Many foods can make up the “right” breakfast. Here are the 4 important characteristics of the “right” breakfast (and some food ideas): Produce. I highly doubt that...
Read MoreCheat Days
“Cheat days” are everywhere in the health and nutrition information world. However, I’m completely against cheat days. Let me repeat that because I feel so strongly about it. Completely. Against. Cheat days. Cheat days set us up to have a negative relationship with food. I’ve found that the secret to achieving, and keeping, your happy weight is to first create a healthy relationship with food. Then the weight loss will follow. Cheat days take you further away from your goal of a healthy weight and feeling happy about your body. First, let’s look at the term ‘cheat days’....
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