A New Habit for a New Year-Make Prunes Part of Each Day

Written by: Andrea Miller MHSc, RD

DISCLAIMER: This post was developed in sponsored partnership with the California Dried Plum Board ; however, as always, all opinions are genuine.

Happy New Year! I hope the holidays brought you peace, rest, and happy memories with friends and family.  As we ease into a New Year, many of us begin by making resolutions to improve our health. I love this idea and often set annual health and nutrition goals for myself. One of my favourite nutrition goals and one I encourage for my clients, is to add a new and healthy food to their daily routine. This year, I am going to make that new food California prunes. Eating just one daily serving of 5-6 California prunes supports bone health, heart health and digestive health.

Easy Slow-cooker recipes!

Created by Sharon Charles BSc Nutrition (Candidate)

Reviewed by Andrea Miller MHSc, RD

As the days get colder here in Canada, all you may want to do is snuggle up in a blanket and keep yourself warm. Well, a healthy and nutritious way to keep yourself cozy this season is by warming up to some meals made in the slow cooker! Here are two recipes which I can personally say are crowd pleasers and will have you eagerly awaiting the next time you can whip up a batch.

Autumn Eats: A Trip to the Farmer’s Market!

We welcome our newest student volunteer, with this blog post.

Please join us in welcoming Sharon Charles BSc Nutrition candidate, to our team

Reviewed by Andrea Miller MHSc, RD

As the leaves begin to transform into bright colorful shades, so does the produce that is beautifully displayed at local farmer’s markets! There are so many benefits to eating foods from the farmer’s market, some of which we will explore!

Back to School Nutrition

Written by Hilary Rock BSc, Nutrition

Reviewed by Andrea Miller MHSc, RD

Before you get into the busy routine of going back to school, add nutrition planning to your schedule. By making nutrition a priority and being proactive in planning ahead, you can avoid the excuse of “not enough time” to eat healthy. Eating a nutritious breakfast, lunch and snacks helps to keep you and your children healthy and ready to learn. Whether you are going back to school yourself or your children are, use the following tips to minimize stress and maximize time management for a successful school year.

Probiotics – Supporting a Healthy Gut

Written by Evita Basilio BSc Nutrition

Reviewed by Andrea Miller MHSc, RD

The Science of Our Gut
Humans are hosts to huge numbers of bacteria ~100 trillion all through our body. The gut flora is our largest organ of immunity. The composition of each person’s microflora is as unique as your fingerprint and what we feed our flora determines which bacteria are found in our gut.

10 Healthy Barbecue Tips

Written by Hilary Rock BSc, Nutrition

Reviewed by Andrea Miller MHSc, RD

Warmer weather, longer nights, barbeque season has arrived! Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors and start using the grill more. This summer think beyond the typical steaks, hamburgers, sausages, and hot dogs. Try grilling fish, fresh fruit, and even tofu for a change!  First things first, remember to heat up that grill for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking to kill off bacteria and other pathogens leftover from past grill sessions to reduce the chances of foodborne illness. Below are ten tips to remember to make this barbeque season a healthy one:

Whole grain vs. Whole wheat: A Review

Written by Erika Martin BSc, Nutrition Candidate

Reviewed by Andrea Miller MHSc, RD

We would like to welcome one of our new Nutrition undergraduate volunteer students, to our practice. This is Erika’s first blog post, for us.

Canada’s Food Guide states that half of our daily servings of grains should be whole grains. Whole grains provide us with more fiber, vitamins and minerals, than refined grain products. It is important to understand the difference between whole grain and whole wheat.

The Detox Debate

Written by Hilary Rock BSc, Nutrition

Reviewed by Andrea Miller MHSc, RD

These days, consumers are paying closer attention to ways to improve their health and prevent disease. At the same time that interest in health is growing, so is the ease of which consumers can access health-related information to support self-care, online. The Canadian Council of Food and Nutrition Tracking Nutrition Trends survey revealed that 46% of Canadians use the Internet to find food and nutrition information; 76% use magazines, newspapers and books; friends, relatives and colleagues are the source for 66%. In other words, many of the most common methods for obtaining food, nutrition and health-related information are not necessarily science-based and may not be reliable. One area of current popular interest where misinformation abounds is detoxification (detox) and cleansing diets and other procedures supposedly designed to rid the body of toxins. Detox diets are popular strategies that claim to facilitate toxin elimination and weight loss, thereby promoting health and well-being.

An Indian Reinvention of the Traditional Turkey Dinner

Written by Evita Basilio BSc, Nutrition

Reviewed by Andrea Miller MHSc, RD

Four years ago, my family moved from Dubai, U.A.E. to North America. My brother and I are now in Canada and my parents in the States. We have grown accustomed to the North American culture but blend in our Indian traditions, particularly around food. The holidays bring the family together, as well as old friends and new. Our annual holiday dinner is the main event taking inspiration from different parts of India, while keeping elements of a traditional turkey dinner.