What does 2016 have in store for us?

I took a look at 2016 food trend predictions out of curiosity. Now I'll have to look back at the end of the year and see what the trends really were. I often think about 'history repeating' itself when we look at trends or consider with amusement when a former garnish (kale) turns superfood (a term I don't like, and that is all about marketing) or an everyday, almost forgotten vegetable (cauliflower) becomes popular. It can become worrisome when a less healthy item (bacon) starts appearing everywhere too.

Trends can be a way to stem curiosity, increase variety, and perhaps get people back into the kitchen to eat real, whole foods, but we must remember that no one food gives us everything that we need. We need a lot of nutrients, and we eat foods (that contain nutrients), thus we need a lot of different foods not only for our health, but also to satisfy our cravings and tastebuds.

I think it's great that more people are interested in health and food, but we also continue to see extremes of obesity and poverty, and now the obsession with healthy eating, known as orthorexia nervosa. We still have a lot to learn!

2016 has been declared the International Year of Pulses which I think is great in so many ways. I hope that definitely means pulses are on people's minds and menus. A few sites I looked at for their predictions were Yahoo Food, HuffPost, The Toronto Star, and Entrepreneur. They didn't just look at ingredients, but also how food is delivered and prepared. What similarities did I find? What can we expect to see in 2016?

• a continued interest in fermented and pickled food
• vegetables taking centre stage (yes!)
• less waste in the kitchen, using 'ugly' food etc.
• acai or smoothie bowls instead of juices
• healthier fast food
• poke (a Hawaiian raw fish dish)
• seaweed
• spice and spicy condiments
• concern with where our food comes from
• discussion around tipping and minimum wage (servers vs cooks, etc.)
• fried chicken
• food that's burned (on purpose)
• a continued interest in ethnic flavours and gourmet versions of international comfort foods
• freekeh and ancient grain/artisan breads

I love food, but it's only one part of our life. I hope you can define yourself beyond the type of diet you eat or the foods you restrict. One trend (more hopefully, a long term change) I would like to see is a removal of labelling the way we eat. I am fortunate that I don't have allergies or intolerances, and I know that makes things difficult and also makes it important that others know what you can't consume, but I still don't think we need to define ourselves by our way of eating. I eat food, lots of different kinds of food.

Happy New Year!
Steph Langdon, RD
www.nutrishus.com

What RDs Do: Noura Sheikhalzoor, RD, MSc (candidate)

NOURA SHEIKHALZOOR
MSc CANDIDATE, RESEARCHER

for something nutrishus 

We are excited to feature another local Registered Dietitian (RD) today! I worked with Noura on our Nutrition Month campaign, but as you will see, she is very busy and involved in our community. She is both a student and a teacher; Noura is a Master of Science Candidate in Nutrition at the University of Saskatchewan.

Why did you become a RD?

I have always been interested in health. I have a unique journey being a graduate from an overseas dietetics program in the United Arab Emirates. When I first started university, I did not know that a nutrition and dietetics major existed. Once I learned about it, it fired a big interest in me to proceed with nutrition and dietetics as my study and career path. I have always loved organic and biochemistry, biology, and physiology. During the university years, I loved all the science, food and nutrition classes and labs. After the completion of my four years B.Sc. program with a dietetic internship, I moved to Canada with my family. 

Becoming a Registered Dietitian in Canada was the second big step in my journey. My family first settled in Mississauga, Ontario, and there, I completed the Internationally Educated Dietitians Pre-registration Program at Ryerson University to be able to practise dietetics in Canada. 

Working with people in different settings, in issues related to their health has always been a motivator for me.

What area of dietetics do you work in? 

Currently, I am working in research and in university teaching as these are the main parts of my M.Sc. degree. My research interests are: nutrition program planning and evaluation, food security, food environments and food systems. I am involved in teaching parts of some undergraduate nutrition courses at the university, graduate teaching and professional skills. I do some presentations and workshops on my own in academic and community settings on food systems, food and culture, general healthy eating, and on cooking skills. I also volunteer at a few health organizations such as the Canadian Diabetes Association and the Canadian Cancer Society, and food organizations such as the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre and Saskatoon Food Council.

How would you explain what you do?

In three word: interesting, new, and adventurous. My research lab is the community, which always brings new ideas and allows me to build new relationships. My research project is a program evaluation study, where I am using qualitative research methods to ask about the nutrition knowledge, skills, and behaviours of children after participating in an after school cooking program.

I love teaching and worked as a teacher for years before my M.Sc. program. At the University of Saskatchewan, I am working as a teaching assistant in several courses teaching some labs and facilitating discussion groups, where I enjoy the interaction with students and future RDs (as I love to call them).

