UNews - DIANE BRITTON

How eating fish can improve your diet

trevor.kenney — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:47:47 +0000

By DIANE BRITTON

Are you confused about whether or not to eat fish?

Eating fish regularly is part of a healthy diet. In fact, Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating recommends at least two servings of fish per week.

Current research shows more benefits of fish consumption than drawbacks. However, it is now clear that consumption should consist mainly of fish lower in Methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations and higher in omega-3 concentrations (the healthy fats found in fish).

Best Bets

Fish that contain lower MeHg levels include mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines, oysters, shrimp, Pollock, catfish, scallops, tilapia, sole, arctic char, cod, "light" tuna (skipjack), yellow fin tuna, snapper and haddock.

Buyer Beware

Fish HIGHER in MeHg that should be avoided in large amounts include fish that live longer life spans and larger fish. Fresh or frozen tuna from albacore or blue fin, and other large fish such as shark, marlin and swordfish have higher concentrations of MeHg.

What's the Beef about MeHg?

MeHg concentrations in the environment are rising. Once it is in the fish, upon consumption, humans will absorb about 95 per cent of MeHg. MeHg is a neurotoxin found in both salt and freshwater fish in varying amounts. It is water-soluble and is stored in the muscle of the fish; so eating low fat varieties does not reduce consumption of MeHg.

MeHg affects both human central and peripheral nervous systems and particularly affects the developing brain in a fetus and in young children. Toxic amounts may also cause damage to the cardiovascular system. Eating fish in moderation and the type of fish consumed are important elements in a healthy diet.

For an individual nutrition appointment call the Health Centre (SU 020) at 403-329-2484. Hour-long sessions are $40 for U of L students and employees. Diane Britton is the registered dietitian for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. This is her final column as she has accepted a position with Alberta Health Services.

This column first appeared in the Legend. To view the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Something fishy

trevor.kenney — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 20:37:37 +0000

Are you confused about whether or not to eat fish?

Eating fish regularly is part of a healthy diet. In fact, Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating recommends at least two servings of fish per week.

Best Bets

Buyer Beware

What's the Beef about MeHg?

For an individual nutrition appointment call the Health Centre (SU 020) at
403-329-2484. Hour-long sessions are $40 for U of L students and employees. Diane Britton is the registered dietitian for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. This is her final column as she has accepted a position with Alberta Health Services.

This column first appeared in the Legend. To view the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

How to beat the fast food frenzy

trevor.kenney — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 17:54:29 +0000

By DIANE BRITTON

If you're eating fast food more than a couple times a month, boost your nutrition with these tips to beat the fast food frenzy.

Bank on Breakfast

No matter how little time you have in the morning, always eat breakfast. Even if it isn't the ideal breakfast, it will help you avoid buying a fast food breakfast or mid-morning pastry. Grab-and-go ideas for a quick breakfast include: a homemade smoothie in a travel mug, an apple or banana, or packing a spoon with a yogurt to eat when you get to school or work.

Plan to Eat

Pack healthy foods the night before. Fresh, canned or dried fruit, veggie sticks, low fat cookies such as Fig Newtons, or low fat crackers such as Stoned Wheat Thins with a cheese string or yogurt, are quick and satisfying snacks. They'll provide you with staying power compared to high-sugar snacks that leave you hungry and wanting more.

Skip the Fast Food – Choose Sandwiches

Subs and wraps (select whole grain) loaded with extra lettuce, tomatoes, green peppers, onions and cucumbers are a healthy choice. You can also add a lean protein, such as hummus, chicken, turkey, ham or roast beef, for better aofppetite control. Go easy on the mayo or special sauces to keep your calorie count down. Either purchased or homemade, these sandwiches are delicious and quick to eat.

Beat the Lunch Box Blues

Purchase different foods each time you shop to boost your lunch bag variety. Try different types of grains, protein choices, vegetables and fruit each week. Variety in a lunch packed from home keeps you from being tempted to purchase lunch items from a restaurant or vending machine. Variety is the spice of life!

For an individual nutrition appointment, call the Health Centre (SU020) at 403-329-2484. Hour sessions are $40 for U of L students and employees.

Diane Britton is the registered dietitian for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

This story first appeared in the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Proper snacking controls weight

trevor.kenney — Fri, 20 May 2011 20:36:50 +0000

By DIANE BRITTON

Do snack attacks hit you when you're least prepared? If you skip breakfast and other meals or snacks throughout the day, eventually the munchies will catch up with you. Here are some healthy ideas for eating on the run that will help control the snack monster in each of us.

Portable Fruits

Fruit is a great snack or healthy addition to any meal or snack. Fresh, dried, frozen (pack in a small portable container) or canned (in its own juice or pear juice won't have added sugar), fruit is always a positive choice. Ideas for good snacking fruits include apples, applesauce, blueberries, bananas, plums, Mandarin oranges, pears, peaches, dried apples or dried apricots.

