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Take Some Time For Yourself

July 9, 2019
I hope everyone had a lovely weekend!!! I definitely did not have a post ready for Skincare Sunday because I was really trying to be present and not rely on technology. My husband, our mini golden doodle and I decided to take a spur of the moment day trip to Long Point Beach which is located on Lake Eerie on Sunday. I was really happy to be a part of the surprise birthday celebrations for a friend’s husband who is having a milestone birthday. 😉 With that being said, I was also trying to soak up every second of this gorgeous summer weather we have been having. Despite it being a Monday, let’s all motivate each other to get through the workday to take advantage of the beautiful evening that lies ahead. What are your plans?

Do you find that you need some time for yourself to refocus and/or regroup? During the summer months, one can always find him/herself always on the go. It’s important to remember to take a few moments for yourself to recharge yourself and prevent yourself from becoming exhausted. Weekends are not necessarily the only opportunities for you to recharge; maximize your weekday evenings. 🙂

How do you like to recharge during the weekdays? Here are some of my favourite ways this summer:
1. Walking with Millie throughout the city for a good 2 hour walk in the evening
2. Going for a run through one of the many paths in the city.
3. Enjoying a game of tennis with fellow house league members
4. Enjoy a nice glass of wine on a patio and/or in your backyard
Food For Thought: Are you taking advantage of summer? Don’t let summer slip away!!!!
Beyond Meat Burger- Are You a Fan?

July 3, 2019

Now that Canada Day long weekend has wrapped up, we are gearing up for the 4th of July long weekend. Regardless if you are Canadian or American, summer often goes hand in hand with barbecues. As plant based eating is on the rise, let’s talk about the Beyond Meat Burger because grocery stores can’t keep these little hot cakes on the shelf long enough. People are going CRAZY for them!

Have you Tried a Beyond Meat Burger from A & W or the Beyond Meat Sausage from Tim Horton’s? I have tried both. Truth be told, I initially saw Beyond Meat Burgers at Summerhill Market but that was before the Beyond Meat Burger craze hit.

Both options (i.e. the Beyond Meat Burger from A & W and the Beyond Meat Sausage from Tim Horton’s) both taste good but are they actually healthier for you?

The Truth: The protein source is pea; therefore, the beyond meat burger is a great meat alternative and/or vegan option. The taste is great! The fat content and calorie content is no different than a regular burger. If you think you could have eaten more volume with a Beyond Meat Burger, think again. You still need to be aware of portion sizes. Because Beyond Meat is still considered a processed food item, beware of the sodium content.

Food For Thought: Try The Beyond Meat Burger! See what you think! 🙂 If you are eating Beyond Meat Burgers for a health reason, think again. Due to the fat and calorie content, it’s very similar to eating a regular burger. Evaluate the pros and cons for yourself. If you feel like having a real burger, go ahead! If you want to enjoy something different, try one of the Beyond Meat options. One isn’t necessarily better than the other. Enjoy every bite of whatever you choose (meat vs. meat alternative)! 😉
Happy Canada Day!!! Enjoy a Creamy Coconut Water Strawberry Smoothie

July 1, 2019
What a scorcher of a weekend! No complaints! I hope you are all enjoying this beautiful weather. 🙂 Whether you are in the city or away at the cottage celebrating, I’m sure good food and some alcoholic drinks be it wine or beer will be involved. The best tip for the summer for skin and general health is to stay hydrated. Have your wine and beer; however, remember to rehydrate as alcohol is a diuretic (i.e. it will pull water out of your body).

I’m never going to stop advocating for individuals to drink water but the reality is individuals will want something with a little bit more flavour from time to time.

Here’s a smoothie I love to make whenever I feel like a change from water. Generally, after a 5-10 km run, I am happy with water; however, after 1-2 hour bike ride, I feel like having something a little bit more substantial. 😉 Should you find yourself lounging by the pool or lounging by the dock catching the beautiful sunshine, individuals may sometimes forget to hydrate. Here’s a treat which will offer you a bit of nutrition and hydration at the same time. Who does not like to multitask? 🙂

There is no better time to enjoy Ontario strawberries than now. They are absolutely DELICIOUS!!! If you haven’t gotten a box for yourself, you are missing out!!!

Creamy Strawberry Coconut Water Smoothie (serves 8 x 125 mL portions or 4 x 250 mL portions)
- 2 cups Ontario strawberries
- 1 1/2 cups coconut water (Don’t like coconut water, switch to plain water)
- 3/4 cup raw cashews
- 1/3 cup pitted dates or dried figs or dried prunes
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 3 1/2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tsp. vanilla extract
Food For Thought: What is your Go To Smoothie To Make?
Are You Resilient?