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

As a researcher and a dietitian, I keep up-to-date with the nutrition information and news, so I typically start my day with a fast read of the nutrition and food news and research articles. I usually have several meetings during my day for event organization or with my research supervisor or students. I also work on tasks related to my research and teaching such as interviewing, reading, writing, preparing a presentation or a research poster. I attend many workshops and learning opportunities live and online on nutrition, health, teaching, and professional development. To do that efficiently, I do lots of planning and communication during my day, so I keep organized and work effectively with people.

What has been your career path?

My career path is unique, but not long. I completed an internship in the United Arab Emirates at one of the largest hospitals: Sheikh Khalifa Medical City – managed by Cleveland Clinic in the three main dietetic practice areas: food services management, clinical, and community nutrition. I completed my dietetics practicum in Ontario in a long term care home’s food service and public health unit, and in a complex continuing care rehab hospital. From these experiences, I found that I am very interested in health promotion and disease prevention through community and public health programs and policies. I started my M.Sc. studies in community nutrition to learn more about nutrition programs and policies to improve community and public health. During that time, I worked with programs such as Kids Kitchen teaching grades 4 and 5 how to cook, and helped with Dietitians of Canada’s nutrition month campaign in Saskatchewan.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

I always seek learning and training opportunities. I have taken courses, attended conferences, and completed workshops and webinars on different topics related to nutrition, health, professional development, and teaching. I took some nutrition courses offered by Dietitians of Canada. I also completed cooking classes from programs: Start from Scratch, Demos for Dietitians, and Collective Kitchens Leadership. I am also working to complete my Master Gardener Certificate from the University of Saskatchewan. In my learning journey, I connect the dots between my different learnings. For example, I am learning about cooking and gardening to have better connection of the food system’s elements and better understanding of how they relate to people’s lives.

In an ideal world, what does the industry look like 5 years from now?

Speaking from my interest in food systems and experience, in five years I would like to see more dietitians involvement in food systems issues providing evidence-based knowledge and information in the communities to improve their food security status and health. I also see dietitians filling a variety of roles in improving the health of the community and the food system, where food is celebrated from farm to fork. I would like to see more dietitians improving current policies in food and nutrition and making new policies that make a difference in improving population health.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

There is misinformation about RDs in the community. Many people think that we work only in weight loss or that we are the food police. We do much more than weight loss meal plans. Our roles are diverse and we connect the issues related to food and nutrition on different levels: individuals, groups, communities, and nations. Dietitians are not the food police. We love food and that is why we work closely with it and keep talking about it. Many people think that dietitians don’t eat enough or don’t enjoy eating. In reality, dietitians eat all kinds of food and enjoy it as mindfully as possible. There are many foodie dietitians too (unfortunately I am not one of them, but I am always happy to see and know them)!

What are challenges you encounter as a RD?

Any profession has its own challenges. Food is a sensitive topic and something that is very closely related to everyone’s culture and beliefs, so challenging pseudoscience and people’s beliefs in nutrition myths is really hard.

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

I am passionate about all aspects of dietetics. I am passionate about food and health and human interactions with them and the everyday trends that we see. Specifically, I am very passionate about improving the food systems and community health and interested in upstream thinking. I am interested in health promotion and disease prevention through healthy eating and positive lifestyle changes.

What makes RDs unique/different from other nutrition/wellness professionals?

No one can call themselves a dietitian or registered dietitian in Canada unless they have the proper qualifications. This means that our profession is regulated to protect the public, because RDs are evidence-based and they have a comprehensive understanding of science, food, and human behaviour. Also, RDs are much cooler!

What is your favourite meal? 

My favourite meal is breakfast! I feel really creative with it and look forward to it every morning. I like to include a protein, carbohydrate and fibre, and a healthy fat source. I use whole grains, dairy, and seeds when I eat hot or cold cereal in the morning or when I make a sandwich or an egg dish. Speaking of breakfast, I will show you a breakfast that is inspired from my cultural background. Here a Syrian breakfast, where people have a variety of small dishes that include: egg (hard boiled or scrambled), Syrian cheese, jam or honey, herbs blend (zaatar) with olive oil, fava beans or chickpeas, pickled eggplant with nuts, vegetables, and more. Syrians like to drink tea with that and they use pita bread to eat some of these foods.

What tip(s) would you give to our readers?

I would like to give the readers the following tips:
· Eat food mindfully and enjoy the process of selecting, preparing, cooking, and eating.
· If you can have a food garden or grow some food or herbs indoor, do that.
· Learn about your food by reading and talking to people (or a RD) about it. Read food labels. Try new recipes.
· Learn about other people’s cultures and food. It could inspire you in so many ways.
· Keep working towards your career passion and keep improving your professional skills.

