Friday wrap up: weekend diet sabotage, what foods to buy organic, BPA update and more!

Well, it was a wet, grey and cold week here in Calgary - reminded me of being back home on the west coast. Not good weather for outdoor activity, but great for getting work done inside. I hope you all had a great week! Here are the articles and headlines that are news-worthy this week:

Nutrition Diva had two great posts this week: Is Fructose poison? A nutrient? Or both? And why the removal of BPA from food packaging may not happen.

Why link between chocolate and depression just got a little bit closer, why eating organic may cause your to eat more Calories, and some "need to know" facts about sugar (Calorie Lab).

Dr. Yoni Freedhoff explains why it's not OK to let healthy eating slide on the weekends.

List of the "Clean 15" and "Dirty dozen" - foods you should and shouldn't buy in organic form.

Trying to get pregnany? Is excess weight affecting your fertility? Dr. Sharma explains.

Obesity Panacea brings us a great visual experiment about eating versus drinking your fruits and veggies.

Finally, the Disgusting item of the week: Chocolate toddler formula (via Food Politics). How low can some nutritional companies go?

Have a great weekend all!  And don't forget to follow me on Twitter, join NFF page on Facebook and send me your nutrition questions!

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Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

It's been wet, rainy and snowy here the past few days and that's got me in the mood for baking something warm. These whole wheat blueberry muffins did just the trick! Perfect with a cup of tea on a cold day...

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. flour (half white and half whole wheat)
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 egg
1/2 c. milk
5 tbsp melted butter
1/2 c. blueberries
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup blueberries

Topping:
1/4 cup oats
2 tbsp brown sugar

Mix and sift flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and nutmeg. Combine well-beaten egg, milk and melted butter; add to sifted ingredients and mix until moist. Add blueberries.

Grease the bottoms only of 1/2 x 1 1/4-inch muffin pans. Fill the pan half full with batter. Sprinkle tops with brown sugar and oats.

Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 25-30 minutes.

Makes 12 small muffins.

This recipe adapted from Cooks.com

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The Mindless Method - Just another diet?

I recently received an email from Dr. Brian Wansink telling me about his affiliation with a new program called "The Mindless Method". Dr. Wansink, author of Mindless Eating, Why we eat more than we think, is the director of the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University and has done some really interesting research about how and why we eat large amounts of food without realizing. Now, there is a diet program called "The Mindless Method" based on his research. His email reads:

I am excited to tell you about the Mindless Method. It's a powerful, uplifting program based upon my research that creates customized plans to transform bad Mindless Eating habits into good ones. It's not a diet, I believe it's something better, and it's available only at www.mindlessmethod.com. Information about the program is available at www.mindlesseating.org and at the Mindless Method home page.


The Mindless Method company contracted with me to provide detailed guidance in the design of the program, to review and approve program content, and to provide ongoing consultation. Everything I advised them of, and everything my research supports, they have done to the letter. In my opinion they offer the best program there is based on my research to transform Mindless Eating.

I was skeptical at first, it sounded like Dr. Wansink "sold out". Was this just another diet program?? However, since I am such a fan of Dr. Wansink's work, I decided to check it out. At first glance, some of the claims on the home page would raise some red flags, such as this one:

All I did was rearrange my cupboards and I've lost 5lbs!

So, I decided to use Dr. Yoni Freedhoff's list of the "Top 10 things to look for in a weight loss program" to evaluate the credibility of this diet program. According to Dr. Freedhoff, a legitimate weightloss program meets the following ten criteria. Will the Mindless Method pass, or fail?

1. The program is not a one-size-fits-all diet and has individualized nutritional, exercise and behavioural components.


Pass, sort of? According to the website, a Mindless Advisor (they probably could've picked a better name!) will ask you questions about you lifestyle, personality and goals, and will use that information to identify problems in your eating habits and select solutions from a database. This is about as "individualized" as any large-scale program can be.


2. Nutritional advice is provided by a physician or a registered dietitian.


Pass. As mentioned, the program is based on Dr. Wansink's methods and advice. Beyond that, it doesn't say who else was involved in developing the program or their credentials.


3. Exercise is encouraged but physical activity is promoted at a gradual, rather than at an injury-inducing rapid pace


Pass.

According to the website: We encourage everyone to exercise in the manner and to the extent that their doctors recommend, but the Mindless Method does not impose any particular exercise routine or activity level.

4. Reasonable weight loss goals are set encouraging at most a 3lb per week pace and the program does not promise or imply dramatic, rapid, weight-loss as an outcome


Pass. In fact, the website warns those looking for a quick fix that "the pounds will not "fly off" as they temporarily do with deprivation diets", but rather, the "intention is to help weight come off - often for good - at a rate of about one or two pounds per month, sometimes more".


