Compared to other colours, green foods are packed with some of the best health benefits: powerful antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Green foods have been shown to help reduce high blood pressure, lower your “bad” cholesterol, accelerate wound-healing and improve immune functions. They even give you better looking skin, hair and nails! Avocados – They are [...]
Although the weather is not really cooperating and hockey is still on (Go Canucks!), warm months and fresh produce are around the corner. Not only are local fruit and vegetables cheaper to buy, they are tastier, easy to prepare and help build a sustainable community food system. Local farmers’ markets usually offer a wide variety [...]
Every year at this time it can be such a task to stick to your fitness and diet regime. Holiday parties, rich foods, visiting relatives and snow can all interrupt and cause problems with how hard you’ve worked all year! But if you plan and prepare, you can make sure the holidays don’t knock you [...]
The Secret to Long Life … “Red meat and gin.” ~ Julia Child (1912 – 2004), on what her longevity is attributed to. Most of us would like to live a long and happy life. It’s really not a secret anymore. We’ve seen the studies, know what’s good for us, and although it seems trite, [...]
November is Diabetes Awareness Month 9 million Canadians live with diabetes or prediabetes. It is one of the most preventable diseases, but it is still growing at an alarming rate. If you have prediabetes (slightly elevated blood sugar levels that often become diabetes within 10 years), you likely don’t even know it. Having diabetes can [...]
World Osteoporosis Day: October 20th, 2010 Close to 2 million Canadians suffer from osteoporosis, a disease which weakens your bones and makes them more likely to break. Bone is constantly changing: cells called osteoclasts remove bone, while osteoblasts form bone. In normal bone, these two actions are balanced. In osteoporotic bone, osteoclasts remove bone more [...]
Coinciding with the fall harvest, World Vegetarian Day occurs on October 1st to kick-off Vegetarian Awareness Month. The North American Vegetarian Society (NAVS) aims to give support to its members, affiliated groups and vegetarians in general, while also educating the public on how vegetarianism benefits humans, other animals and the earth. Non-vegetarians are welcome to [...]
Vitamin D has long been considered an important component of health as it contributes to the absorption of calcium in the gut and helps maintain correct levels of calcium and other components required for normal bone health, reducing the risk of osteoporosis. New research has also linked Vitamin D to reducing the risk of breast, [...]
In dealing with pain relief, NSAIDs (Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs, similar to ibuprofen), have been found to cause undesirable side effects such as gastritis and early gastric erosion. Alternatively, much research supports the use of omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) to block inflammatory responses. Without those unwanted side effects, omega-3s are a much safer choice to [...]
Summer is here and so is the abundance of delicious, fresh and local fruit. Here is a list of some favourites and what goodness they bring to your health (Enjoy!): Blueberries – Contain more antioxidants than any other fruit, which help to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, reduce damage by age-accelerating free radicals [...]
Do YOU know where your food comes from? At the turn of the last century – a mere 100 years ago – most of the people in North America lived in rural areas, and more than 40% of the population were farmers. Today, those numbers have decreased significantly and will continue to decrease as globalization [...]
According to Statistics Canada, two-thirds of Canadians are overweight. The quest for the perfect diet to melt away those extra pounds results in a 44 billion (yes, billion) dollar industry in the US and Canada combined. Every month there is a new diet fad, a new and magical “wonder food”, and a new collection of [...]
Eating more often to lose more weight sounds counter-intuitive, but it’s what healthy snacking is all about. Fuelling yourself with the right foods at the right times boosts your metabolism and speeds your weight loss. It also helps keep you focused, energized and happy throughout the day. Two Calgary dieticians have suggested everyone abide by [...]
Wiser, Wealthier, Healthier? Every year people make resolutions on January 1st. And every year, the majority of people have forgotten about these resolutions by January 21st. Why? Unfortunately for us, the big plans made with a glass of champagne in hand aren’t usually the sorts of plans that lend themselves to actual visible change. It [...]
The immune system is a set of biological structures and processes that prevent against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells. Humans have a very sophisticated immune system which will adapt over time to recognize and kill specific pathogens more efficiently. This process is called acquired immunity, and will work to create an [...]
It’s Flu Season – Stay Healthy! Different strains of Influenza kill between 2000 – 8000 Canadians every year. ‘Swine Flu’, or novel H1N1 flu virus, is a new strain of flu that emerged in Canada in April of this year, and is currently the cause of a global flu pandemic. The World Health Organization [...]
When Bigger is Not Always Better March is Nutrition Month across Canada, making it the perfect time to set some nutrition goals for yourself! It’s difficult to resist the large portion sizes available at many restaurants, especially when fast food chains serve bigger meals for just a few extra cents. As a result, many have [...]
