Eating through the holidays

Eating is definitely one of the great joys of life and enjoying a good meal in the company of friends and family is time to be savoured.  Food is often a central component of any social gathering and it is part of how we interact with each other in social situations.  During the holiday season and other times of celebration, a natural marriage occurs between food and social activities. 

With all of the parties and events that occur during the holiday season, many of us worry about gaining weight during this time.  However, it is still possible to enjoy yourself over the holiday season, savour the food around you, and do so without gaining weight.  This doesn’t mean restricting yourself, but it does mean eating consciously. 

Here’s some tips to help you maintain your weight (or continue to lose weight) over the holidays:

   
Eating at a Buffet:

• If you are at a buffet or event with a table full of snack-foods – preview the table before eating anything or putting anything on your plate.  Decide what you want to eat, and assess your hunger.
• Keep at least ½ of your plate for vegetables and salad, and use the other ½ of your plate for richer/denser foods, such as potatoes, casseroles and meats. 
• Always use a plate.  This will enable you to assess how much food you are actually consuming.  Otherwise, it’s easy to keep reaching for another item, and not have a good sense of how much you have eaten.  Stop mindless munching. 
• Fill up your plate with fibre-rich and low-calorie foods, such as vegetables and fruits. 
• Don’t stand next to the food table.  Take what you want and go stand or sit somewhere out of sight of the table, if possible.  
• Remember that it is possible to fill-up on snack foods and eat the same amount of calories, as a proper meal – if this is not intended to be your meal, be careful about the amount of snack foods you eat. 
• Be cognizant about the amount of calorie-dense foods you consume such as chips, dip and sweets.  These won’t easily fill you up, so it’s easy to eat too many.   
• Only return for seconds if you still feel hungry at least 20 minutes after you have finished eating.  Try drinking water first, before returning for more food.  Thirst often manifests itself as hunger. 
• Choose a maximum of 2 desserts (this includes cookies, cakes, bars and pies).  
• Drink water instead of sodas or punch.  Save your calories for quality foods that will fill you up.  
• Remember that alcohol is not calorie-free.  Watch your consumption of alcoholic beverages, and limit yourself to 2 drinks.  1 beer = 153 calories; 1 glass of wine (dry) = 120 calories; and cocktails range between 110 (daiquiri) and 310 calories (Mai Tai).

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     Tips for Cooking and Baking:

• Use whole wheat or use a combination of whole wheat and white flour to increase your fibre intake, and increase the number of nutrients you are ingesting. 
• Lessen the amount of sugar you add when baking – usually recipes are too sweet and call for too much sweetener.  The amount of sweetener can easily be lessened without compromising the taste. 
• Use a combination of applesauce, low-fat yogurt and buttermilk to replace the fat in recipes. This creates moistness, with less fat and calories. 

   Exercise tips: 

 

• Be conscious about the amount of exercise you are engaging in.  If you are worried about consuming too many calories, up your exercise.  If you burn more calories, you have room to consume more, without gaining weight. 
• Exercise for at least 30 minutes at a high intensity (your breathing should be heavy, it should be hard to talk, you should be sweating) – and remember to do a warm- up and cool-down of walking or easy, light exercise before and after your session. 
• Try interval sessions, whereby you push hard for anywhere between 30 seconds and 5 minutes at a time, with rests in between – long enough to bring your breathing back to normal.  
• Remember that exercise does not have to occur in the gym – try hiking, dancing, swimming, cycling or rollerblading; or join in on drop-in sports (basketball, floor hockey).  Choose an activity that you enjoy, so that you are motivated to be active. 
• While any exercise is good - lower intensity exercises will burn fewer calories. Eg: walking for 1 hour at 5 km/h burns 224 calories (based on a 150lb person).  The equivalent of one cookie.  Running for 1 hour at 10 km/h burns 782 calories (based on a 150lb person).    

Happy holiday season to all!!  