5. The program does not require large sums of money at the start or make clients sign contracts for expensive, long-term programs without the option of at least partial refunds (which you should discuss with them before enrolling)


Pass. Although I don't know the exact prices, according to the site, membership costs less per week than the cost of a typical fast-food meal. The program does require an initial 3 month commitment, but claims this is to give people enough time to break habits and create good ones, and to encourage a chance to see benefits.

6. The program does not promote diets lower than 800 Calories daily and if less than 1200 daily are supervised by a physician.


Pass. There's no giving up certain foods, measuring or weighing of foods, and no counting Calories or carbs.


7. The program does not require the use or purchase of any products, supplements, vitamins or injections


Pass. The program states "We don't require special foods or powders or pills".


8. The program does not make outlandish claims such as, “you will only lose fat” or that they are able to, “target” problem areas.


Pass. In my opinion, the program makes very modest claims.


9. The program has an established maintenance program optionally available.


Pass. There is no mention of a "maintenance program" per se, however, that's because the core of the program is based on lifestyle change, rather than dieting. The goal is to change habits and thoughts about food, which essentially will lead to maintenance.


10. The program is able to provide you with statistics that include the percentage of clients who drop out, the average percentage of weight loss and the average weight loss sustained following completion of their maintenance program.


Fail. I could not find any information on statistics.

My thoughts: We know doing small, simple things, such as switching water for cola, can lead to weight loss without any other dietary or exercise changes. So imagine what making a hundred or a thousand tiny changes could do. On top of that, the program targets the things we do without thinking, such as eating everything on our plates (no matter how big the plate), that lead to overeating. According to the Mindless Method, their clients work on changing their environment and thoughts, so that they are eating less mindlessly. This could work.

However, I think there is a group of people who this type of diet program will not work for. Those who are overeating for emotional issues, or who eat quite well already but really just need exercise are two groups that come to mind. The other flaw I see with this program is that it doesn't seem to provide guidance in terms of healthy eating. Sure, choosing the smaller size popcorn is a good first step, but does it encourage making healthier choices?

Final verdict: I give this program a pass. I like that it's not restrictive, and focuses on changing habits. As long as people have realistic goals, this could definitely work for a lot of people. So much of what we eat is done mindlessly, if we can set our environment up so that we're eating LESS mindlessly, it is very possible to lose weight. If this program incorporated some healthy eating guidance into it, I think it would be even better.

What do you think?

*This has been a completely unpaid review and I have no ties to the Mindless Method or Dr. Wansink.

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Reply from KFC = FAIL

If you read my last post on KFC's partnership with the Susan G Komen Foundation and clicked here to send KFC your thoughts, you likely received the following response:

Thank you for contacting KFC.

 We are extraordinarily proud to be raising money for Susan G. Komen for the Cure through our "Buckets for the Cure" program. It is equally rewarding to help spread the word about breast cancer awareness with millions of Americans through our national advertising, public relations and more than 5,000 restaurants coast to coast.

 Our goal is to make the single largest donation in Komen for the Cure history ($8.5 million) and after only the first week of the promotion, we had already raised more than $1.7 million for the cause (through April 21). These dollars are going to help save lives and we couldn't be more proud of that.

Regarding health and nutrition, the great thing about the KFC menu is that we have something for everyone, including people who are counting calories for health reasons. Last year, we introduced Kentucky Grilled Chicken, which has fewer calories, fewer fat grams and less sodium that our Original Recipe chicken. In fact, KFC now sells more non-fried chicken on the bone than any other Quick Service Restaurant chain.

Kentucky Grilled Chicken is the product that is featured in our commercial for “Buckets for the Cure” and we are seeing lots of customers ask for pink buckets filled with KGC.

You may not be aware, but you can enjoy a two-piece Kentucky Grilled Chicken meal with two vegetables for about 370 calories. Besides being a great-tasting product, that is a wonderful option for people who are counting calories, for whatever reason.

We appreciate your viewpoint and thank you for sharing it with us. In whatever manner you feel appropriate, we applaud your continued support of organizations whose goal is to find the cures for breast cancer.

KFC Consumer Affairs 

Louisville, KY

Of course KFC's PR people are going to respond to a backlash from consumers, and the automated email response says that they certainly are getting a backlash.

My thoughts are this:

I understand the Susan G Komen Foundation's (SGKF) point of view: they need money. I'm sure someone at the SGKF saw the potential conflict of interest in this partnership, but money talks, and sometimes it's pretty darn loud. However, in my opinion, cancer and obesity should have trumped the dollar signs.

KFC is grasping for straws. How many people go to KFC for the grilled chicken? When  90% of the food served to your customers is high in fat, salt and Calories, serving the odd grilled chicken thigh is weak at best. My favourite quote is the part about TWO vegetables. I'm guessing that includes the deep-fried potatoes and fat-laden cabbage coleslaw?? I thought so.