Heart disease is now the leading cause of death for Canadian women. Unfortunately, many women are unaware of this serious health concern. Even more worrisome is the fact that doctors also seem to be unaware of the risk that heart disease poses to women, and do not treat women with cardiac symptoms as aggressively as [...]
Holiday Fruit Ranks Number One in Antioxidants If you want the health benefits of antioxidants, but hate broccoli … Then pucker up: A new study shows that cranberries may be better for you. An antioxidant comparison of some of the most common fruits found that the little red berry — in its pure form — [...]
With reference to the Nutrition Alphabet, we have compiled a description of each of the chosen foods, and why they are essential to any healthy diet. Avocado: Contains monounsaturated fats, which are good for the heart, and a significant amount of potassium (60% more than bananas, ounce by ounce) and vitamin E. Blueberries: Contain more [...]
As some of you are harvesting your own tomato crop, and others are happily finding their produce at stores and markets, here’s the scoop on why you should enjoy your garden’s bounty…. Tomatoes are loved for their fresh taste and the versatile role they play in cooking, but research indicates there may be another reason [...]
This simple bean, called “ta-tau” or “greater bean” in China, packs incredible health benefits Liz Applegate, PhD Soy is truly one of nature’s super foods. Yet so many runners avoid it, using the same misguided excuses: “I don’t really need to eat soy. . . . Tofu just isn’t my idea of real food. [...]
C. Laird Birmingham, BSc, MD, MHSc, FRCPC, FACP, ABIM You are considering going on a diet to lose weight. There are three key points to consider. Many people lose weight, but few can maintain it. The problem with diets is keeping the weight off. You cannot stay on a diet forever. Unfortunately there is no [...]
By Kathleen D. Baumgardner, D.C. We know the body is a self-healing mechanism. It’s helpful to view health as a triangle with three components—structural, chemical and mental—forming equilateral sides. When any of the triangle’s sides are out of balance, our health is compromised and difficult to maintain. Thus, we should be aware of all aspects [...]
The Truth about Supplements Nancy Clark, MS, RD When you look at the ads in almost any sports publication, you cannot help but notice the supplement industry is hard at work promoting protein powders, bars, and shakes. Their goal: to convince athletes they need extra protein to build muscles and recover from exercise. Never [...]
Healthy Eating. Active Living. Positive Self & Body Image. See how much you know about the healthy pleasures of Vitality. Losing weight is a good way to improve your health. False. Losing weight will not necessarily improve your health. If you are at a healthy weight, losing and regaining weight (yo-yo dieting) is more harmful [...]
By Cherri Straus, MPH Millions of people worldwide (most of them women) wouldn’t mind eating chocolate morning, noon, and night. Studies have shown that chocolate is the most craved of all foods. Forty percent of women report cravings for chocolate, which may be related to hormonal changes. The American Dietetic Association reports that chocolate cravings [...]
Be abnormal about nutrition! In today’s society the majority of the population does not worry about what we feed our bodies until it becomes a matter of disease or other serious ailment. Local registered dietician/sport nutritionist, Patricia Chuey M.Sc., has a clever take on this subject. Enjoy this excerpt from her book, The 101 Most [...]
With summer upon us, there is an abundance of local fruits and vegetables available to everyone and they offer many health benefits. Phytochemicals — such as flavonoids, isoflavones and indoles — fight disease in humans. Hence, there is a race to extract phytochemicals from food for use as supplements or in designer food products. Rosie [...]
March is National Nutrition Month. Here are some questions to test your knowledge of nutrition. 1. According to consumer research, which factor tops nutrition as the number one reason why consumers buy one food over another? a. Packaging c. Taste b. Preparation time d. Cost In addition to walnuts, which of the following is [...]
With the local summer fruit and vegetable season upon us, here are some interesting facts that the gardeners among us may be pleased to know. Everyone has probably heard of roughage or insoluble fiber found in whole wheat products, fruits, and vegetables that can help bowel movements and prevent certain cancers. What we don’t hear [...]
A steaming cup of fresh coffee paired with and indulgent chocolate treat is a match made in heaven. But keep in mind that both coffee and chocolate supply caffeine, which can impact your health in various ways, both good and bad. That table below provides a listing of the average caffeine content of common foods. [...]
Nutritional Myths Myth #1: Vegetarians don’t get adequate protein in their diets. You don’t necessarily have to eat meat to get adequate amounts of dietary protein. But to get enough protein, vegetarians do need to eat a wide variety of foods, including legumes, dried peas, beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds and soy [...]