Enjoying the bounty of local foods

Late summer and early fall is the time of year that many ‘foodies’ wait all year for: harvest season.  Local foods are available in abundance and there’s so much to enjoy: berries, plums, apples, corn, beans, lettuce, cucumber, zucchini and more.  Fresh fruits and veggies are popping up in farmer’s markets, in supermarkets and in our own backyards.  Most of us have had the opportunity to enjoy the splendour of a meal made out of food picked fresh from someone’s garden or purchased fresh from a farmer’s market.  The flavour and texture of the food is exquisite and we wonder why all food can’t taste this good.  Not only does local food taste better, but it is also healthier, containing a higher amount of nutrients than food shipped from far away, which was often picked before it was ripe.

The nutritional value of fruits and vegetables continues to increase, as they grow and ripen.  However, when food is picked prematurely, before it has had the chance to naturally ripen, it will not have the full complement of nutrients, especially valuable phytonutrients, than if it was picked and eaten when fully ripe.  Phytonutrients are biologically active compounds that are found in all plant food, and they develop in plants, as the food ripens.  Phytonutrients are the substances that give plants their colour, flavour and disease resistance and have been found necessary to sustain and promote life in plants.  Some examples of phytonutrients include flavonoids, indoles, phytosterols, carotenoids, lycopene and beta-carotene.  Phytochemicals have been found to be powerful disease fighters, acting as antioxidants and as detoxifying substances, by stimulating our enzyme systems or activating our hormone production.  Some phytonutrients are powerful modifiers, modifying the body’s reactions to various compounds such as allergens, carcinogens, and viruses – thereby acting in anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-viral and anti-carcinogenic ways.

The nutrients in food also begin to diminish after it’s been picked.  This is why fresh produce that sits around begins to shrivel, turn brown, go soft or grow mould.  The more time that passes between when the food is picked and consumed, the fewer nutrients it will have.  This is why eating local foods in season is so important nutritionally.  When food is brought in from further away, several days pass between the time that the food is picked and appears in our supermarkets. There are a number of steps involved to get food from the farmer to our dinner table: first it is stored, packed and then shipped, set up for display and finally purchased and then once we bring it home into our kitchen, it will often sit for a number of more days before we consume it.  Thus, the more we can minimize the amount of time that food sits and waits to be eaten, the more nutritional value we will get from our food.

Finally, foods that are locally produced are also often treated with fewer pesticides and chemicals – as these are unnecessary to artificially ripen the food.  Buying food direct from the farmer also allows the consumer to ask questions about how the food was produced, when it was picked and what types of chemicals or pesticides were used on the food.  This puts more power in the hands of the consumer, as they are given the ability to make truly informed choices.  Local farmers are also more willing to try and meet the needs and desires of their customers and may make changes to the way they produce their food, if there is enough consumer demand. 

Since local fresh food is not as abundant year-round – freezing produce is a great alternative to eating locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables.  Freezing preserves a high level of nutrients in fresh foods, as the low temperatures greatly slow the process whereby foods lose their nutrients.  Most fruits and vegetables can be frozen, although it may slightly alter their texture.  However, frozen berries are fantastic in smoothies and shakes year-round, and corn and most other vegetables can also be frozen, slightly cooked or raw (depending on the vegetable) and then popped into stir-fries, soups or stews during the winter months (frozen kale is also a great addition to smoothies). 

So – go down to your local farmer’s market and enjoy all the bounty that the season has to offer.  As if there weren’t already enough benefits to eating locally – it’s also much better for the environment, cutting down on the greenhouse gases that are emitted in the transportation of food from its source to your kitchen.

The importance of hydration

After months of cooler weather, rainy skies and dark nights, summer is upon us, enticing us outside to enjoy the warmth of the sun.  While enjoying all that summer has to offer, one item that we often don’t focus on, but which is fundamental to good health, is our water and fluid consumption.  Adequate hydration is important throughout the year, but especially during the summer, as the weather warms up and more time is spent outside in the sun and engaged in physical activity.  As a result of the heat and the increased physical exertion, we lose more water and electrolytes through our sweat than during other times of the year.  Nature aligns with our higher need for fluids by producing a larger number of watery fruits and vegetables during this time, such as watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes, peaches, nectarines and strawberries.  While these food items help hydrate our bodies, food alone cannot compensate for our need for pure water.  One general estimation is that about 1 litre of fluid is consumed through food each day.  This of course will depend on the types of foods that are consumed, but eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables will generally help with keeping your body hydrated.