Anything else you’d like to add that you feel would be valuable:

I always say that: everyone eats, so everyone is interested in nutrition and touched by food everyday multiple times a day, and that is why our job is very important. Always remember that RDs are always on your side!

More about Noura:

Twitter: @Nouraszoor
LinkedIn: Noura Sheikhalzoor
Instagram: @noura.szoor

Thanks Noura! Find out more about What RDsDo.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details!

Day 29: Variety is the Spice of Life

I enjoy food (as most dietitians do) and I enjoy cooking. This means we're often trying new ideas, tools/methods, ingredients or recipes in our kitchen. We've also been introducing food to our daughter over the past 5 months, so that has kept us thinking about different things to have her try. We do also enjoy eating out and trying different restaurants. If we go out (which is less these days, now that we're parents), it would be for food that we don't make or don't make often, thus it's often ethnic cuisine.

I don't love every food, my husband has a few that he enjoys that I'm not as fond of (oysters, blue cheese, olives). I also don't always make great things in the kitchen, sometimes new ideas flop. We try to find recipes with comments and suggestions so that we can learn from others, but we don't all like the same things either.

I think it's great to have access to many foods. There are varieties in Saskatoon that I don't remember seeing as a child and some foods are now available all year round. We're able to buy fresh, frozen, or canned items and often the store has what we're looking for. I know not everyone has that luxury. I travel to some small communities with my work and see the lack of choices, or even the lack of a store, or high prices that can be limiting.

I am walking distance from groceries, which I love. I can go for a walk to grab a few items I need. I also don't have to eat the same things as my husband or daughter, if I don't want to. We don't have allergies or other dietary restrictions, so for us it's just a matter of preference. As she gets older and starts talking, our daughter may let us know more about her likes and dislikes, but so far we're pretty lucky, like us, she likes food and hasn't had a bad reaction to any of it.

I am grateful for: access to a wide variety of foods

As a Canadian I enjoy being able to eat Italian, Mexican, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, East Indian, and locally sourced foods. I love to travel and part of that is definitely to try other/new foods.

Try something new or pull out an old favourite that you've forgotten about, explore the world of flavours available to you!
Steph Langdon, RD
www.nutrishus.com

Day 5: Happy in the Kitchen

One of my happy places is definitely in the kitchen. When purchasing our home, the size of the kitchen was important to us, because we use our kitchen. Yes, we enjoy eating out, but both my husband and I enjoy cooking (I also love to bake). At times I would definitely rather have a home cooked meal versus getting organized to go out, but I do also appreciate when someone else does the work (and cleans up!).

We gravitate to the kitchen when we entertain, so it's helpful that we have lots of counter space and an island. We got used to this sort of set up in our old loft, so it was important for the house too. Many of our friends and family know that we enjoy food and I'm sure they know that I like to experiment.

In my attempts to live a minimalist lifestyle, I also have to be aware of the items I purchase for the kitchen, not just the food. I could probably spend a lot of money on props to help with presentation or the food pictures that I share on instagram, but I'm trying to be aware and stick to a few simple, quality items.

A few of our pieces are well researched by my husband, some were gifts, and others are items we collected on our travels. So there are many reasons to enjoy our kitchen beyond being able to nourish ourselves and hopefully help our daughter have a positive relationship with food and acquire cooking skills. There are so many ways she'll be able to help in the kitchen even at a young age, and it's about more than just the food.

I am grateful for: Time to prepare and enjoy meals with my family

Since I mainly work from home, I have the ability to spend time in the kitchen (somedays). Sometimes I get overwhelmed trying to get a meal organized or feed our daughter and plan our supper too. I often have ingredients for a few meals so that I at least have ideas of what to throw together. Sometimes I need something quick and other times I can enjoy preparing a more complex dish. I definitely have days where I make my husband decide on supper; the days where I've had to make too many decisions already. However, when I am able to enjoy a meal with my family, possibly pack up leftovers, and clean the kitchen, I find that I feel content. Taking a few moments to put a dirty plate in the dishwasher does help me sleep better at night though.

Our kitchen will likely always be a place of experimentation, but it's a place where all type of food can be enjoyed. We have the ability to keep it stocked with healthy and tasty items, and I never want to take that for granted.

Go create something!
Steph Langdon, RD
www.nutrishus.com

Were you too ThankFULL?