June 26, 2019
Eating well often entails taking the discussion beyond food. Our mood can definitely influence our food and/or drink choices. Whether we are in a good mood or a bad mood, an individual could use food as a coping mechanism.

When life is going well, we often use food as rewards.

Do you ever recall these situations…

“You got an A+ on your test and/or assignment, let’s go out for an ice cream”

“You got a new job. Let’s go out a celebratory drink” –> Celebratory drinks often include munchies on the side as well.

“Happy 1 month/2 month/3 month/etc. birthday! It’s time for some yummy cake!”

All these mentioned above scenarios are just a few examples of how we use food and/or drink to celebrate when life is good. What happens when life does not go exactly as planned?

Do you ever recall these situations…

“I got let go from my job. What am I going to do now? I have bills to pay!!!”

“My long term partner and I have decided to separate. I don’t know how I feel about this. We’ve been together for so long. It’s going to be hard to rebuild my life again.”

“A family member has just been diagnosed with Stage IV cancer. I don’t know how this happened. I don’t know what to do.”

“It’d be nice to start a family. We’ve been trying for an extended period of time. Nothing has happened.”

“I got overlooked for a job promotion. I’ve been with the company for a good chunk of time now. I’m feeling very discouraged.”

The above mentioned scenarios are only a few examples of how life isn’t always happy. Life can take unexpected turns and present obstacles. Often times, individuals, when faced with these types of situations, can use food as a coping mechanism.

Using food as a coping mechanism is not a solution. I have counselled emotional eaters; clients are often surprised when our appointments change from discussing about how to choose better food options to how to overcome obstacles in life by learning how to be resilient.

Resilience is your ability to “bounce back”; it is your ability to overcome obstacles and/or hardships. I believe each and every human being has had to deal with hardship at least once in his/her lifetime. How you “bounce back” is up to you. The key to being resilient and/or having the ability to bounce back quickly is all in your mindset. Having a positive mindset can make a huge difference!!!

Steps to Achieving Resilience:
1. Mindfulness
Is your mind full or are you mindful? Are YOU fully present at this moment or is your mind somewhere else?

2. Gratitude

There is something that each and every one of us can be grateful for everyday. What are some acts of kindness and/or generosity you have been a recipient of? Start noticing the good in your life. 😉

3. Optimism

How is your general outlook on situations? Are you an individual who sees the glass half empty or glass half full? An optimistic individual always sees the glass as being half full. Optimism/ Pessimism is how we explain to ourselves why certain things (i.e. good things or bad things) happen to us. For an individual to become resilient, optimism is a must. 😉 You must learn to always see the glass as half full. 🙂

4. Self Compassion

Love yourself. Don’t beat yourself up. There is no need to be highly self-critical and/or impatient with our own flaws. No one is perfect. On your journey to becoming resilient, only speak of kind, supportive and encouraging words.

5. Grit

How much are you willing to persevere for your long term goal? How much focus do you have to achieve your ultimate goal? Do you recall situations where you have said to yourself “I don’t care how I do it but I’m going to find a way to achieve x”. This is grit. No matter how to difficult and/or impossible it seems, you always find a way to deal and/or overcome the obstacle.

Food For Thought: Are you resilient? In order to become resilient, are there any steps (i.e. mindfulness, gratitude, optimism, self love & grit) you need to work on? To be honest, all the steps to become resilient is always a work in process. One must practice gratitude, optimism, self-love, mindfulness and develop grit on a daily basis.
We All Scream for Watermelon!!

June 23, 2019
Welcome Summer! 🙂 It’s only been two days since we officially welcomed summer but who has already had a good amount of watermelon so far?

In one of my earliest post, I stressed the importance of staying hydrated for optimal skin health. Most individuals believe that as long as they obtain 8 cups of fluid per day, they have reached the hydration goal. This is not true. Some individuals should strive for a goal of 3 to 4 L of fluid intake per day. It all depends on your lifestyle (i.e. how much physical activity you do, how much caffeine do you have per day, etc.)!

Not a fan of water? Do not worry! Watermelon is a delicious way to help you meet your daily fluid intake. Watermelon is made up of 92% water! 🙂 By comparison, our bodies are made up of 60% water. I would still encourage each and everyone of you to strive for water as your main source of fluid intake; however, having a few more slices of watermelon won’t hurt you. 😉

Watermelon is not only a great source of water but it can be a great source for Vitamin A, Vitamin C, lycopene and potassium.