Why is water and hydration so important?  Water plays a critical role within our bodies: it helps maintain healthy blood pressure, is necessary for digestive processes to function appropriately, is needed for energy production, and is involved in the elimination of toxins and scavenging of free radicals.  When the body is dehydrated, toxins are not eliminated efficiently, and end up being re-circulated in the body, putting additional pressure on the liver and kidneys to act as detoxifying systems.  Although water does not provide calories, it is vital for the extraction of energy, is involved in the synthesis of protein and facilitates the flow of nutrients into cells, each of which impact our energy levels.  In addition, water is involved in a variety of chemical reactions within the body, is the primary solvent in all bodily fluids (blood, saliva etc), and acts as a lubricant and transport medium.  If the body is not properly hydrated, cells cannot maintain proper structure, chemical reactions that occur within cells are inhibited and the integrity and stability of protein structures inside our bodies are weakened.  Water also maintains the balance of electrolytes in the body, which is especially critical during the summer when we lose extra electrolytes through sweat.  Because of the many important functions water has in our bodies, chronic dehydration will result in decreased energy and can lead to illness and disease since our bodies cannot keep up with processes that help keep our cells strong, and our bodies free from damaging toxins and free radicals.    

There are a number of different calculations and methods to determine water intake needs. A general calculation is based on kilocalorie consumption, and specifies that for every kilocalorie consumed, one millilitre of liquid should be consumed.  So, an intake of between 2,000-2,500 kilocalories per day, would equate to 2 – 2.5 litres of liquid.  The US Institute of Medicine provides general recommendations for adequate water intake based on gender.  The recommendation for women is to consume 2.7 litres of fluid daily through food and drinks, with 80% of that consumed from liquid and 20% from food.  This means that women should consume 2.16 litres of liquid daily.  For men, the recommendation is to consume 3.7 litres of fluid through both food and drinks, with 3 litres (80%) consumed through water and other liquids.  However, this is a very general guideline, and does not take into account weight, exercise level or climate.  Another calculation is based on body weight.  Divide your body weight (in pounds) in half. This equals the number of fluid ounces of pure water that should be consumed daily.  For example, an individual who weighs 130 pounds should aim to consume 65 fluid ounces of water daily (half of 130), which equals 8 cups (2 litres) of water.  While the exact measurements vary, each of the guidelines provides a similar result for fluid consumption.  Pick whichever one works for you.    

During exercise, our bodies have increased hydration needs, as a result of fluid lost through sweat.  Losing as little as two percent of your body weight during exercise can inhibit your performance since it lowers blood volume, causing the heart to work harder to circulate blood throughout our bodies. This can result in muscle cramps, dizziness, fatigue and heat illnesses.

One suggestion is to consume 2 cups of water for every pound of weight lost during exercise through sweat.  However, since it is impractical to weigh ourselves before and after each session that we exercise, another method is to use intensity and duration as a way to calculate fluid replenishment. One recommendation is to drink 500 millilitres of fluid for every 30 minutes of strenuous exercise in warm/hot temperatures and to consume 250 millilitres for every 30 minutes of moderate exercise.  When exercising for periods longer than 60-90 minutes or in extremely hot temperatures, it is important to replenish lost electrolytes in addition to fluid loss.  Electrolytes (sodium chloride, magnesium and calcium) maintain muscle function, and when levels drop too low, this can lead to muscle cramps, fatigue, confusion or mental fogginess.  Because the body loses electrolytes through sweat, these need to be replenished so the body maintains homeostasis/balance.  Electrolytes can be replaced through sports drinks, gels, energy bars or whole foods such as fruits and vegetables.       

Enjoy the summer, relish in the warmth and longer evenings, and remember to stay hydrated!

Whole Foods Recipes

Quinoa (or millet or oats) Porridge
(serves 1)

1-1.5 cups cooked quinoa
handful of berries
2 tbsp currants
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
pinch salt
sweetener (as desired -- I like agave nectar and maple syrup)
1 banana
almond, soy, rice milk (add as much as desired, depending on desired consistency)

Mix all ingredients together, and simmer on the stovetop on medium heat, until warmed through (~5-7 minutes), or heat in microwave for 2-3 minutes.