Veggie Munch Packs

Packing at least one serving of vegetables (125 ml) to eat during the day adds a delicious crunch to any meal or snack. To pack in nutrition and fibre and help control your appetite, eat a variety of colors. Veggies such as carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, peppers and radishes all make quick, satisfying snacks.

Milk Your Snacks

Whether you choose dairy or soy – milk, cheese and yogurt pack a punch when it comes to nutrition and appetite control.

Protein Power

Adding protein to your snacks will help keep you alert and control the munchies. Lean meats that pack in the protein include ham, turkey, chicken, pastrami and roast beef. Add variety to your snacks by including hard-boiled eggs, hummus, tofu, tuna, salmon or 60 ml of nuts and seeds or nut butters.

Diane Britton is the registered dietitian at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. For an individual nutrition appointment, call the Health Centre (SU 020) at 403-329-2484. Hour sessions are $40 for U of L students and employees.

This column first appeared in the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Fast food frenzy

trevor.kenney — Tue, 17 May 2011 20:34:30 +0000

If you're eating fast food more than a couple times a month, boost your nutrition with these tips to beat the fast food frenzy.

Bank on Breakfast

Plan to Eat

Skip the Fast Food – Choose Sandwiches

Beat the Lunch Box Blues

For an individual nutrition appointment, call the Health Centre (SU020) at 403-329-2484. Hour sessions are $40 for U of L students and employees.

Diane Britton is the registered dietitian for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Healthy snacking is possible

trevor.kenney — Fri, 13 May 2011 15:51:14 +0000

Portable Fruits

Veggie Munch Packs

Milk Your Snacks

Whether you choose dairy or soy – milk, cheese and yogurt pack a punch when it comes to nutrition and appetite control.

Protein Power

This column first appeared in the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Feed the snack monster

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 21:30:15 +0000

Do snack attacks hit you when you're least prepared? If you skip breakfast and other meals or snacks throughout the day, eventually the munchies will catch up with you. Here are some healthy ideas for eating on the run that will help control the snack monster in each of us.

Portable Fruits

Veggie Munch Packs

Milk Your Snacks

Whether you choose dairy or soy – milk, cheese and yogurt pack a punch when it comes to nutrition and appetite control.

Protein Power

For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Lunching & learning

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 21:26:34 +0000

This month, I would like to highlight and recognize a group of individuals that works very hard here at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Susan Vanderaegen, Chris Groves, Joanne Gedrasik and Sharon Kanashiro are all caretakers from our Facilities department. They have faithfully attended most, if not all, of the Wellness Lunch and Learn sessions since 2009 (when I first started working here). Recently, they persuaded another caretaker, Ed Sandzewicz, to join them, saying, "Ed either comes along or he gets left behind!"

I have been very impressed with their dedication and interest in health and wellness issues and I wanted to highlight their reasons for attending the sessions and what they are getting out of them.

Reasons for attending

• "The Wellness Lunch and Learn sessions are interesting and informative. The opportunity to learn something new is appreciated. Sometimes the information or topic is something you know or knew at one time, but have forgotten, and the lunch and learn helps bring it into focus again."

They also added that, "It's also a nice break at the end of the work day," as the majority of our caretakers are up and working to keep our campus clean before the rest of us are even awake.

What they like

• The group indicated that it enjoys the speakers and the variety of topics and that the sessions open their eyes to new ideas.

Positive lifestyle changes

• Having attended a number of sessions, they have been able to make some positive changes in their own lives. They are also passing on their knowledge and good habits to their families. Another benefit is that because they are attending or participating at work, they can be supportive to each other when maintaining or improving healthy habits.

These individuals have demonstrated that they care about their health and well-being and are interested in doing what they can to improve or maintain a balanced lifestyle. I would like to say thanks to Ed, Sharon, Joanne, Chris and Susan – we on the Wellness Committee are glad the information is getting out to you and hope that we can continue to support your interest and quest for that healthy life that we all desire.

If you haven't been out to a Lunch and Learn session, chat for a few minutes with these regulars and you may be persuaded to attend one as well. The next Lunch and Learn is Wednesday, Apr. 13 at noon in Andy's Place (AH100). Digesting the Nutrition Label is the topic with campus dietitian Diane Britton presenting on how to decipher those mysterious food labels.

It's time to register for the 7th Annual Bee Heart Smart physical activity challenge. In 2010 we had 15 teams registered and 125 individual participants. Our goal for 2011 is to make it the biggest even to date. You don't have to be the fastest runner or walker, and you don't have to record the most steps to be a winner – participation alone may get you a prize!

The Challenge starts May 1 and runs through June 12 and you can enter as an individual or a team on the Bee Heart Smart website (www.uleth.ca/hum/wellness/walking/). Prizes this year will be awarded for early bird registration (before Apr. 15) and for best team name.

