Just some food for thought for the next time you are about to binge on left over halloween candy.
Back To School Lunch Ideas
Even though it is the end of summer break, beach days are few and far between and we are getting the kids ready to go back to school, I must say, it is nice to be getting back into a routine again!
When it comes to packing kids lunches it can be difficult to get creative and find healthy options, it is very easy to head for the “snack” isle of the grocery store and fill their lunch bags with these items. While you might have a something relatively healthy packed for their main meal, chances are they are going to gravitate to the “less healthy” items first if they are there as an option. In my experience, kids do not get much time for lunch and they want to have whatever is quick and easy so they can eat and then get on the go for the remainder of the break to play!
So here are a few easy and healthy options for school lunches for kids:
Roast chicken and veggies (my favourite option!) I like to get a fresh organic chicken and do my own version a grocery store roast chicken. You can put the chicken in a slow cooker (4 hours high - 8 hours low) season with sea salt, pepper, turmeric and smoked paprika, extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil. Once the chicken is done, remove from the slow cooker and pull meat away from the bones and store in the fridge for quick lunches for the week. This is great served with veggies - cut up cucumber, carrots, peppers, etc.
Low sugar granola (check out this recipe recently shared on the blog) and full fat yogurt. You can also add some fresh berries on top or on the side!
Homemade soup (or chilli) Investing in a good thermos is a really good idea. Schools that have microwaves usually limit the heat up time and the line up can be long, this can deter your child from wanting to heat up their lunch and could end up not even eating much at all. And let’s be honest here, kids just want to get outside and play at lunch time! I like sending soup during the winter months since because you can make big batches and load it up with lots of immune boosting/protective ingredients. (Hot tip: save the bones and drippings from your roast chicken and throw in some celery, onion, garlic, apple cider vinegar and some herbs and keep the slow cooker going to make your own broth, freeze and store for soups later!)
Veggies and dip This could be a lunch on its own, but also works well as a snack option. Pairing with sunflower seed butter (nut free!) or hummus adds some extra protein. I would try to avoid using any kind of dressing (unless homemade and sugar free) as most store bought versions contain sugar, not something you want to add too much (or any at all) of to your child’s lunch.
If there is one piece of advice I can give you, it is totally worth it to invest in a metal bento box style lunchbox! You can fill up those little spots with so many different healthy foods! Variety is key with kids, and with so many options you are not limiting them to just one boring old sandwich day after day. Another reason I like these is because you can sneak in something new and encourage your child to try it, even if it is just one bite and if they don’t like it, they have other options as well! Fun fact: it takes 7 times of trying a new taste to get the palate used to the flavour! Something to keep in mind when introducing new items to kids!
A few other quick tips to keep in mind when packing school lunches….
Have fun with it and involve the kids in the process, take them grocery shopping with you and let them pick out their favourite produce and items from the health food section (avoid the inside isles of the grocery store!). Letting kids have a choice in what they have to eat will make them more likely to actually eat their lunch. If you are making big batches of soup or granola or even some homemade snacks, let them help in the kitchen so they can feel like they were part of the process too.
Keep in mind any restrictions in place for the school. As you know most (probably all) schools are nut free when it comes to food, but sometimes classmates can have certain allergies as well that could be harmful to them if they are in close proximity. (Usually the parents will be informed of anything serious, but just incase its better to be safe than your kid without a lunch!)
The less sugar the better! Most kids packed lunches contain two times more sugar than what is recommended, and to be quite honest the recommendation is on the high side. Making sure your kids lunch has very little to no refined sugar is key. Upping the protein, healthy fat and balancing whole grains and fruit and veggies is just as important for kids as it is for adults. You do not want your child to be crashing after lunch because of what they ate. This will also make them ravenous and go on a snack craze when they get home from school because they are just not satiated enough from their meals earlier in the day. Its also important to fuel the brain with these good foods to help with their concentration levels for later in the day (the first half of the day is covered with their healthy breakfast!)
A final tip is about hydration! Keep it simple with water! My kids like to use a steel water bottle because it keeps it cold all day long, and most teachers are ok with keeping it in the class or in their school bag if they want a quick drink, and its a much better option than the school fountains….