Don’t forget that lycopene can also help with your skin health as lycopene helps to protect skin against the sun.

Do you suffer from muscle cramps? Bananas are often the choice for individuals when they want to decrease muscle cramps as bananas are a great source of potassium. Did you know that if you eat 2 cups of watermelon, this amount will also allow you to obtain a good amount of potassium?

I will never turn down a slice of watermelon and cannot imagine ever getting bored of watermelon slices. Some individuals need variety to stay motivated.

Are you a fan of avocado toast? Why don’t you add a few cubes of watermelon on top to bump up the water content, lycopene, potassium as well as vitamin A and C content in your meal. 🙂

Try this simple but delicious combination below:

Ingredients:

1/4 c mashed avocado

1 teaspoon lemon juice (I like tart and tangy things; if you don’t like tangy things as much, try 1/2 tsp of lemon juice first)

1/4 c diced watermelon

2 tablespoons white kidney beans

2 tablespoons crumbled feta (I LOVE Krino’s Feta :P)

2 teaspoons chopped mint

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Instructions:
1. Mash the avocado and white kidney beans together. Add the lemon juice to prevent browning.
2. Spread mashed avocado on slices of toast.
3. Sprinkle toppings on the mashed avocado (cheese, watermelon and lemon zest).
Food For Thought: Will you be enjoying even more watermelon this summer given the added benefits of hydration and lycopene to protect you against the beautiful summer heat?
Good To Go Keto Bar- My Thoughts

June 19, 2019
As a Registered Dietitian, I truly believe all foods can fit into a healthy lifestyle but I also recognize each individual is different. Some individuals truly believe being on a ketogenic diet will help them; therefore, from my perspective, I am there to help them do a ketogenic diet in the correct way.

I don’t believe the ketogenic diet is appropriate for everyone as the ketogenic diet was originally designed to treat children who have epilepsy.

There are different types of ketogenic det. The standard ketogenic diet means: 75% of your calories come from fat, 20% of your calories come from protein and 5% of your calories come from carbohydrates. What does this actually mean?

For a standard daily 2000 calorie diet, this means 1500 calories comes from fat (~167 g of fat), 400 calories come from protein (~100 g of protein) and 100 calories come from carbohydrate (~25 grams of carbohydrate).,

Let’s put this into perspective by giving:
1. A standard avocado contains ~22 grams of fat. This would mean you need to eat ~8 to achieve your 167 grams of fat per day in order to put your body into ketosis (i.e.your body uses fat as the main source of energy).
2. A teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) contains ~5 grams of fat. To achieve 167 grams of fat per day, you would need to have ~34 teaspoons of EVOO OR 11-12 tablespoons of EVOO to make sure your body stays in ketosis.
3. Every cup of broccoli contains 4 grams of carbohydrate. Based on the guidelines, you should not have more than 6 cups of broccoli per day to stay within the guidelines to keep your body into ketosis.
4. A standard piece of bread should be equal to 15 grams of carbohydrate. Are you willing to only have 1 piece of bread per day?
5. A cup of whole strawberries (1 cup of whole strawberries is not alot) contains ~9 grams of net carbohydrate. Are you willing to limit your serving of strawberries to ~2.5 c to ensure your body is in ketosis?
Are you considering a ketogenic diet? If so, ask yourself these questions:
1. Are you looking for a short term fix or a long term fix? Although a ketogenic lifestyle is a lifetime commitment for some, more often, it is a short term fix to achieve goals in a short period of time. From a Registered Dietitian’s perspective, a lifestyle change requires a lifetime commitment.
2. Are you ready to take some time off of work and/or social life to adjust your eating and/or lifestyle habits for the ketogenic diet? Because the ketogenic diet requires quite a drastic change in diet, it will take some time to adjust. For your body to adjust from using carbohydrates to fat as its main source of fuel, it will take some time.
3. Could you eat the amount of fat required to put your body into ketosis? Without following and/or adhering to the guidelines, your body won’t be able to ketosis.
If you are someone who is following the ketogenic diet, have you heard of the Good To Go Keto Bar? Have you seen this product on the shelf? Normally, I’m not a “bar” person but I was pleasantly surprised by this product.

No matter the flavour, the bars are soft and chewy (just like a cookie). I like how there are 6 grams of protein in each bar. It is coconut oil based; therefore, the saturated fat content is higher but remember that the form of saturated fat in coconut oil is medium chain triglycerides. Our bodies are able to absorb medium chain triglycerides very quickly.

