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Nutrition Articles Battle of the Bulge - sensible tips on losing weight
Weight control is a big concern for many people today. To control weight during your lifetime, changes in diet must become a permanent part of your lifestyle.

Breakfast - start your day off right
The word ‘fast’ has come to be associated with people who go for long periods without food for a variety of reasons. In fact, you fast when you go several hours without food. Every morning you break your overnight fast when you eat breakfast. This meal is an important source of energy and nutrients for your body. However, not all Canadians begin their day with this healthy start.

Better Bowel Health - Your actions make a difference
Eating regularly, including physical activity in your day, and making fibre, fluids and trillions of healthy bacteria your friends, all help maintain bowel health and prevent constipation.

Building Body Image - can parents make a difference?
Body image seems to be the latest buzzword. What is body image and why is it important? Body image is the mental picture people have of their bodies, and how that picture makes them feel. People who generally feel good about their bodies have a positive body image.

Celiac disease - when, how and why a gluten-free diet is important
Today, both celiac disease and gluten-free diets are common topics of conversation. Celiac disease is more commonly diagnosed and gluten-free products are appearing in grocery stores more often. Perhaps you know someone with celiac disease or have been diagnosed with it yourself. Understanding why gluten-free food is important can help in managing this food-related condition.

Contraception for the Mature Woman - her needs aren't necessarily the same
Contraception, also known as birth control, is one of the most common reasons a woman sees her family doctor. As women age, contraception is still important but different factors come into play. If you are a mature woman in the age range called perimenopausal (between the age of 40 and menopause) this article may answer some of your birth control questions. We will explore the available options, and points to keep in mind when discussing these options with your doctor.

A Diet Reality Check - Get your eating habits back on track
Every once in a while we all need to take stock of what we eat. Is it time for a reality check? Your diet does not need to be perfect, but it may need a tune-up to focus on healthier options. Be honest with yourself. Are you eating high-fat, processed foods believing that these choices will never affect your health? If so, you are living in a fantasy world.

Eating Smarter, Eating Cheaper - Simple ways to stretch your food dollar
Do you ever get home from the grocery store and wonder how on earth those few bags of groceries could cost so much? It happens to everyone. Eating well on a budget is definitely challenging. Every day, we are bombarded with ads for fast food, convenience foods and snacks. Having ice cream, chocolate cookies, potato chips, pop, frozen pasta dinners, and sugary cereals on hand may win you the most popular parent award. However, it won’t sustain the health of your family over the long term. Eating this way is more than a nutritional blunder. It can leave your family short of food money before the end of the month.

Eating Well on the Family Vacation - Good food for the road
When families hit the road, no matter how excited everyone is on holidays, the trip can be an eating challenge! It’s not easy (or even possible, sometimes) to stick with the regular routines. Our usual eating habits sometimes also go out the window. Can you still eat healthily on vacation?

Energy Drinks - are you getting energy or just a caffeine rush?
Tired? If you are looking for a little pick-me-up, you now have more choices than ever. Traditional caffeine-rich drinks, such as coffee, tea and caffeinated soft drinks, are always popular. However, you may be wondering about the new 'energy drinks' that are taking over the cooler section of your local convenience store.

Fad Diets - does high protein equal high risk?
Good-bye lettuce and rice cakes. Bacon, cheese, butter and steak have become diet foods of the 21st century. High protein, low carbohydrate diets claim to be the solution to sky rocketing obesity rates. About 50 per cent of adult men and women in Canada are overweight, and an additional 15 per cent are obese. About 50 per cent of adult men and women in Canada are overweight, and an additional 15 per cent are obese. Rates of diabetes, heart disease and cancer are increasing as a result of this national weight gain. But are the diets that claim to improve your health actually harming it?

Fabulous Fruits and Vegetables - Get your 5 to 10 a day
I can’t eat all that! is the reaction many registered dietitians receive when explaining the vegetables and fruit category of Canada’s Food Guide. Most people have no problems getting enough grains in their diets, but when it comes to fruits and vegetables, Canadians fall short. The average Canadian has four servings of vegetables and fruit in a day. The recommended servings of vegetables and fruit are five to 10 a day. Three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit would meet the minimum five servings recommended a day.