I hope these help with ideas for lunches for your kids this coming school year, if you have any healthy tips you like to do, let us know what they are!
Enjoy the long weekend!
Do you want to encourage more healthy eating habits with your kids? Check out this healthy brownie recipe HERE or these chocolate zucchini muffins HERE
More Omega-3's Please!
Omega-3s…something we hear a lot about that we should consume more of, but why?
Long ago the human species evolved on a diet high in omega-3 rich foods like wild salmon, game meat and different nuts and seeds. This is part of the reason (a large part) why the diseases of our time were basically non-existent during those times. Now a day’s we are consuming approximately 15 to 25 percent more omega-6 than omega-3, compared to when our ancestors consumed a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio. A lot of the omega-6 we consume now mainly comes from vegetable oils, these can be highly processed and rancid which can lead to the formation of free radicals in the body causing inflammation and disease.
So how can we incorporate more omega-3 into our diets?
There are many great foods for this, some mentioned above ( wild salmon, wild game meat, etc) but there is one that sticks out in my mind when it comes to getting in more omega-3’s and an all around “superfood” with no preparation needed.
Insert….the walnut!
Eating walnuts (along with a balanced diet) can have a very positive impact on your overall health and wellbeing. Walnuts are not only a great source of omega-3’s, they also contain high amounts of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Walnuts are beneficial to brain health (have you ever noticed they kind of look like a human brain too?) - with mood boosting and cognitive benefits, heart health - improving circulation and has actually been found to reduce the formation arterial build up, they also help with controlling inflammation in within the body and are a great addition to your diet to help with balancing blood sugar (no more afternoon crash!). They are a known to be a calorie dense food, meaning its higher in calories for a smaller serving but you are consuming many essential vitamins, minerals and fats when eating it.
1/4 cup of walnuts (or 1 ounce , approximately 14 halves) eaten between meals or at the same time as a meal can help improve balancing blood sugar. Doing this can also help with overeating at meals or later in the day. Walnuts increase satiety and they are a great food to help curb cravings you may get for sugar or refined carbohydrates.
One last benefit about walnuts aside from the fact that they are a great source of omega-3’s I want to highlight is that, within this small serving of walnuts (mentioned above) you receive approximately 48% of your recommended daily adequate intake of manganese. This essential nutrient is involved in bone development, helps balance calcium levels and also when combined with other minerals such as calcium, zinc and copper - can help reduce bone loss. Combined with other supplements that help the joints (such as glucosamine) manganese can help reduce join inflammation in people with arthritis.
Some tips how to add these nutrient filled nuts into your daily life:
Always aim to buy raw and/or organic, unsalted nuts
Store them in an airtight container in the fridge, the oils in nuts when exposed to air can oxidize and become rancid
Eat them in between meals or with meals (as mentioned above)
… and last but not least a little bit more “fun” way to enjoy them…
Walnuts pair great with dark chocolate! I shoot for at least an 80% coco (organic) chocolate, this will up the level of antioxidants and make it more of a treat for you to enjoy!
Add some walnuts to this amazing Granola recipe! Check out it out by clicking HERE!
Cheating on your sweet tooth
Okay, Easter is over. Let’s get you back on the wagon…….
According to the stats can website, in 2004 it was estimated that on average Canadians consumed 110 grams of sugar daily - that's a whopping 26 teaspoons of sugar!
While fat has typically been blamed for poor dietary choices, sugars are much more problematic than "healthy fats". What does too much sugar in the diet actually do to the body?
It overloads and damages your liver. Your liver can only metabolize a limited amount of sugar each day. The effects of too much sugar or fructose can be likened to the effects of alcohol. All the fructose you eat gets shuttled to the only organ that has the transporter for it: your liver. This severely taxes and overloads the organ, leading to potential liver damage.
It overworks your pancreas. Your pancreas secretes insulin to lower your blood sugar. By constantly consuming a diet high in sugars (and grains) your body becomes “desensitized” to insulin, which will require the pancreas to make more and more of it. Eventually you will become insulin resistant (known as type II diabetic).
