Yoga for a Cause

Today in Saskatoon you'll find Registered Dietitian Steph Wheler at the Power of Movement Mega Session. The event is a yoga challenge to beat arthritis and autoimmune conditions. Jan Henrikson of Yoga Downtown will be leading the 1 hour class.

If you can't make it to this event you can still donate on the site.

Watch for more events happening in your community!

Steph Wheler
www.nutrishus.com

An Environment to Support Healthy Eating

I recently listened to a podcast from the 2010 Dietitians of Canada Conference. The presentation was called "Changing Food Landscapes" and a Quebec RD, Martine Pageau, was the presenter. Listening to her made me feel that I am becoming more aware of how our environment is working against us. It is no excuse, but how often do people try hard to eat healthy, yet the only option at the rink, at the workplace cafeteria, at the convenience store, etc. is something processed, high in fat, high in salt, high in sugar, or all of the above?!

If the environment doesn't support the changes that people are trying to make, then the people are more likely to give up and/or give in. We seem to feel that our lives are too busy these days, which leaves little time to think about what to eat. If it is difficult to find healthy choices, or if healthy choices are far more expensive, then most people will not choose them.

I remember that having pop or chips was a treat as a child, yet now we see them as regular items in people's meals/snacks. They seem to be available everywhere! People don't have to eat "perfectly" healthy, but the proportion of healthy food should far outweigh the proportion of so called "junk" food (foods of little or no nutritional value).

As a dietitian I work to help people make healthier choices in their lives, but we need to speak up as a society in order for those healthy choices to be the simple, easily accessible choices.

Steph Wheler
www.nutrishus.com

Advance Your Cooking Skills

Valentine's Day can be a time to overindulge in chocolate - I was quite surprised to be taken to a cooking class in Saskatoon as my gift this year (and yes dessert did involve chocolate!). My fiance and I both enjoy cooking - so it was great to get some one-on-one time with a professional chef and learn some new skills and new flavour combinations.

As a dietitian I am always interested in learning more about food and I felt it was a great way to spend time together while learning something new. I think we sometimes get stuck in our routine meals, so it was great to have an expert give us new ideas to keep the variety alive! We have plans to go back and continue our cooking education.

If you are interested in checking out the classes, you can visit Simon's website our facebook page to find out more.

Steph Wheler
www.nutrishus.com

There is such a thing as TOO MUCH!

You may remember a previous post about vitamin waters. This is along the same lines. An article in today's paper discusses the high levels of vitamin A in some drinks such as FUZE. I am often concerned about the new lines of vitamin waters/drinks since we get these nutrients from the foods that we eat. If someone eats a well balanced diet with variety they should have no problem meeting their daily requirements. These drinks which are considered to be natural health products have different rules and can be sold with department issued exemption numbers since Health Canada has a backlog of license applications. The issue is when the fortification leads people to consume nutrients above and beyond the tolerable upper intake levels.

If you're drinking fortified juices/waters/beverages, take time to look at the contents and % DV to see how much you're getting. Use these products with caution and in moderation.

Steph Wheler
www.nutrishus.com

Finding Enjoyment

Healthy eating is only part of the story. To lead a healthy life you also need to include regular physical activity.

"Health Canada recommends building 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity into daily life for adults and at least 90 minutes a day for children and youth." Start slowly and work your way up.

As with weight, I tell people not to compare themselves to others. People come in all shapes and sizes and people find enjoyment in all kinds of activities. I work with people to create lifelong changes and the same applies to physical activity. Find something that you enjoy so that you are more likely to stick with it. This might mean that you have to try a few new things before you find enjoyment, but then you will start to look forward to it. Grab a friend or family member and plan activities together.

Healthy eating combined with regular physical activity will help you feel better and have more energy!

Steph Wheler
www.nutrishus.com

Warm up with some Lentil Soup

It's been so cold lately that it makes me want soup. I tried this recipe from about.com a little while ago because I had some dried lentils around the house. I had never made lentil soup and I thought it was pretty good. I also like it because it includes simple ingredients which most people can find in their own cupboards on a regular basis. I am conscious of the high salt/sodium in most soups available today, so when I made it I used fairly dilute chicken stock (I used 1.5 oxo cubes for 4 cups of water). Try it out to get some meat alternatives into your day!

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 carrot sliced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup dry lentils
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• dash salt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Preparation:

In a large pot, sautee the onions and carrot in the vegetable oil for 3-5 minutes until onions turn clear.

Add the vegetable broth, lentils, pepper, thyme, bay leaves and salt.

Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until lentils are soft, about 45 minutes. Remove bay leaves and stir in lemon juice before serving. Makes 4 servings of lentil soup.

Steph Wheler

www.nutrishus.com

How is 2011 going?

We are now settling into the year 2011. Many people like to set resolutions for a new year, but they are often unrealistic and hard to stick to. Did you set a resolution or a goal to start the year? If you are struggling to meet your goals, Something Nutrishus Counselling & Coaching, can help you set specific, realistic goals that you can achieve through small steps.

If you haven't set a goal, but are interested in educating yourself on nutrition and healthy eating there are many places to look for information. Make sure you read from reliable, credible sources with experts who have legitimate educational backgrounds and research to back their claims.

If you don't know what you know about nutrition, you can take this short quiz from the Globe and Mail for a little bit of fun (well I think nutrition is fun!).

Steph Wheler
www.nutrishus.com