Fast Food, Fast Calories - Think before you eat
When you choose to eat fast food, you could be missing out on key nutrients that protect your health. According to the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey, fast foods often lack fruits, vegetables, and milk products. These are replaced with more than the recommended share of fat and sugar. Although healthier food options are available, about 40 per cent of those surveyed chose a pizza, sandwich, hamburger or hot dog. A quarter chose a regular, not diet, soft drink to wash it down.

Fat Phobias - High-fat foods can fit into a low-fat diet
You choose a barbecued, skinless chicken breast over the steak and the waiter asks, "What would you like on your baked potato?" You respond, "Just chives, please." "And on your salad?" "Just vinegar, please." "Will that be garlic toast or French bread?" "French bread, of course!" Does this conversation sound familiar? Are you fat phobic, shying away from anything that resembles a lipid?

Fats - the good, the bad & the ugly
Understanding truths and myths about dietary fat can be very difficult. We know that fat is linked to heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and obesity. If it is so bad for us, why don’t we just avoid it altogether?

Fats & Cholesterol - Understanding the difference between fats
Help! Your doctor says your cholesterol is too high. As well, your LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and HDL (high-density lipo-protein) ratio must be improved. You are also advised to watch out for all fats you eat, particularly "saturated" and "trans" fats. What does it all mean?

Feeding Your School Age Children
Life with my young children is life in the fast lane! Between work, school and sports, we are always on the go and there's never time for a proper dinner. What are some nutritious fast foods that my children will eat?

Fibre - an important part of a healthy diet
Fibre is an important part of a healthy diet. It adds to the texture and shape of food, and helps bowels to work well. Research is showing more ways that fibre contributes to long-term health.

Food and Mood - does your state of mind affect how you eat?
With all the health and nutrition information available today, most of us have a pretty good idea of what's good for us and want to eat well. Nutritious foods are also readily available. So why do we have so much trouble making healthy food choices and controlling the amount we eat? Perhaps you use a term like 'emotional eater,' 'binger' or 'food addict' to describe yourself. There's nothing wrong with enjoying comfort foods or the occasional treat. Still, when cravings feel extreme or out of control, it can be so distressing that healthy eating seems impossible.

Food Allergies - Handling what can be a life-threatening condition
Do you or any members of your family have a food allergy? If so, you probably stand in the aisles of the supermarket reading ingredient lists to learn if a food is safe to eat.

Food Chemistry 101 - get antioxidants and phytochemicals working for you
Do you feel like you need a chemistry degree to decode nutrition terms? You want to eat well, but terms like free radicals (no, they are not a punk rock band!), antioxidants and phytochemicals are just so confusing. It's difficult to make healthy choices if you can't understand the nutrition lingo. Defining and decoding nutrition terms can help translate them into practical food choices.

Figuring Out Food Labels - A key to choosing heathier foods
If you want to make wise choices about the food you eat, start by looking at the label. The information on it can help you make informed decisions about food. You can count calories and choose foods high or low in a specific nutrient. You can also compare similar and different types of food. Learning how to read a food label is key to making healthier choices when shopping.

Getting Kids to MOVE – Learning about active living and good nutrition
More and more, we can see that children who carry extra weight grow up to be less healthy adults. School-based projects offer an effective way to teach kids and their families about health and wellness.

Healthy Diet for a Healthy Smile - keep glowing with the right choice of foods
Most of us know that proper diet is important for good general health, but did you know that it is also important for good oral health? The types of foods you choose and when you eat them can increase your risk for both tooth decay and gum disease. If you are pregnant, the food you eat not only affects your health, but the health of your baby, including your baby’s teeth.

Healthy Eating on the Road - Eat well while you're travelling
For many people, life at work means life on the road. From the long-distance truck driver to the suburban commuter, an ever-increasing number of Canadians spend some part of their working day in transit. There’s no doubt that life on the road can be exciting. Unfortunately, the fast pace of business travel can also present some real challenges. This is especially true where healthy eating is concerned.