Suzanne McIntosh is the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's wellness co-ordinator

For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

An Apple A Day - Eat local, practically

trevor.kenney — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:26:40 +0000

Choosing foods that are grown close to home is a great commitment to our environment and our economy, but it does have its challenges during Canadian winters.

The Bull's-eye Diet is a practical way to eat as much local food as you can, while supplementing with other foods as needed.

The Bull's-eye model thinks of food sources as a dartboard. Each 'ring' of the dartboard represents a geographical region. The centre of the dartboard (or bull's-eye) represents foods grown close to home and as you move farther away from the centre of the bull's-eye, the foods are grown farther away from you.

The goal is to choose as many foods as you can that are grown as geographically as close to you as possible, then getting other items such as coffee, olive oil or spices from farther away.

What's grown in Canada that you can choose?

Blueberries, apples: are grown all over Canada with BC, Ontario, Nova Scotia and Quebec growing the largest quantities.

Wheat: Saskatchewan and Alberta grow the largest quantity of wheat in the country.

Milk and alternatives: milk, yogurt and cheese are made right here in Canada, with Ontario and Quebec having the most dairy farms.

Meat and alternatives: beef, lamb, bison, venison, chickens, eggs and pluses – including lentils, chickpeas and dried peas and beans are all produced in Canada.

Freezing or canning vegetables and fruit while they are available in the summer is one way that helps you eat locally in the winter months.

For help making simple and effective changes in your nutrition plan, call the Health Centre at 403-329-2484 to book an individual nutrition consultation with Diane Britton. Initial sessions are $40 for university students and employees.

Diane Britton is the registered dietitian at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

For a look at the March issue of the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Maintaining a pain-free environment

trevor.kenney — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:21:24 +0000

One aspect of wellness is the ability to perform your duties in an ergonomic environment, free of pain. Unfortunately, there are occasions when we suffer injuries, some of which come as a result of repetitive activities related to our jobs.

Last month, RSI (Repetitive Strain Injuries) Awareness Day took place, bringing to light the musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) that sometimes accompany work-related activity. It is a very serious matter that can severely limit productivity in the workplace. According to Statistics Canada, 2.3 million Canadian adults annually experience an MSD serious enough to limit their normal activities: and the majority of these injuries are caused by work-related activity. Issues such as tendonitis, tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel syndrome are some common examples of MSDs.

Common symptoms of MSDs include aches, pain, burning, numbness, swelling and loss of joint movement and strength in the affected area(s). These symptoms can progress into chronic disorders, after which no amount of physiotherapy or surgery can completely correct.

The good news is that the majority of MSDs are preventable. Contact the Wellness office (403-332-5217) for an ergonomic assessment, or to establish a Get Fit at Work - Stretch and Strengthen session for your team or department.

March is Nutrition Month, and in keeping with this theme, a number of nutrition Lunch and Learns have been scheduled for March and April. We are lucky to have Diane Britton, the
U of L's registered dietitian, on hand to share her experience.

On Tuesday, Mar. 22, Eat Smart, is the title of the Lunch and Learn event. Bring your lunch and learn how a few small changes in food choices can improve your nutrition. Then, on Wednesday, Apr. 13, Digesting the Nutrition Label will be presented. Both events run over the lunch hour, noon to 1 p.m., in Andy's Place (AH100).

Erin Pinder, a registered dietitian with Building Healthy Lifestyles, contributes to a monthly newsletter and her latest submission offers sound advice.

"We all know that we could make some changes to eat healthier," says Pinder. "There are a few fundamental steps you can take to achieve this. Many people in North America rely heavily on pre-made, pre-packaged foods. We are often unaware of where our food actually comes from. Many children are very surprised to find out that our baby-cut carrots grow in the ground! This month, make a special effort to get in touch with nature and local food sources. Often, the closer the food is grown to your home, the fresher and more nutritious it is. If you have children, get them involved by taking them shopping for foods at your local farmer's market, at grocery stores that supply local produce and meats, or by planting a garden this spring."

Wellness Workshop
Stress Busters – Tuesday, Mar. 15 (Noon to 1:30 p.m., Andy's Place AH100)
Join Lynne Hunter-Johnson in learning useful strategies for resilience while experiencing stress.

Suzanne McIntosh is the Wellness co-ordinator at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.
Contact her at suzanne.mcintosh@uleth.ca, wellness@uleth.ca
or 403-332-5217 for more information.

For a look at the March issue of the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

UNews - DIANE BRITTON

How eating fish can improve your diet

Related Topics

Something fishy

Related Topics

How to beat the fast food frenzy

Related Topics

Proper snacking controls weight

Related Topics

Fast food frenzy

Related Topics

Healthy snacking is possible

Related Topics

Feed the snack monster

Related Topics

Lunching & learning

Related Topics

An Apple A Day - Eat local, practically

Related Topics

Maintaining a pain-free environment

Related Topics