It tricks your body into gaining weight and affects your insulin and leptin signaling. Fructose fools your metabolism by turning off your body's appetite-control system. It fails to stimulate insulin, which in turn fails to suppress ghrelin, or "the hunger hormone," which then fails to stimulate leptin or "the satiety hormone." This causes you to eat more and develop insulin resistance
It causes metabolic dysfunction. Eating too much sugar causes a barrage of symptoms known as metabolic syndrome. These include weight gain, abdominal obesity, decreased HDL and increased LDL, elevated blood sugar, elevated triglycerides, and high blood pressure.
It increases your uric acid levels. High uric acid levels are a risk factor for heart and kidney disease. In fact, the connection between fructose, metabolic syndrome, and your uric acid is now so clear that your uric acid level can now be used as a marker for fructose toxicity.
It changes your brain. Dr. Joseph Mercola talks about “Hedonic Hunger”. It describes the desire for food, even when your body does not require any substance. It’s that feeling you get when your body just “needs a little something”. The more junk food you give your body, the more your brain starts to rely on the pleasure sensations from the junk food (likely due to salt, sugar and fat), much like what happens in the brain with drug addiction.
So where do you start?
Considering that there is such thing as “Sugar Addiction” realize that it’s going to be difficult for a short while.
It all starts in the grocery store. Don’t bring the items into the house, and there will be no physical way you can eat the junk food.
Don’t have enough will power while you are grocery shopping? Get somebody else to shop and make sure they stick to a strict list, or shop online and don’t click on any JF.
Watch what you are drinking, soda/pop is a HUGE reason why we are consuming so much extra sugar, but beware, sugar is hiding in that macchiato, in that smoothie and in that juice as well.
Try switching to sparkling water, for some people it’s actually an addiction to the bubbles or in the case of cola, an addiction to the caffeine.
Switching to a “diet” version of the same item doesn’t count. We need to decondition the brain and get away from “food as a reward”.
If you absolutely cannot live without chocolate, try a dark chocolate version. Usually around 70% dark cocoa will offer enough sweetness to satisfy, but with a lower sugar payload. Try one square of dark chocolate while you are weaning.
Many people are in a routine of consuming their junk food while in front of the TV. You may need to avoid the trigger (sitting on the couch watching a show) until you’ve broken free from the addiction (avoid the situation in where you are living to consume your JF).
Have a sweet tooth? Check out our “Homemade Ice Cream” recipe by clicking HERE.
As always, we are here to help. Reach out to us at 902-270-7022 and Live your Life!
What's more important:
Weight loss or muscle gain?
Muscle mass is directly correlated with longevity and excellent health. Rather than trying to “lose weight”, people are better striving to improve body composition. This means losing fat and building or maintaining muscle. The lean (non-fat) components of the body are denser than body fat. Therefore, the number on the scale isn’t always to best outcome measure, especially when it comes to health. A better predictor of health is body composition. A method to track your body composition at home (other than looking in the mirror) is measuring your waist-to-hip ratio (waist measurement divided by your hip measurement). As this ratio decreases, your abdominal (visceral) fat decreases, and so does your risk of all cause mortality. So, it is actually possible for the scale weight to increase and your waist to hip ratio to decrease – and at the end of the day you will be healthier.
Dr. Gabrielle Lyon calls muscle the organ of longevity. “The stronger and healthier your muscle is, the more carbohydrates and fat your body burns”. Healthy muscle mass improves metabolism and decreases risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Muscle mass is also a reliable protein reserve that is protective for people after prolonged illness (i.e. cancer)
There are numerous methods to lose fat – some more healthy than others. There are only two basic ways to increase and maintain muscle mass: resistance exercise, and consuming protein.
Resistance exercise is lifting heavy things a few times a week. You could try body weight exercises like squats, push-ups and pull ups. I like a single set to failure using the rest – pause technique for bodyweight exercises. You could lift weights in the gym or rocks in your yard. Compound movements are typically safest and the most effective for your effort. My favorites are deadlifts, squats, bench press, shoulder press and a bent over row. For these I prefer hierarchical sets i.e. 3 sets of 15, 8, and 4 reps – increasing the weight with each set.