Just because each bar only has 160 calories does not mean you can eat two a time. A bar is a good snack given the caloric amount and the protein content. Be aware that if you have more than 10 grams of sugar alcohol per day (i.e. any ingredient with the letters “ol” at the end) may cause gastrointestinal upset. This product does contain Erythritol. I find this bar to be quite satisfying so if you find you are someone who never feels satisfied after a “small” snack, you may want to consider trying this bar.

Food For Thought: Although you may not be on a ketogenic diet, it does not mean this bar is off limits to you. If you are looking for a different granola bar, the Good To Go Keto Bar may be a good option for you to explore. The caloric amount and protein amount is reflective of a snack size. Try it out and see if you are satisfied.
Happy Father’s Day!

June 16, 2019
Happy Father’s Day to all the father figures in your life. Let’s give these individuals some extra love today!

The weatherman was calling for rain today; however, it has turned out to be a beautiful day! Whatever your plans were today, I hope it was filled with lots of love and laughter.

Looking for a last minute easy to make side dish? Try making this Kéfir Coleslaw. The recipe can be found on pc.ca. I made adaptations (see below).

Have you ever tried kéfir? Kéfir is fermented milk; because it is a fermented product, kéfir will contain probiotics (i.e. the good bacteria your gut needs) to help build a stronger immune system and digestive system. By having a better digestive system, your skin health can improve as well.

By incorporating kefir into a dressing, this is a very non scary way to introduce a new product into your diet. How does kéfir taste like? I would say that kéfir tastes very much like buttermilk. Do you have leftover buttermilk in your fridge? In this recipe, you can also choose to use buttermilk instead of kefir. Buttermilk won’t have the probiotics though. 😉

There are many kefir options on the market. I personally like the Organic Meadows option because it’s got a higher amount of probiotics. Worried about the lactose? There are also coconut milk based kéfir options which taste absolutely delicious!

Kéfir Coleslaw
Ingredients
- 8 cups (2 L) thinly sliced cabbage*
- 1 cup (250 mL) shredded carrots*
- 1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh parsley
- 1 shallot OR 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup (250 mL) Plain Kéfir OR Buttermilk
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) honey
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Stir together cabbage, carrots and parsley in large bowl. Whisk together shallot, kefir, oil, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper in another bowl; pour over cabbage mixture and toss to coat. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
*If you don’t have a food processor at home, you can always save time by buying the pre-chopped vegetables.

Food For Thought: Tired of your usual coleslaw combination and/or dressing combination? Try this kéfir dressing. It will make eating salads exciting again. 🙂
Is Your Financial Health Hurting Your Physical Health?

June 12, 2019
Recently, I read somewhere that 48% of Canadians experience monthly stress as they are within $200 of not being able to pay their monthly bills. Do you feel like you are in this situation?

During discussions with other individuals, I agree that the cost of goods have gone up (i.e. $20 today does not take you very far) and housing (i.e. price of the house and costs associated with owning of a house) costs are exorbitant but ,in my opinion, the level of materialism for individuals has increased significantly (i.e. many people are guilty of comparing themselves with others; more and more individuals are in “friendly” competition with others whether they like to admit it or not).

Growing up, I don’t recall many adults working multiple jobs. Throughout my years of practice as a Registered Dietitian, I have counselled many individuals who have had to work multiple jobs (a minimum of 2 or 3 jobs) to make ends meet. Nowadays, it is very common for individuals to have a side hustle.

I’m not against individuals having their own side hustle. It’s incredible to see how someone’s passion (i.e. side hustle) could turn into his/her dream job. I have a side hustle too. 😉

The questions I’d like you to ask yourself include:
1. Are you able to save the extra income?
2. Has your physical health deteriorated as a result of your side hustle?
  1. If your physical health has deteriorated, is the extra money worth it? Are there any areas in your life where you can scale back? What is a “nice to have” vs. a “need to have”?
3. if you are spending the extra income, how is it being spent?
  1. Is it being spent on “stuff” to achieve your satisfaction in owning materialistic things?
  2. Is it being put towards investments to help build future financial stability?
  3. Is it being spent on services to help keep your sanity (i.e. cleaning service, ready to serve meals, psychologist, massage, spa treatments, etc)?
  4. Is it being spent on experiences and/or items so that you can keep up appearances among your circle of friends?
  5. Is the money being spent on experiences and/or items so that you can feature it on your social media feeds?
Often times, working extra hours will cause an individual’s health to suffer whether it is from a lack of time for meal preparation for the week or a lack of time for physical activity and/or a combination of both.

