Top 5 Nutrition Myths

Here are the most common nutritional myths I am asked on a daily bases. Let’s clear it up once and for all, shall we?

Myth #1: All fats are bad.  

We all need fat in our diets as they help us absorb certain nutrients.  

Fats make up an important part of every cell membrane in our body and help with proper nerve function, among other things.  

Some fats are good for us and of course some are bad for our health. The key is to replace bad fats (saturated, hydrogenated and trans) with good fats (mono- and polyunsaturated).  

Good fats include: Olive oil, flax oil, fatty fish like salmon and sardines, avocados, raw nuts and seeds, natural nut butters, legumes, leafy green vegetables and lean cuts of meat.  

25 to 30 percent of your daily diet should come from healthy fats.

Myth #2: Avoid carbohydrates to lose weight.
 
Severely limiting carbohydrates will result in the loss of muscle and water along with only a small amount of fat.  

It is important to limit the amount of carbohydrates in your diet that come from simple carbohydrates (refined flour and sugar).  

Cutting carbohydrates out completely deprives your body from essential nutrients found in wholesome carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. These are called, complex carbohydrates.  

Allow 45 to 50 percent of your diet to come from complex carbohydrate sources (half of those from vegetables). Good fat should make up 25 to 30 percent of your daily diet, and 15 percent to 20 percent from lean animal and plant protein.

Myth #3: To lose weight you must follow a very low-calorie diet.
 
Eating too few calories puts your body in starvation mode. This actually does the opposite of what you are trying to achieve by slowing down the rate at which you burn calories.  

A better approach is to eat smaller, more frequent meals and snacks.  

A slower, more gradual weight loss will lead to loss of body fat without risking loss of too much muscle tissue and in the long run is easier to manage.  

Aim for a healthy weight loss of 1-2 pounds a week.  

Try cutting your total daily calories by just 500kcal a day for a 1-2 pounds loss per week.  

To maximize fat loss and help keep your blood sugar levels stable and metabolism operating at optimum speed aim to eat every 3-4 hours.  

The more muscle mass you have, the faster your metabolism works and the more fat you will burn.  Therefore incorporate weight training into your exercise regime along with a healthy balanced diet.

Myth #4: Eating eggs raises your cholesterol levels

Not necessarily. Yes, eggs are high in cholesterol, but the link between naturally occurring cholesterol and your cholesterol levels isn't clear-cut.     

The liver produces 80 per cent of the cholesterol that's in your body. The rest comes from the food you eat, mainly from foods high in saturated fat and trans fat (deep fried foods, pastries, chips, JUNK!).

Myth #5: Only eat when you're hungry

Your body works best when it's receiving a steady supply of fuel. The fuel in this case is food. 

Eating regularly helps your body regulate blood-sugar levels and keeps your body burning calories instead of hoarding them and saving them as fat.      

If you go long periods without food your blood sugar levels fall, causing you to crave a quick sugar fix. Your body wants glucose but more than often people will translate that to needing sugar, as in sweets. Feed your body something nutritious. It will give you the spike of energy it craves and will keep you fuller for longer.

Do you have a nutritional myth you would like cleared up? Leave it below and I will answer it for you!

The information presented here is not intended to replace professional medical care when needed. Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner for disease diagnosis, therapy choice, medicine selection and dosage.  

6 Easy Ways to improve your Child's Diet



This photograph belongs to Melissa Macchione.
Unauthorized use is prohibited. If you have any questions please contact the administrator.


I'm very excited to be teaching my Feeding your Baby:  Tummy to Tot Workshop this Fall to show mom's (and dad's) how easy it is to prepare wholesome meals and snacks for their children. To get you started, because it is only May, here are some easy tips you can start right away!





1) Feed Them Whole Foods – This means prepare foods that are closet to their natural state or closet too natural state. For instance, enjoy a crisp apple as opposed to packaged applesauce which in most cases contains refined sugar and preservatives. Choose sprouted or multi-grain breads over refined wheat where the bran and germ (the reservoir for vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids) have been removed.

2) Choose Certified Organic – The term organic simple means foods that have not been exposed to pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, hormones, fertilizers and other harmful chemicals during their growing stages. More organic in the diet means less toxic material entering the body, therefore less work your child’s body has to do to get rid of it and less damage to their tiny organs.

3) Choose foods that are dense in their nutrients – When making food choices concentrate on picking foods that are dense in their nutrients. For example, eat oranges for their vitamin C and Kale for its calcium. Also, go for more nutritious foods; romaine lettuce over iceberg lettuce, yams over white potatoes and brown rice over white rice.

4) Moderation, Variety and Rotation – Allow your child to have a cheat day and don’t feel guilty about it. A cheat day is an example of having moderation in the diet. Variety is just as important. A good rule of thumb is to eat brightly coloured fruits and vegetables to ensure they are getting a variety of different vitamins and minerals in their diet. (Similar colours = similar nutrients). Lastly, make sure to rotate your child’s foods every day. Eating the same foods day after day can result to food intolerances. Visit (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-allergy/AN01109) for more information on food intolerances.

5) Drink Water – Have them drink fresh spring or distilled water every day! Divide your child’s body weight by 2 and then divide by 8 to get the number of 8 oz glasses of water your child should drink per day.

6) Balance – Balance in nutrients, food groups, flavours and colours, prevents boredom and nutritional imbalances. A daily dose of Omega 3 is ideal for children’s developing brains. Try adding 1 tbsp Organic Flax Oil in yogurt or a smoothie for children 1 year-old and over.

Jackson’s Favourite Smoothie

Here’s a smoothie recipe I have been making my son, Jackson since he was a year old. I vary the strawberries with whatever fruit we have. Other berries and mango work just as nicely.











In a blender combine the following:

½ Banana

½ cup Fresh or Frozen Strawberries

1 cup Raw Baby Spinach

1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

1 tbsp Organic Flax Oil

2 ice cubes


Blend, serve with a straw…Yum!

The information presented here is not intended to replace professional medical care when needed. Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner for disease diagnosis, therapy choice, medicine selection and dosage.