Healthy Eating in Your Senior Years - what seniors and caregivers should know
Most seniors know that eating nutritious food is essential to maintaining their health and many are creative in the ways they manage to buy and prepare their meals. Throughout their lives they have learned how to adapt. Most have known rationed food during war time. Many have lived through hard times when money was scarce. Seniors are resourceful and proud of it.

Healthy Habits - Making Changes Last
How many times have you vowed to lose weight or exercise more – only to find that you gained instead of lost weight, and have yet to begin that exercise program?

Healthy Eating for Teens - beyond Ichiban™
The teen years are characterized by a period of rapid physical, emotional, social and sexual growth. Accompanying these changes are greater independence, peer pressure, challenges to self-esteem and increased demands on time and energy.

Healthy Ethnic Meals - Enjoy the best meals that different cultures offer
With ethnic restaurants popping up everywhere, dining out has never been so much fun. Each cuisine offers a wonderful opportunity to try new flavours and foods. You can travel the world by dining at your favorite ethnic restaurants. Best of all, you do not need a passport. However, deciding on a restaurant might be tough! Having the world at the tips of your taste buds offers many perks. Still, it is wise to make healthy choices. With a little knowledge, you’ll know which foods to enjoy more often.

Herbal Medicine and Nutrition - Are they safe and effective?
The use of herbal medicines is “hot” and trendy these days. We’re not talking about herbs being used to spice up recipes. We’re talking about herbs being used in a medicinal manner. Why do we have this current trend towards the use of herbal medicine? There are a lot of questions to be answered around this subject. Who is using the herbs? Who is promoting their use? Are people turning away from conventional medicines? Are they continuing to use drugs that have been prescribed by their doctor and supplementing those medications with over-the-counter herbal preparations? Are there benefits to be obtained from the use of herbs? Are herbal remedies safe? Are they effective? Is there danger in using herbal medications?

Hold the Salt - too much can affect your health
Want to protect your health and live longer? Eat less sodium, the major component of salt and many food additives. Sodium, a mineral, significantly affects blood pressure. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the leading risk factor for death in the world. One in four adult Canadians has hypertension. As blood pressure tends to increase with age, up to 90 per cent of Canadians will develop hypertension if they live a normal lifespan. Many of us can prevent and control high blood pressure by lowering our salt and sodium intake.

Hormone Replacement Therapy - the benefits and risks
Doctors often recommend hormone replacement therapies (HRT) to women who are at or beyond the time of menopause. Understanding the benefits and risks of HRT will assist you when you discuss this issue with your doctor.

Iron - are you getting enough?
Did you ever think that you could develop a nutrient deficiency? Well, you can, especially if you are a woman of childbearing age. In the Canadian population, adult women between the age of 19 and 50, adolescent girls and babies are at the greatest risk for iron deficiency.

Kid's Food - good nutrition for growing bodies
Are there days when you think your children live on nothing but French fries, hot dogs and boxed macaroni and cheese? You are not alone. Of the countless foods marketed to children, many are high in sugar, refined flour and fat.

Liquid Candy - How much hidden sugar are you drinking?
People love pop! Entire grocery store aisles are dedicated to it. It fills grocery carts. Fast food and pop go hand in hand. For some, a movie isn't complete without popcorn and a soft drink. It is easy to gas up your car and buy pop at the same time. With handy vending machines just down the hall, we can drink pop all day long at work, school or the local recreation centre.

Managing Meatless Menus - the basics of vegetarian eating
On the road to a healthier lifestyle, many of us are now making a conscious effort to eat differently. We use less meat, avoid added fat, pass up extra cups of coffee and watch our salt intake. Increasing numbers of people are becoming interested in vegetarianism.

Multivitamins and Mineral Supplements - do you need them?
Most of us try hard to eat a balanced diet. Still, it's hard to know whether your diet meets all of your nutrient needs. Should you take a multivitamin or another supplement?

Milk Myths - Challenging mistaken beliefs
From time to time, different foods and beverages have been labeled as good or bad, harmful or magical. While some foods are praised, others receive a 'bad for you' label. The truth is, there are no good or bad foods. All foods can be part of a healthy, varied diet even if some are more or less nutritious than others.