Salad w/ kamut or spelt kernels
(serves 1)

Lettuce, in bite size pieces
1 carrot, grated
1/2 tomato
few slivers of coloured sweet pepper
1/4 cup cucumber
1-2 tbsp sunflower seeds
1/4 - 1/2 cup kamut or spelt kernels
salad dressing (1/2 cup flax seed oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 garlic clove, few dashes of salt - if desired, a tiny bit of honey, maple syrup or agave nectar can be added for sweetness)

Mix all salad ingredients together.  You can also add some cooked veggies (orange sweet potato, broccoli, cauliflower) for variety.  Mix salad dressing in blender, and pour over salad.  


Kamut/Spelt/Oat Groat Salad 
serves 4

4 cups cooked kamut/spelt/oat groats (combination)
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp cranberries
1/3 cup sunflower seeds 
1/2 cucumber, diced
1-2 celery rib, cut into small pieces
1 sweet orange pepper, diced
1 small carrot, diced into thin pieces

OR
4 cups cooked kamut/spelt/oat groats (combination)
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes
1/2 cup roasted pepper
1/4 cup chives
1/2 cup feta
1/3 cup fresh basil


Mix together all salad ingredients. 
Dressing: 1/2 cup flax seed oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, few dashes of salt, tiny bit of agave nectar - combine in blender and blend until smooth. Pour over salad and serve.

Black beans and rice 
Serves 2 

2 tsp coconut oil  
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely diced
1 orange sweet potato, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup broccoli, if desired, cut into bite sized chunks
1/2 cup cauliflower, if desired, cut into bite sized chunks
2 carrots, sliced
1 red pepper, diced
1/2 zucchini, sliced and quartered

1 tomato, diced
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
3 tbsp soy sauce (or less, as desired)
2 tsp cayenne pepper or red peper flakes
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup cooked black beans
1/2 cup cooked tomatoes

Heat coconut oil over medium-high heat.  Add onions and garlic and red pepper flakes (if using), lower heat, and cook until translucent.  Add some water and simmer orange sweet potato for 5 minutes, add cauliflower, and simmer another few minutes.  Add broccoli, cook for a few minutes. Add carrot, red pepper and cook for a couple more minutes. Add zucchini, and cook for 3 minutes.  Add seeds, tomato, brown rice, beans, soy sauce/tamari and cayenne pepper if desired. Add tomatoes over top, if desired.  Cook for another 5 minutes, until heated through.

Black Beans and Vegetables 
Serves 2

1 orange sweet potato

1 onion
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
2 tsp coconut oil
1/2 cup broccoli
1 carrot
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 tbsp tamari / soy sauce
2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cups black beans
1 cup cooked corn

Heat oil, garlic, onion, basil and oregano over medium heat.  Cook for two minutes.  Add some water, and orange sweet potato.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Add broccoli and carrot and cook for a few minutes, until cooked through.  Add seeds, beans, corn, tamari/soy sauce and cayenne pepper, and heat until warmed through. 

This is not an exact representation of this dish, but gives an idea of the beautiful colours of orange sweet potatoes and black beans

Pinto Beans over rice 
Serves 4

3 cups cooked brown rice
3 cups cooked pinto beans
2 chili peppers, minced into small pieces
6-8 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup flax seed oil
Few dashes of salt

w/ salad

Serve pinto beans over brown rice. Mix together chili peppers, garlic and apple cider vinegar, oil and salt.  Pour mixture over beans and rice. Serve with a salad. 

Chickpea and Quinoa
Serves 2 

1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed or diced
2 tsp coconut oil
1/2 orange sweet potato, cut into bite sized pieces
1 carrot, diced
1/2 cup broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces


4 spears of asparagus, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 sweet pepper, diced
3 cups cooked quinoa
1.5 cups cooked chickpeas
1 tbsp tamari
cayenne, as desired

Heat coconut oil over medium heat, add onion and garlic.  Cook until translucent.  Add sweet potato.  Add broccoli, asparagus and carrot.  Cook a few minutes.  Add sweet pepper, and cook a few minutes until all veggies are cooked through.  Add quinoa, chickpeas, tamari and cayenne.  Also good with tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce over top.