Canadian Thanksgiving is over, now it's time to reflect on how you did...
I saw many people out enjoying the weather (and being active!) Saturday when I went to the Strawberry Ranch Corn Maze, as well as Sunday and Monday while walking Albert around the bridges and Meewasin trails.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to two dinners.  I baked my first pie from scratch (from inspiredtaste.com) for dessert on day 1 and brought a family shared quinoa salad recipe (from finecooking.com) on day 2.  Both evenings were equally enjoyable and full of great food and company.  It seemed like portions were kept under control and there were lots of vegetable options both evenings.  I must admit that my brother-in-law served very large slices of pumpkin pie last night (it was homemade, and delicious).

Now that the main meals are done, perhaps your fridge is barren, but I'd guess that most of the hosts have fridges full of leftovers.  If you're a guest like me, you may have also scored a few more meals for the week ahead.  Sharing leftovers can be a great way to make sure that they don't go to waste (and/or keep you from overeating).  You might also have a tradition for your turkey - my mother often makes turkey crepes, and my mother-in-law makes day-after-turkey-casserole, and many people make homemade soup.  Whatever you do with your extras, make sure that you're smart and practicing food safety.  Here are a few reminders from Dietitians of Canada:

• Keep leftovers in the fridge for a maximum of two to three days. Freeze leftovers if storing them for longer.
• Leftovers can be frozen and used within two or three months. Be sure to label and date all packages, and use the oldest ones first.
• Thaw frozen leftovers in the fridge, not on the counter. Eat or reheat thawed leftovers right away.
• Heat food thoroughly to at least 165°F (74°C). Check temperatures using a food thermometer.
• Ensure soups, gravies and sauces are brought up to a boil before you eat them.
• Only reheat leftovers one time. Throw away any uneaten leftovers after they have been reheated. Do not refreeze thawed leftovers.

What do you do with your Thanksgiving leftovers?

Continue to be grateful all year round!
Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

Who, What, Where, When, Weekend?

I am amazed that it's September already!  Where has this year gone?  On Friday I suggested a long weekend with food, fitness, friends, and fun.  Since it's Q's Day, I want to know:

What did you eat Labour Day long weekend?

I was able to enjoy time with many different friends and family members.  We took in the Saskatoon Fireworks Festival from 2 different vantage points (East and West side).  I'm not much of a sparkly/glitzy person, but I do enjoy the simple pleasure of fireworks over the river on a beautiful Autumn evening (it was chilly, so I think it felt more like Fall than Summer).  

We enjoyed some great meals as well.  Lots of fresh fruit with Greek yogurt, brunch at Truffles where I enjoyed the very flavourful feature.  They had a great description, but it was something like - a poached egg with kale, cherried bacon, a garlic and tomato coulis, served on a biscuit.  That's how I like to indulge - with vegetables making an appearance and decadent flavours in a small portion.  There may have been a delicious latte too!

We also enjoyed roasted Parmesan zucchini from a recipe I found on Pinterest.  It is quick, simple, and tasty.  Preheat the oven to 400F, wash and chop your zucchini, place it on a cookie sheet, brush lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese.   Cook for 10-15 minutes until cheese starts to brown, but zucchini is still tender.

I enjoyed some great walks - 3 greyhounds for one day made things a little more exciting than just having our Albert.  I did a little shopping with a girlfriend and started making plans for an upcoming vacation.  Being a 'do-er' I also minimized some clutter in the house, organized photos, and caught up on some reading.  Overall a September long weekend success if I say so myself!  Here's to a great September - I'm already looking forward to making warm soups as the temperatures continue to drop.

Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

2012 Food Revolution Day: May 19

May 19, 2012 is Food Revolution Day.  You may have heard about Jamie Oliver and his fight for real food and improved nutrition and nutrition education in UK and USA schools.  The idea behind Food Revolution Day is to get the world talking about food, sharing food, sharing cooking skills, sharing information and knowledge. 

In my practice I work to help you with your individual or team goals, but I also share my love of food and health through this blog.  My husband and I both enjoy cooking, having friends and family over for meals, and going to cooking classes to continue to learn new skills and recipes.  Unfortunately, many children today do not have basic cooking skills - this means that they will grow into adults lacking cooking skills and the ability to create healthy and delicious home cooked meals. 

I know our lives can get hectic, but often with planning and preparation we can get back to home cooked meals and having family and friends gather to share food.  Food shouldn't always be eaten in a rush, or in a car, or from a package.  I will be attending a dinner party a few days before Food Revolution Day to share recipes and good food with a great group of women. 

Jamie is supporting improved food education so that people can understand how and why to nourish their bodies with healthy food.  Behaviour change can be difficult, so remember to start with a few small goals - find a recipe and try to create it, have one less meal out at a restaurant, share homemade food with friends and family, do whatever inspires you at school, work, or home to celebrate and create conversations around food. 