Night Shift Eating - Avoiding common pitfalls
Thousands of Canadians work shifts to support a busy around-the-clock economy. The type and location of their jobs vary widely. Whatever their jobs, they share the challenge of adjusting to non-conventional hours of work and sleep. Until recently, working at night was not regarded as a health risk. Experts now recognize the significant stress caused by forcing the body to work when it should be sleeping.

Prepping for Surgery - Nutritious foods are essential, before and after
While nutritious foods and fluids always help your body, they are an essential part of preparing for and recovering from surgery. What you eat and drink at this time will affect your healing and risk of complications. Foods rich in nutrients are necessary to your recovery, so making wise choices throughout the process is important.

Nutrition for the Sports-Minded Family - feeding your active kids
Children participating in sports seem to be in constant motion. With early morning figure skating or hockey practices, swim or diving classes, and after-school or evening soccer games, meals always seem rushed. And don't forget homework! Whew! This kind of schedule requires knowledge and organization to keep everyone properly nourished for each activity.

Nutrition on the Net - Sorting sound information from the not-so-reliable
North Americans are spending more time on the Internet every day. The number of computers in North American homes with Internet access has almost doubled since 1996. Research shows health information as one of the most popular categories on the World Wide Web today.

Nutritional Tips for Menopause - healthy food choices can make a difference
If you are a woman in your 40s, chances are you have experienced one of the symptoms associated with perimenopause (the time before the last menstrual period). The occasional mood swing, hot flash, memory lapse or sleepless night can begin up to 10 years before menopause. The average age at which a Canadian woman reaches menopause is 51. With the loss of the hormone estrogen at menopause, your risk for heart disease, osteoporosis and breast cancer rises. No matter which phase you are in – perimenopause, menopause or post-menopause, there’s lots you can do to protect your health. You can take control of this midlife transition to make it more enjoyable. If you are experiencing the changes of menopause, here are 10 tips to help.

Essential Omega-3 – a good fat
When you sprinkle walnuts on your cereal, pack a salmon sandwich for lunch, or cook with canola oil, you are adding omega-3 fatty acids to your meal. That is good news. The human brain, eyes, central nervous system, and body membranes need omega-3 fats to work properly. Omega-3 fatty acids affect inflammation, mood, behaviour, and many functions inside body cells. They may also reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. The bottom line however, is that many Canadians do not get the recommended amount of omega 3.

Nutrition and the PMS Puzzle – Eating better may help
History shows us that long before it was recognized and named, women experienced premenstrual syndrome. Ancient myths and bizarre tales through the ages have tried to explain the cause and offer comfort for the distress that revolves around the menstrual cycle.

Do You Have a Picky Eater? - Solutions for mealtime challenges
Mealtimes should be enjoyable, but for some families this is not the case. Meals end up being a source of stress and anxiety, especially if a fussy or 'picky' eater is at the table.

Planned-overs: Too Busy to Cook? Eat better and save time
Planned-overs involve preparing extra food or ingredients for one dinner that you can use a day or two later to create an entirely new meal (unlike leftovers, the same meal reheated a day or two later). The beauty of planned-overs is that it takes the same amount of time to cook enough rice, chicken or vegetables for two meals as it does for one. Even clean-up time is the same! Preparing these same foods or ingredients with a new twist a couple of days later keeps both you and your family happy.

Power Lunches - a good lunch gives energy that lasts all day
Too many of us eat poorly at noon and run out of fuel by dinner. We all know the scenario: you barely have time to eat breakfast, let alone think about packing a lunch.

The Power of Fruits and Vegetables - A rainbow of options
If you are making an effort to eat more vegetables and fruit, you are not alone. According to Statistics Canada, Canadians are eating more greens, reds, oranges and blues. A diet high in vegetables and fruit helps prevent many chronic diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular disease. They are great choices to manage weight. Plus, fruits and vegetables taste fantastic.

Reducing High Blood Pressure - how your diet can affect it
Close to 25 per cent of the adult population has high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. Two-thirds of these people have a mild rise that can some-times be brought under control by making life-style changes. Have you checked with your doctor to see what your blood pressure is?