Protein is an essential macronutrient, necessary for all the cells of the body. It is needed for the structure, function, and regulation of all tissues and organs - especially for building and repairing muscle. Once consumed protein is broken down to amino acids. Humans must obtain some essential amino acids from protein in their diet. Proteins also have a key role in immune function, building enzymes for metabolism and DNA repair, and building hormones and neurotransmitters. High protein diets (45% of total calorie intake) have been shown to decreases blood pressure and increase HDL cholesterol.
There is no conclusive evidence that a high protein diet can cause chronic kidney disease. Protein may be used as fuel in the absence of carbs and fat, however, excess protein is not stored as body fat and is excreted as urea via the kidneys.
Protein should be prioritized. It is nutrient dense and very satiating. Consuming a minimum 30 grams of protein per meal is needed to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. It is actually more important for sedentary people as they are not stimulating muscle growth with exercise and older individuals because muscle mass gets harder to maintain as we age. Generally speaking, 30 grams of protein at each meal (3 meals a day) should be a minimum target. That’s 90 grams of protein per day. Up to 1 gram of protein per pound of desired body weight may be recommended for active people who want to maximize muscle mass.
This is what 30 g of protein looks like:
• 7 thick slices of bacon
• 5 large eggs
• 4 ounces of ground beef
• 6 ounces of tempeh
• 1 scoop of whey protein
• 3/4 block of tofu
• 4 ounces chicken breast
Looking for more creative ways to get in extra protein, check out a protein packed recipe HERE
References:
1. Srikanthan, Preethi et al. Muscle Mass Index As a Predictor of Longevity in Older Adults The American Journal of Medicine, Volume 127, Issue 6, 547 – 553.
2. Srikanthan P, Seeman TE, Karlamangla AS. Waist-hip-ratio as a predictor of all-cause mortality in high-functioning older adults. Ann Epidemiol. 2009;19:724-731.
3. https://drgabriellelyon.com
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waist–hip_ratio
5. https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/measuring-your-macros-what-30-grams-protein-looks-like.html
Chemical Stress and Your Health
Chemical Stress and Health
Stress can be good or bad. Stressors can have positive or negative impact on cell function. They may be physical, chemical, and psychological. Good stress like exercise, or setting challenges builds stress resistance that is beneficial. Bad stress such as poor nutrition, anxiety and worry can become overwhelming and is considered chronic stress. Our focus today is on chemical stressors.
Chemical stressors on our body include alcohol, tobacco, drugs, environmental toxins, and food additives and preservatives. Food can either enhance or suppress the immune system. Most foods today contain additives and preservatives that tax the immune system. Excess grains, sugars, trans and hydrogenated fats, alcohol, caffeine, and salt weaken the stress response. Grains, sugar, and hydrogenated oils cause inflammation. Caffeine triggers the sympathetic nervous system. Salt increases blood pressure. Stress depletes the body’s essential nutrients.
Psychological stress only compounds the problem. Emotional stress can create poor eating habits like over/under eating, excessive dieting, and over consuming alcohol, caffeine, sugar, salt, and bad fat.
To combat chemical stress develop good habits around food:
· Eat real food, mostly plants.
· Avoid processed food.
· Avoid food with additives and preservatives.
· Don’t binge or eat late at night.
· Enjoy meals with friends and family.
We also have to consider other toxins in our environment. Air and water quality are compromised in many environments. We spend a lot of time indoors breathing recycled air and in traffic breathing exhaust. We drink and bath in polluted water, and wash our skin and home with harsh cleaning products. For green cleaning recipes check out http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/queen-of-green/recipes/.
Should you supplement with fish oil?
Benefits of Omega 3 fatty acid
Do you have enough omega 3 fatty acids in your diet?
The evolutionary human diet had 1:1 omega 6 fatty acids to omega 3 fatty acids ratio. Today most modern diets have a 10:1 to 30:1 omega 6 fatty acids to omega 3 fatty acids ratio. So what? Both fatty acids are essential to our diet and help regulate your body’s metabolic and inflammatory state. Omega 6 fatty acids are much more inflammatory than omega 3 fatty acids and if the ratio is altered, the body’s homeostatic state is altered.