Cooking Quinoa 
Makes 4 cups cooked quinoa

2 cup dry quinoa
4 cups water

Rinse quinoa two times in water before cooking.  Swirl quinoa around in water with hands, then drain water using a very fine sieve or a lid over top of a cooking pot. This removes a bitter film from the grain.  Add fresh water to rinsed quinoa, and simmer, for 15 minutes, once water begins to boil.

Whole Foods

Whole Foods -- In the health arena, whole foods is a recently coined phrase that is gaining a following. But what does it mean, what are the benefits and how do you incorporate whole foods into your diet?

Whole food essentially means food that has not been refined or processed and exists in its natural state with the bran, germ and endosperm intact. Including all the componants of grains and seeds is important, as each part provides different benefits: the bran is the outer shell and includes fibre, B vitamins and trace minerals, the endosperm is the bulk and provides energy, carbohydrates and protein, while the germ provides nourishment for the seed, antioxidants, vitamin E and B vitamins.

Whole foods include fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains (brown rice, oats, millet, rye, whole wheat, quinoa, spelt kernels, kamut kernels), beans (black, pinto, red, kidney, aduki), unroasted nuts and seeds, legumes. Many of these foods may be unfamiliar to the average North American, and would definitely not be considered staples in their diet. However, they are tasty alternatives to the average North American diet and slowly gaining in popularity - even becoming available in many grocery stores.

Today, the average North American diet is composed of processed foods such as white flour, white sugar, roasted nuts and seeds, processed oils, chips, white rice, processed meats and soy products. One of the main reasons processed foods have grown in popularity is because they are faster to cook, softer, lighter and sweeter. They digest quickly, and thus allow more calories to be consumed, since they don't fill up the body as much as whole foods. This facilitates over-eating and is contributing to the obesity epidemic.

The nutritional value of these foods have been stripped, and they are essentially empty calories, lacking in the vitamins and minerals that are essential for optimum health. We have become addicted to and reliant on fast, easy foods loaded with unhealthy fats, salt and sugar.

Individuals who have not consumed whole foods previously may find the adaptaion process to be difficult. Keeping the grain intact can make the texture 'chewier' and denser and creates a stronger flavour that can feel overpowering, if you are not used to it. However, after some time, your body will become used to these new textures and tastes, and will appreciate the whole nutrition it is receiving. Consuming whole foods inhibits overconsumption, as whole foods keep you feeling fuller for longer, and thus less likely to snack unnecessarily.

Consuming whole foods provides numerous added health benefits -- studies have shown that individuals with a diet high in unrefiend foods, high in fibre and low in sugar have a lower incidence of heart disease bowel disease, diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure). Whole foods are also a rich source of quality carbohydrates, proteins and various vitamins and minerals.  Whole grains will have more iron, B vitamins, fibre, protein and other minerals than their processed counterparts.  Eating a diet high in whole foods will also ensure that all of your foods provide you with a nutrient boost, rather than simply providing you with simple calories.   

Many people complain that they don't have time to cook anymore, and thus our reliance on 'quick' processed foods deepens. But, are whole foods that much more work to prepare? They may require some additional planning, but with forethought, beans and whole grains can be prepared ahead of time and ready to be made into a satisfying supper within half and hour.

Grains:
Brown rice - ready in 40 minutes. 1 cup grain to 2 cups water.
Will keep in the fridge for several days and can also be frozen.
Quick to make into stir-fries with veggies, eggs, tofu, peanut or other sauces, good with asian curries and with spaghetti sauce.

Quinoa - ready in 15 minutes. 1 cup grain to 2 cups water -- should be rinsed a couple of times prior to cooking to remove bitterness.
Can be used like brown rice for savoury dishes, or is fantastic as a breakfast with milk (cow, soy, almond, rice), berries, nuts, dried fruit and a dash of salt and sweetener.  This is a super fast meal to throw together.


Oats - use steal cut or scottish oats to retain more of the benefits and minimize processing.  Takes 10-20 minutes to cook.  Great for oatmeal, with milk, a dash of salt and sweetener.  Fruit (apples, bananas, berries, peaches, dried fruit), nuts (almonds and walnuts) and coconut are also great additions.

Buckwheat - Ready in 30 minutes.  Tasty with vegetables and combines really well with tomato sauces.  Can also be made into a porridge with milk, sweetener and a dash of salt.