Not sure where to start?
- check out recipes on this blog
- check out HealthCastle's learn to cook series
- check out the Rainbow Kitchen for ideas to get your kid's excited about food and cooking

- find a local cooking class such as Simon's Fine Foods
- ask a friend or family member to teach you how to make their specialty or favourite dish

by FoodRevolution. Browse more Food infographics.

What are you doing May 19?

Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

       

Q's Day - Count Down to Christmas

Holiday season is here and many people are counting down the days until Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  People celebrate in a variety of ways, but for me - Christmas means seeing family and friends and enjoying some great food.  With that in mind, my question today is:

What is your favourite part (food or beverage) of your holiday meal?

There are so many different traditions, so your favourite part might not even exist at a different celebration.  I think I'm pretty standard, I look forward to the turkey.  I only get turkey twice a year, and I quite enjoy it, but to tell you the truth, I enjoy the turkey leftovers as much (or more) than the turkey hot out of the oven.

Feel free to post you food and nutrition questions, comments, answers, recipes, suggestions, etc.

Thanks for reading,

Steph Wheler, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

Guiding you to Healthy Choices?

Loblaws has recently launched the Guiding Stars program to help consumers identify healthier options in their grocery stores.  I became aware of it while waiting to see the dentist and looking through the Canadian Health magazine. 

The Vancouver Sun posted an article by Jennifer Sygo, RD.  She talks about the program including its weaknesses and strengths:

"Guiding Stars also did itself a service by adjusting its algorithm according to the food category being rated, which means lean meats and fish aren’t unfairly penalized for containing modest amounts of saturated fat, and nuts aren’t faulted for being high in fat and low in fibre. This a particularly refreshing take when, so often in the past, foods such as almonds, olive oil and avocados have been faulted for their fat content, despite the fact a preponderance of research suggests they are important for good health."

Other programs used to make choices easier are often only applied to foods found in packages.  This excludes some of the healthiest choices such as fresh fruits and vegetables.  The programs (such as the Heart and Strokes' Health Check) can help consumers, but the brands have to pay to be a part of the program, so again certain foods are excluded and it just doesn't allow for an even comparison if that's all a consumer is looking for. 

"Finally, one of the best elements of the Guiding Stars program is that it is in no way influenced by any brand, industry or the price of a given food. It is an objective look at the nutrient density of a food, and is much simpler to understand than a label or ingredient list could ever be." 

These simplified systems are not a replacement for label reading.  Many people are still very interested in the actual ingredients and so reading the ingredient list is important.  The rating systems also only take into account the nutrients found on the nutrition facts panel, and there can be many other vitamins, minerals, etc. that make a product a healthier choice or not.

To find out more visit the website and you can even see the algorithm used to classify foods.  The site says: "Guiding Stars is not intended to tell you what to buy, but rather point you toward foods that have more vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, whole grains –and less fats, cholesterol, sugar and sodium."
Here is a brief video from the website:


What do you think?  Do you read labels or use systems like this?

Steph Wheler, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

Let's Talk About Food

Today is World Food Day and Blog Action Day.  As a Registered Dietitian I talk and read about food daily.  My clients are often wanting an understanding of what healthy eating looks like in their life or for their sport.  For some people the issue is access to and availability of food - this is called food security.  Food is a basic human right and we need food to survive in this world.  The World Food Summit of 1996 defined food security as existing “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life.”

I strive to help people lead healthy lives now and in the future.  A part that I don't forget, but often am not focused on is those who do not have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.  We are surrounded by food on every corner in our society.  Obesity and overweight seem to be overshadowing underweight as children are spending more time with electronic devices and are becoming less active.  Food plays such a large part of traditions, celebrations, cultures, and for most of us food is consumed a couple of times every day. 

It becomes a habit and as we search the cupboard or fridge wondering what to eat, we may forget that many people do not have a cupboard or fridge to look through. 

For today's post I wanted to share a couple of questions with my answers, feel free to comment with yours!


1) What is your favourite food? Right now it would be cherries or raspberries (but they're harder to get in the Fall and Winter).

2) Would you choose sweet or salty? I am definitely more of a sweet tooth and enjoy the occasional dark chocolate.

3) What is your signature dish? When I have a family I would love to be known for making great soup and lasagna.

4) What ethical and mindful food choices do you make? We purchase the CHEP Good Food Box regularly, get free trade coffee beans from 10,000 villages, occasionally shop at the farmer's market, and try to support local restaurants.   

Steph Wheler, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching 
www.nutrishus.com