Our ancestors ate real food like game meat, seafood, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. They ate a variety of seasonal foods and had healthy habits around food. Today we eat more processed foods, such as, grains, sugars, and unhealthy fats/oils. Even the animals we raise are no longer fed their evolutionary diet. Cows are meant to graze on grass but are fed grains, which increase their omega 6 fatty acids. We also eat too much. We snack all day and use food as a coping mechanism for psychological stress.
How you can get enough omega 3 fatty acids in your diet?
There are marine sources of omega 3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). α-linolenic acid (ALA) is found in plant oils, most commonly flax oil. While ALA is great the more benefical source is EPA/DHA.
The best source of omega 3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA) is oily fish like anchovies, sardines, herring mackerel, and wild caught salmon. We need about 2-3 servings a week. Avoiding processed foods in our diet will decrease our omega 6 fatty acids. If you do not eat this much fish you should consider a quality fish oil supplement.
Effects of fish oil on your health and longevity
Acute stress and inflammation is an important function of the immune system and the healing process. However, chronic inflammation caused by poor diet, physical inactivity, psychological stress, and genetic function contributes to heart disease, diabetes, stroke, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and more. Omega 3 fatty acids have a role in combating these chronic diseases.
Omega 3 fatty acids are responsible for proper functioning of the cell membranes of all the cells in your body. The health of your cells determines the health of your brain and body. Thus, omega 3 fatty acids play a role in all functions of your body including growth and development, brain and nerve function, digestion, immune function, hormone regulation, skin and bone health, regulation of inflammation and healing, blood triglyceride levels, cardiovascular function, vision, and emotions and behavior.
Canadians do not consume enough omega 3 fatty acids in their diet and supplementing may help prevent and treat disease. It can be a simple step toward living your life!
You've lost that sunshine feeling.....
Importance of Vitamin D
With fall in full swing, and winter just around the corner, it is time to start thinking about vitamin D supplements. Usually we get our vitamin D from the sun (hence the name "the sunshine vitamin"), but as days get shorter we get less vitamin D (actually it has been found that Canadians in general do not get enough vitamin D).
The new daily supplement guidelines published in July by the Canadian Medical Association Journal include supplements of 400 to 1000 IU for adults under the age of 50 without osteoporosis or conditions affecting vitamin D absorption. For adults over 50 supplementation between 800 and 2000 IU is recommended.
So why is Vitamin D important? Vitamin D plays many roles in the body some of them include:
Maintaining health bones and teeth
Supporting the immune system, brain and nervous system
Regulating insulin levels and assistance with diabetes management
Supporting lung function and cardiovascular health
Influencing the expression of genes involved in cancer development
When it comes to choosing supplements, keep these tips in mind:
Look for evidence about how well the product works in scientific studies from credible publications. Search for such studies in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) PubMed database: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed. You can also call the manufacturer and ask what published studies they have to back up their claims. It’s also a good idea to find out how they ensure the ingredients listed on the supplement label are actually in the bottle.
If a product claims it will “cure” a disease, is “all-natural,” or has a “money-back guarantee,” be on guard. Any supplement that sounds too good to be true likely is.
Choose brands labeled with the NSF International, US Pharmacopeia, or Consumer Lab seal. These verify that the product actually contains the ingredients that the label says it does, and that the product doesn’t have any potentially harmful ingredients.
Be wary of supplements made outside the United States or Canada. Many aren’t regulated, and some may have toxic ingredients.
We will be carrying the Ascenta professional line in our clinic. A product that we have been taking for years. We strongly believe in vitamin D supplementation, so much that we started giving it to our son when he was days old and even give it to our dog Winston! Come check out Ascenta the next time you are in the clinic!
Disclaimer
None of the information provided on this website should be substituted for medical evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment from a licensed healthcare practitioner. This blog is simply an extension of ourselves where we may express educated, opinions, values, thoughts and concerns.