Spelt and Kamut kernels and oat groats- Should be soaked for several hours prior to cooking.  You can leave them to soak when you leave for work, and they are ready to cook when you return home in the evening.
Cooking time is between 50-70 minutes. The kernels or groats will be somewhat chewy when ready.
They can be used like rice for stir-fries, or are great additions to salads for extra nutritients, substance and texture.  They can also be made into a salad on their own by adding cucumber, sunflower seeds, dried fruit (cranberries, raisins or currants), celery, coloured peppers, tomatoes, and a dressing (I like flax seed oil and lemon juice, with a little salt and maple syrup).

Beans- black, pinto, garbanzo, aduki, red, northern etc.  They should be soaked overnight (or for at least 8 hours). In the morning, change the soaking water, rinse the beans a few times, and then cover with ~2 cms of extra water.  Place in a slow cooker on the low setting, and they will be ready in the evening.
Aduki beans are softer and cook quite a bit faster than the other beans.
Once ready, beans are fantastic for quick dishes.  They can be thrown into a stir-fry (garbanzo beans are especially good with rice or quinoa), be made into a dip (eg: hummous or black bean dip), thrown together for a chili, or made into tacos, enchiladas or huevos rancheros (corn tortilla with cheese, fried egg, black beans and salsa).
Beans and rice can be combined as a meal in itself, or they also make fantastic burgers.

Lentils- red, brown, french, green.  Red lentils cook the fastest in about 10-15 minutes.  The others take about 20-25 minutes.
Lentils are packed with iron and B vitamins and excellent sources of protein and fibre.
They are quick to cook and can be thrown together for soups or stews and added to rice or quinoa in a stir-fry like dish.
Red lentils taste quite a bit different than the other kinds, have a milder taste and may be more palatable for those who have never consumed lentils.

Vegetables and fruits - 
Can be eaten alone for snacks or with some peanut butter or humous for added protein.  Vegetables of course combine well with grains, beans and legumes and add a good dose of nutrients, fibre, antioxidants, and colour.

Substitutions 
So far I have focused on foods in their most natural state, rather than foods ground into flour. Maximizing our use of whole foods that are entirely intact provides the most benefits for our bodies.  However, when flour products are consumed, an easy way to enhance the nutrient value of our food is to switch to whole grain proucts.  So instead of consuming refined pasta and white bread, choose whole wheat, spelt or kamut pasta and 100% whole wheat, rye or spelt bread.  Breads that are sprouted add an additional benefit.

However, be careful of consuming too much soft store bread.  Despite the fact that many of it is 100% whole wheat or whole grain, it still includes many added preservatives and sugars that are unnecessary.  The best option is to either bake your own bread (this is really easy and fast using a bread machine) or purchase bread from your local bakery.   

Muffins and cakes can also be made from whole grains and are equally delicious.  If you are baking your own, you can substitute the whole grain flour for a bit of amaranth flour, to lighten it.

As noted there are lots of easy and quick ways to add whole foods to our diets.  It may appear or sound daunting, but once you start practicing it, it becomes routine and doesn't require a lot of extra time.

In my next post, which I'll put up in a week, I will provide recipes for many of the ideas I've listed in this blog.  Until then, have fun, eat well and experiment a little.  

A new year - time for reflection and goal setting

A new year has begun - this time of year is often one in which we take stock of where we are at, review our past year and make goals for the upcoming year. They can take the form of resolutions or goals that we want to accomplish. Some of the most common themes relate to health and wellness, exercise and weight-loss.

As humans, we are really good at thinking and imagining, coming up with ideas, and talking about our plans or ideas. However, putting those plans into actions or keeping our actions going is more difficult. This requires determination, focus, commitment and internal motivation. It also requires a realistic plan, with checks and balances. As the saying goes: "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

This might seem a bit harsh, but it's the truth; without coming up with actions to put your ideas into motion, they remain simply ideas. We cannot (as of yet) make ourselves miraculously lose weight, get fit or gain muscle simply by thinking about it.

The first step in achieving your health and wellness (or any goal) is to (i) set a realistic goal, (ii) that is achievable, (iii) is timebound and has targets associated with timelines, (iv) is measurable and (v) is specific: SMART (specific, measurable, achieveable, realistic, timebound).