Food For Thought: Is the extra money worth it? Extra money is always good but make sure you still have time to meal prep and time to exercise. If your health has suffered due to working a side hustle, are there areas of your life where you can scale back? Without your health, you can’t enjoy the luxury of life. 😉 Your health (mind, body and soul) is your best investment!!
Don’t Forget Your Hat When Having Fun in the Sun

June 9, 2019

Summer, is that you? I can’t tell you how ecstatic I am about the beautiful weather! It has been far too long!

As always, I’m going to gently remind everyone to remember to put on their SPF (i.e. sunblock). Recently, I thought I had all my exposed areas covered; however, after a brief walk, I came back only to found a burn on one side of my neck! Apply SPF generously. I’m also going to remind everyone to wear sunglasses. Protect that delicate area around your eyes as much as possible if you want don’t want to see crow’s feet! 😉

As nice as it is too feel the sun on your face, it may be a good idea to provide extra coverage for your skin (especially if you plan to be outdoors for an extended period of time) through a fashionable item such as a hat. Are you a hat person? There are so many different styles of hats out there. I am sure you can find one that is suitable for you.

Here are some of my hat options. I had to include the Raptors cap as it is such an exciting time not only for Toronto but for Canada. The whole nation is behind the Raptors. Go Raps go! 🙂 When off on a run or playing tennis, you can be sure I am wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses. My husband laughs at me all the time because he does not believe the rays are damaging enough at 7 or 7:30 PM but I don’t care, I want to be are than sorry. If I am on a hike on a trail, I may also be wearing a baseball cap; however, I may opt for the foldable visor as the visor offers more coverage. It’s also more versatile and won’t mess with my hairstyle should we decide to do other activities during the day.

See the wide brimmed hat? I lugged it on an ~12 hour flight to Maui. 😉 I bought the small brimmed hat in Maui but have used it on day trips where more fashionable attire is required (i.e. Prince Edward County or Niagara on The Lake).

Even when travelling light to Europe (e.g. Greece & the South of France) with one carry one suitcase for each person, I always make it a priority to bring a wide brimmed hat. A bad sunburn can ruin the trip so I’m not going to take that risk! My husband is convinced he looks bad in hats. When in Europe, you know how much walking can be involved and when the weather is quite summer like, sunblock needs to be reapplied quite often. You better believe how militant I was when it came down to reapplication for sunblock for both my husband and I! 😉

Not convinced to wear a hat at all times but still would like to protect your skin from UV damage? Here’s an idea where my mom and my relatives in Asia follow religiously: bring out that umbrella! 🙂 Don’t laugh as I see more and more non-Asian individuals use this technique. After all, if it is beautiful skin you are after, who is going to have the last laugh (the person who uses the umbrella or the person who does not)?

Food For Thought: Are you a hat person? For wrinkle prevention, would you consider to wear hats more often OR would you consider using an umbrella on a nice sunny day?
Strawberry Goodness

June 5, 2019

Who doesn’t LOVE strawberries? California Strawberries are one of my favourite snacks and berries of choice – all year ‘round!

Did You Know? A serving of California strawberries (i.e. 8 strawberries at one time) contains more Vitamin C than an orange. Not only are strawberries a great source of Vitamin C but a serving of strawberries can also be a great source of lycopene.

A serving of strawberries not only have more Vitamin C than an orange, but they’re also a source of fibre and are only 50 calories.

Strawberries are truly a perfect delicious, tasty and nutritious snack option for anywhere and anytime. Ask yourself the following questions. Do any of these scenarios resonate with you?

Do you often have a craving for sweets at 2-3 PM every day? A serving of California strawberries should be able to satisfy your sweet craving in the afternoon.

Are you often stuck in traffic often and need something to tie you over before your next meal? Pre-pack 8 California strawberries ahead of time so that you won’t fall victim to mindless eating.

Tired of eating a banana after a workout? Strawberries are also a great source of potassium so bananas are not your only after workout snack option. 😉 Remember it only takes 8 strawberries to make up a serving.

Tired of your usual peanut butter toast at breakfast? Jazz up your toast with some California strawberries. 🙂 In addition to the strawberries, add some goat cheese, edamame and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

Do you have a delicious snack option you’d like to share with California Strawberries? Enter the #GetSnackingChallenge for your chance to win $1000. Visit https://www.californiastrawberries.com/get-snacking-challenge/ for more details.

Food For Thought: What are you waiting for? Get Snacking with some delicious California Strawberries.