If you're expecting a baby, chances are, you've cut back on caffeine, ditched alcohol, and you're staying clear of raw sushi and deli meats. But what about making sure that you're covering all of your bases nutrition-wise? Contrary to popular belief, prenatal nutrition is more complicated than just taking a prenatal multivitamin. There are certain nutrients that you’ll want to pay extra attention to when you’re pregnant.
The holidays are fast approaching…And so are those tasty, tempting holiday treats we love so much. This time of year is filled with family dinners and holiday parties all presenting opportunities to indulge. As the season approaches, many of my clients are expressing a bit of panic about staying in control over the holidays. “How do I avoid gaining weight?” or “how do I stay on track with my weight loss program?” are common questions that I’ve heard. There is no doubt that you will be faced with some difficult and tempting situations over the holidays.
Most parents worry about their child's nutritional intake at one point or another, especially when they are dealing with a picky eater. I see this almost daily in my practice—the cunundrum of picky eating. Know that you are not alone— almost every child a will go through a picky eating phase, if not many. As frustrating and worrisome as it is, it's normal. And nine times out of ten, your child is eating a more well-balanced diet thoughout the week than you think. So take a deep breath, and read on for some tips on how to deal with your little picky eater...
Having a toddler in a daycare has its benefits and drawbacks. It has allowed me to work on my business and writing (which has been amazing), but it also means that my entire family is exposed to a plethora of pesky germs, viruses, and bacteria, weekly. This translates into more sickness in my house year-round.
I have heard rumors about this "Mom Formula" over the past year or so, but never thought that a company would actually release a product that would encourage grown and capable women and mothers to trade in real foods for, well, formula. This baffles me. I get it—life is busy and it's hard to always eat balanced, healthy meals and snacks and make sure to get all of your nutrients in every day.
Halloween is here! As parents most of us will have to face that huge pillow-sack full of candy that makes its way onto our kitchen table or living room floor, whether it is this year or in years to come. The question is, how will you deal with it as a parent? Do you let your kids have a candy free-for-all so that it disappears quicker, or do you allow only one or two treats per day so that it lasts until Christmas? Do you make it disappear in other ways like by getting your kids to trade it in for non-candy alternatives or donating it?
I am leaving my family behind and jet setting off to Toronto in just 2 DAYS to finally meet all of the fabulous bloggers that I work with here at the Yummy Mummy Club. We have been lucky enough to score ourselves some tickets, courtesy of our amazing boss (thank you Erica Ehm!) to Blissdom, a Canadian blogger conference. Telling you that I am excited would be an understatement.
I'm sure that most of you know that lean meats, poultry, and fish provide an excellent source of protein, iron, and other essential nutrients. But did you know that you can still reap the benefits of these important nutrients without the meat? Eating meat-free is a wonderful way to expose yourself and your kids to other nutrient-dense foods that provide the same nutrition as meat, in a quicker, cheaper, and, often, healthier way. Choosing to cook without meat can be a huge time-saver if you're a busy Mom, like me.
I cook with ground turkey often, and more than ever now that there is a massive beef recall going on. Extra lean turkey meat is extremely nutritious, boasting approximately 26 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat and 0 grams of saturated fat in a 3 oz serving, easily rivaling other types of poultry or meat in the nutrition department. It's also easy to use and readily available in most grocery stores.
Thanksgiving is not only a time to connect with family and friends and remind ourselves of how thankful we are, but also a time to enjoy our favorite comfort foods—turkey, stuffing, potatoes, yams, gravy, roasted veggies, pumpkin pie...mmmm. What I find though, is that people tend to over-indulge during the holidays, and end up feeling guilty and regretful, which takes away from the enjoyment of these wonderful foods and, well, the entire experience. You really don't have to stuff yourself to savour these delicious foods—trust me! Stuff your turkey instead and read on...
After-school snacks are important for growing kids. Because your kiddos have likely not eaten since lunch time, it's definitely time to refuel—especially if they on their way to an activity. If you are running out of creative and healthy ideas for after-school snacks, here are some tasty and easy options to try with your kids.
Dawn Holland, a woman living in Georgia was enjoying a meal at an Applebees (and breastfeeding her 20-month-old son) when she was approached by a restaurant manager who told her to either stop breastfeeding or go to the bathroom to do it (or leave the restaurant). The woman became furious and refused to stop, ultimately resulting in both the manager and the mother calling the police.
For as long as I can remember, there have been conflicting messages around whether or not to buy organic foods or non-organic (conventionally grown) foods. I remember back in University, even my professors had differing opinions, based on varying studies and evolving science.
Here's the thing: Nutritional Science changes daily.
Eggs are known as one of nature's most perfect foods. They are an excellent source of protein, Iron, and many other essential Vitamins and Minerals. These low-calorie (70 calories for one large egg), nutrition-packed wonders are versatile, inexpensive and easy to prepare. I honestly can't think of a better way to start off my day (or my toddler's) than having eggs for breakfast.
I like to do it all. I want to be a loving Mom and devoted wife, a supportive daughter and sister and an amazing friend. I also want to be a successful entrepreneur and create a thriving business and quite frankly, become Canada's top Dietitian, if there was such a thing.
Sometimes I TRY to do it all and fail miserably by neglecting my toddler (we'll call him B), snapping at my patient husband, or letting work slide. Sometimes I DO do it all, and end up sacrificing my own health.
I was beyond thrilled when I was invited by Canadian Lentils to beautiful Prince Edward Island to experience Food Day Canada with Chef Michael Smith, Anita Stewart, and other amazing Canadian foodies, writers, contest winners and their family and friends on August 4th, 2012. My 48-hour adventure filled with fresh Malpeque oysters, delicious lobster, Saskatchewan grown lentils, and Prince distilled potato vodka was well worth the 16 hours of flying time.
If you want to learn how to eat according to your natural hunger and fullness cues (which ultimately leads to reaching and maintaining your ideal healthy weight), it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with your own "Hunger Scale." In other words, becoming aware of how hungry or full you are throughout the day and eating according to this.
Have you ever been thirsty, gone into the kitchen for a glass of water and left without your water, but instead with a salty or sweet snack? You may have fallen victim to the "see-food syndrome." Yep, when you see food, regardless of whether or not you're actually hungry, you'll likely eat it. Especially if it's a food that you love. We eat for many reasons, but unfortunately many of those reasons do not involve true physical hunger. This is a huge part of why some people find it extremely difficult to lose weight.
Today I helped throw my sister-in-law a baby shower and I was in charge of bringing a fruit platter and some smoked salmon. I wanted to do something fun and unique, so I decided to make a baby-themed fruit platter—I spotted a similar fruit platter on Facebook recently and couldn't believe how cute it was. My sister-in-law thought it was awesome and I must say, I received many "wow!s" and "how did you do that?s" and "you're SO creatives." The truth is, it was super easy and fun to make.