Next, you need to figure out how you are going to achieve your goal. Decide what exact actions are you going to put into place that will enable you to succeed. Sign up for a fitness class, join a friend and make plans to meet up 1-2 times a week to go for a run, or go biking, or roller-blading. Plan into your schedule the days and times you are going to go to the gym. Meet with a personal trainer to learn tips on how to use the equipment and determine what you need to do to meet your fitness goal. Or decide to stop drinking frappuncinos or mochas every day and switch to a lower caloric and lower fat drink (eg: americano, regular coffee, tea). Reduce the number of times per week that you eat out. Reduce the number of times per week you buy pastries or sweets. Add in more whole grains, beans and vegetables into your meals. Plan your meals for the week and only purchase the items you need for your weekly meals. Buy a whole-grain cookbook and try out some new recipes.

There are many actions you can take to meet your goals. Planning them, listing them, sharing them with others and posting them in a spot where you will see them will keep you honest about how you are progressing.

It's also important not to bite off more than you can chew. It is easy to get demoralized and feel like your goal is unachievable if you try to do too much too soon, or go too far too fast. Start off with small achievable goals that you can meet, and build upon them. Treat each piece as a mini-success, and then move on, gaining confidence as you slowly move towards meeting your ultimate goal.

So, if you want to start running, don't just go out and expect to be able to run 10 kilometres, if you haven't run further than a few hundred meters in 10 years. Start small: join a learn to run clinic, start with run walks (run 1 minute, walk 1 minute), and then progressively start to run more and walk less. Start with one kilometer at a time and slowly add on. This will enable you to enjoy your progress, rather than feel bad because you can't run as fast or as far as your friend who has been running the past 5 years.

It's important to believe that you can achieve your goal, but realize that you won't achieve it right away. You will need to take steps to get there. You may encounter difficulties or make mistakes, but try not to let yourself get discouraged. Realize that even the fastest runners, have bad days and had to build up to their current regime, and that those who seem the healthiest have their weaknesses and don't eat perfectly all of the time.

The final point to making your health or fitness goal a success is to build it into your lifestyle. To be truly successful, it cannot be something that you just do for a few weeks, or few months, it requires a change to how you live. This change will occur slowly, but ultimately you have to make the commitment to change how you are currently living your life, and don't think of it as a diet or a phase, but of a lifestyle change.

In a future post I will provide tips on how to change your diet to become more vegetarian oriented, or completely vegetarian, while ensuring you are getting all the nutrients you need. I will also include some more recipes.

Stress - relief and rationality

I wanted to write a follow-up posting about mental-health issues, before I returned to writing nutrition articles.

As I wrote in my last posting, fear keeps many people from focusing on their goals and desires, trying new things, going on adventures, enjoying life and being happy. Fear is a very strong emotion, and it can be a leading contributor to feelings of stress. While stress is present in all of our lives and is not completely avoidable, we can take steps to lessen its effects.

Stress manifests itself in different ways in different people. People have varying abilities for coping with stressful situations, and are affected by situations differently. Stress is an individual experience and responses are unique to the individual. Sometimes stress can be even be helpful (eg: in competition or meeting a deadline); it makes us more focused on our task at hand. But, generally, when we think of stress, we think of that uncomfortable feeling that results in being unsatisfied, sad, angry or upset. However, we are able to control our responses to situations we find stressful and manage our lives to reduce the events that trigger stressful reactions. Part of managing stress is understanding what causes us to feel stressed and learning how to cope with those situations.

Prolonged stress is detrimental to our health. Being in a state of stress places increased demands on our bodies for energy. If the stress persists, our bodies are not able to continue to meet our elevated needs for energy. This can result in insomnia, inability to concentrate, poor judgement, and changes to our personality. Stress can also produce physical symptoms including headaches, backaches, loss of appetite and amenorrhea (loss of period). Chronic stress has been demonstrated to make us more susceptible to colds and other illnesses, increase the severity of upper respiratory infections, slow the healing of wounds, and decrease the response to vaccines. Stress also impairs our digestion, so even though we may be trying to feed our bodies well, when we are under stress our bodies are less able to absorb the nutrients from our food. Prolonged stress can even cause more serious illnesses, such as heart disease or cancer.

