Category: Health and Nutrition
Bread – Friend or Foe?
Canada’s Food Guide states that adults should eat 6 to 8 servings of grain products every day. For those needing to lose a lot of weight and following a low-calorie meal plan, the minimum is 4 servings. Bread is an excellent candidate (1 slice = 1 serving), provided you select breads that are low in […]
How to choose a breakfast cereal
Muesli, bran cereals, shredded wheat, crispy oat flakes… there are so many breakfast cereals out there to choose from! What should we look for? Here are some label-reading tips to help you make the right choice.
How to burn 100 calories
Last week we talked about how to “trim” 100 calories or more from our daily diet. In this week’s post, I’d like to propose a few simple ways to burn 100 calories by introducing a bit of exercise into your daily routine. Choose the activity that suits you best or come up with something similar!
Simple ways to stick to your resolutions
Many of us begin the year with good resolutions, the most common one being linked to shedding those extra kilos we put on during the holiday season … or the whole year 😉 In most cases, excess weight does not exceed 10 kg. You can lose these 10 kg by burning 80,000 calories. This seems […]
Olive and Canola oil: For almost all occasions
Fat has a bad reputation, but this is undeserved. Fat is required by the body and brain to function properly. It also adds flavour to food. It’s the type and quantity of fat that matters. You will notice in our recipes that, most of the time, we recommend olive and canola oil. Both are good […]
Good and bad choices on the holiday table
All holiday food are not created equal. Here are a few good replacements you should look for on the holiday table: Prefer simply prepared meats: This year stay away from stuffed turkey and rich sauces. Go for poultry which is a lean option, provided you do not undo your healthy choice with a rich gravy […]
Beware of Scented Candles
Cinnamon apple or pumpkin spice scented candles may evoke the holiday season for some, but for others, these airborne fragrances trigger allergy symptoms — from runny, itchy noses and sneezing, to asthma attacks.
Go moderately nuts for nuts
Several studies demonstrate that frequent eating of nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts) appears to dramatically improve health: people who eat nuts regularly have lower risks of cardiovascular disease, of developing type 2 diabetes and some cancer types. Nuts are a good source of fiber and help controlling appetite.
Tips for eating healthy during the holidays
It’s hard to stick eating healthy during the holidays — fattening and rich holiday food is part of almost every celebration. Even so, you can still avoid holiday weight gain by making some smart choices, without depriving yourself:
Sweets for special diets
This year, let us spare a thought for our friends and relatives who have dietary restrictions, and come up with some sweets for special diets. There are desserts in Italian Christmas tradition that are perfect for those who are gluten-intolerant (celiac disease): These are homemade egg white and almond or hazelnut-based confections that will please […]
Have your heart checked
Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on February 2nd, 2013. February is not only the month in which Valentine’s Day falls, but also the month of the heart and awareness about cardiovascular diseases. The “recipe” for becoming heart-healthy is simple: 1) Do regular physical exercise; 2) Don’t smoke; 3) Lose excess weight; 4) Adopt […]
Taste a Rainbow of Foods
You already know the importance of eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Eastern wisdom believes that well-being and longevity depend on a balance of the five elemental energies represented by five colours: Orange/Yellow, Green, Red, Blue/Purple, and White. Interestingly, recent nutritional studies advise us to eat foods of all these colours. This ensures […]