Replacement Meals - Not just “breakfast on the run”
Have you ventured down the nutritional supplement or cereal aisles of a pharmacy or grocery store lately? You may have noticed a wide selection of meal replacement drinks, bars and puddings. With so many meal replacement choices, choosing one can be quite confusing.

Sensible Snacking - choosing wisely keeps you healthy
We all have snack attacks. It can happen at work, watching TV, sitting in traffic, at the computer, at the movies, or at a sports game – just about anywhere! Snacking is often seen as a bad habit – but is it?

Sodium - hold the salt - too much can affect your health
A major part of common table salt is sodium and, while having some sodium in the diet is very important, too much can lead to big health problems. Too much sodium is a major factor in high blood pressure (hypertension) which leads to stroke, heart problems and kidney failure. Stomach cancer, asthma, kidney stones and osteoporosis are also linked with surplus salt.

Soy - it may help safeguard your health
Yes! Soy is worth getting excited about. This magic bean can benefit health in a number of ways. There are many tasty and versatile soy products on the market. These foods are easy to add to your diet, even if you are not vegetarian. Read on to find out why soy is important and how to add it to your daily menu.

Survive and Thrive - Learn to nurture yourself
Are you too busy ‘doing’ to spend time with your family at breakfast? Rather than sitting and enjoying your meal with them, do you eat toast crusts and slurp milk out of the cereal bowl as you clean up? Later in the day, does your energy level dip? Do you inhale cookies, fast food, energy drinks and bars, or consume unidentifiable objects found on the upholstery of the car?

10 Ways to Cut Down on Fat - A well-balanced low-fat diet will improve your life
Are the messages about healthy eating starting to make you think about the food you eat? Have you decided to improve your eating habits? One of the first steps to healthy eating is choosing a low-fat diet.

Teen Nutrition - Teaching kids about healthy food choices
When your child was small, it was fairly simple to control what was on the menu. Now you wonder if your teen’s bag lunches go uneaten, since most of her friends are buying cafeteria food. Thinking she will eat the carrot sticks you prepared while everyone else is munching on potato chips may not be realistic. Still, it is part of a parent’s job to teach kids about healthy food choices. What’s more, you know good nutrition is critical during the teen years. As a parent, what should you do?

Understanding Food Biotechnology - what genetically-modified foods are all about
Do you know the one about the arctic char gene in the frost-resistant tomato? Or maybe you have heard the term "Frankenfood" used in popular media? These images may be catchy and provoke emotion. In many cases they've even reached urban myth status. However, they do little to give consumers the knowledge they need to make informed choices about food biotechnology.

Urinary Incontinence - effective treatments exist
Urinary incontinence is a medical term describing a periodic inability to control passing urine. More simply put, it is the unwanted release of urine at the wrong time, or ‘wetting your pants.’ Although this can be embarrassing, it can be effectively treated.

Weight Loss - taking and keeping it off
If you want to lose a few pounds you are not alone. According to the National Eating Disorder Information Center, 70 per cent of Canadian women and 35 per cent of Canadian men are dieting to lose weight at any given time.

Night Snacking - It can sabotage your weight control
Do you want to lose weight, or at least stay at your present weight? Did you know that most of us sabotage our weight loss efforts by eating in a way that actually promotes weight gain . . . not weight loss?

Sunshine Vitamin D - are you and your family getting enough?
Many articles and announcements about vitamin D have recently appeared in the media. This was the fourth vitamin to be discovered, and thus called ‘D’. Often regarded as the “sunshine vitamin”, it helps in absorbing calcium and prevents rickets. Isn’t that all we need to know about it? Actually, no! When it comes to vitamin D, we have much more to learn.

Weight Wise Tips for Healthy Families - teaching kids about healthy habits
Kids today are born into a weight-conscious society with a $35 billion diet industry. Maybe it’s not surprising that they have some grown-up concerns. Five-year-olds have been known to mimic their moms’ dieting behaviour. A study of primary-school age children found half of them would like to weigh less. Too many kids feel unhappy with their bodies, whatever their size. It seems it has never been more important to be slim.