So how do we either avert stress or manage it so that it doesn’t become prolonged? Stress can result from both minor annoyances and major life events (loss of employment, financial concerns and debt, death of a loved one, relationship difficulties, marital tensions). While dealing with minor stressors is easier, we can take similar steps to address both kinds of stressors. One of the easiest and most effective ways to calm down your body is to sit down, relax your body, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths in and out. Clear your mind of the day’s worries and just concentrate on breathing in and out. This only takes a few minutes to do and allows you to bring your body to a calmer state, where it is then able to tackle the situation rationally. Sometimes when minor stressors are irritating us, removing ourselves from the situation, going for a walk or talking with a friend can be beneficial.

If the stressor is more than a minor annoyance, the next step is to examine why the situation is causing you to feel stressed and consider what you can do to address the problem. In order to accomplish this step though, you need to have relaxed yourself enough to be able to think rationally; this is where deep breathing, exercising or talking with a friend can help. Once you feel more relaxed, examine where you can take action. There’s no point in simply mulling over a situation in your head. Take the action that you can, know that you have done everything possible in the situation, and then try to let the rest go. Worrying or thinking about something that you cannot change, that is in the past and that you have no control over is not beneficial. It results in damage to your own health, causes those around you to feel agitated, and does nothing constructive in solving the problem. It is important to focus on the things that you do have control over, and take action where you can. You may need to re-evaluate circumstances from time to time, as the circumstances may have changed, and further action is possible. But mulling over the situation in between these times is not productive, and keeps you from living and enjoying your life. Being productive is helpful in relieving stress, as you are doing something to combat the situation.

Stress can also be caused by fears that are not based on actual probabilities, but that have been blown out of proportion by the media or society. Many people are fearful of events that are not very likely, and based upon which they change their actions, reactions or activities. These fears can limit us from engaging in certain activities, limit our interactions, and cause us stress, anxiety and worry. Here is a list of examples of events that cause people worry and stress, even though the likelihood of them occurring is relatively low: abductions, plane crashes, being mugged, or becoming critically ill from H1N1. Many people worry about these, even though the likelihood of experiencing any one of these incidents is fairly low (in Canada).

Here’s some statistics about influenza and the H1N1 flu:

On April 25, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General declared the H1N1 flu to be a "public health emergency of international concern." On June 11, the WHO raised its Pandemic Alert Level to Phase 6, citing significant transmission of the virus. The declaration of H1N1 as a pandemic simply means that the virus has become widespread around the world, not that the flu is more severe than other types of flu.

Out of every 250,000 individuals who become ill with the H1N1 flu, only one will die. In Canada, between April and October 31, 2009 only 100 people have died from the H1N1 flu. This equates to a national cumulative crude mortality rate of 0.3 per 100,000 people. The national cumulative crude hospitalization rate is higher at 7.3 per 100,000 people. Out of the deaths that have occurred in Canada 75% of people had underlying health conditions and while some children have died from this flu, the median age of death is 49.5.

In the United States, every year between 15-60 million Americans will get the flu. Approximately 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu related complications and 36,000 people die from flu related causes. To compare this to the H1N1 flu - between April and October 2009, it is estimated that approximately 4,000 deaths, associated with H1N1, have occurred in the USA. Although the cases that the Centre for Disease Control in the US have confirmed to have been resulted from H1N1 is lower at 1,000.

Now, this is not meant to make light of the flu – it can cause severe or fatal illness, but the likelihood is low. It is important to be cognizant of the risk factors, and those groups with the highest likelihood of severe or fatal illness are: pregnant women, especially during the third trimester of pregnancy, children younger than 2 years of age, and people with chronic lung disease, including asthma. These groups should take precautions against the flu – but they do not need to be overly fearful of it nor should they completely change their lives because of a possibility of getting severely ill.

I’m going to end with a quote from Richard Schabas, Ontario's former chief medical officer of health who is now the medical officer of health for Ontario's Hastings and Prince Edward Counties Health Unit. "I think this is the most overhyped, overblown exercise I've ever been a part of. We continue to lavish resources on a problem that is just not that big." So far the national inoculation program has cost $1.51 billion in Canada.