KFC is quick to point out how much money they have raised for the SGKF, but it doesn't take away from the fact that the SGKF should find a more appropriate sponsor. Surely Subway or some other moderately healthy restaurant chain is willing to back the cancer foundation? Secondly, I'd like to see how much money a life of deep-fried chicken and fast food has cost the health care system. But of course, we can't easily quantify that. As far as I'm concerned, KFC has nothing to be proud of aside from the fact that they are only helping to make up for some of the detrimental effects their food has caused.

KFC response = FAIL.

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Recipe: Baked Falafels

You can definitely still eat great food while following a vegan diet. This was one of my favourites! Falafels are traditionally fried, but I baked these ones to make them lower in fat. I also doubled the recipe so we had lots of leftovers.

Ingredients

1 cup dried chickpeas
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1/2-1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon baking powder
4-6 tablespoons flour

Pita bread
Tomato, lettuce, tzatziki for garnish

Yield: About 10 balls

Prep

1. Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain. Or use canned chickpeas, drained.

2. Place the drained chickpeas and onion in the food processor. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.

3. Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands.

4. Form the chickpea mixture into medium-sized balls.

5. Place balls on greased cookie sheet, a few inches apart. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

6. Remove balls from oven and place in a pan with 2 tbsp canola oil over medium heat (optional). Stir them around quickly to brown outside of balls.

7. Stuff pita with falafel balls, chopped tomatoes, lettuce, and tzatziki.

Enjoy!

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A deep-fried cure for breast cancer?

Has anyone heard or seen the KFC commercials asking you to support the Susan G Coleman Foundation by buying buckets of deep-fried chicken? I think the irony really speaks for itself.

Breast Cancer Action has started a campaign to ask the SGCF to rethink this partnership. According to their website:

"We've seen a lot of outrageous stuff here at BCA, but we've never seen pink buckets of fried chicken being sold to “cure breast cancer”. KFC and Susan G. Komen for the Cure have started a campaign telling us to buy buckets of unhealthy food to cure a disease that kills women.

This pinkwashing is especially egregious because KFC, like most fast food chains, is overwhelmingly present in communities that have poor health outcomes. Susan G. Komen for the Cure knows that social inequities affect breast cancer mortality rates. Given this disconnect, we are especially disturbed by this partnership. It's preposterous, and we have to tell them to stop.

KFC is pinkwashing to make a profit, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure is accepting KFC's bad-for-your-health money. Tell them to rethink this partnership."

If you think this campaign is as ludicrous as I do, please click here to tell the Susan G Coleman Foundation to STOP hawking KFC.

And shame on you, too, Colonel Sanders.

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A Meat-eaters vegan experiment: Week two.

With just over a week left of our vegan experiment, B and I are both coming to our own realizations about veganism. Here's an update on how B is handling things:

The cravings for meat and dairy are becoming stronger than before, especially when I smell BBQ burgers or something similar. For whatever reason, the aroma of charring cow is delectable to me. Lately, I feel like Homer Simpson when I smell food cooking. I kind of grunt and shake my head. I'm missing cheese and normal dairy products pretty heavily as well, probably more than meat to be honest. 

The thing is that you can have a variety of meat substitutes that really taste fine. For instance, it was my turn to cook so I made vegan burritos. I made them with Mexican flavour veggie ground round from Yves, I used refried beans, guacamole, salsa, jalapeño, red and green pepper, and onion. I don't mind saying that it was pretty tasty and if you tested me about the difference between veggie ground round and beef, I wouldn't have guessed the difference. Recently we had a tofu spicy Italian hot dog as well which did not taste as good as the real thing but was fine. My issue is that I'm not convinced it's better for me in some ways.

Yes ground beef probably has more fat, but does that mean it's worse for me? I ask myself this because if I look at the ingredients in my ground beef it will read, "Ground beef-extra lean".  However, when I read the laundry list of things that go into some soy products, it's kind of scary. I'm sure a lot of people in the dietary world know what every ingredient is and where it comes from. Having said that, I don't know what Calcium Propionate is! It sounds like something my toothpaste should have for whitening qualities though. 

I don't have any background in chemistry so when I read some of the compounds on the ingredients list, it feels like I'm speaking Latin...for the first time. I was writing some of these ingredients down to look them up later, and my spell check had no idea what they were! Should I eat things that my computer doesn't recognize as English?? hmmm. When I ask Janine about "cyanocobalamin" she says, "Oh, that's just vitamin B-12" but as a regular Joe, I would never have known that. To be vegan is to be very careful and knowledgeable about ingredients. 

The label reading becomes a habit, and has actually been enlightening. I used to occasionally grab a bag of Doritos. My favorite was "Sweet Chili Heat", but now that I know it has M.S.G. in it, I wouldn't touch it. I never even thought to look before! It seems crazy that I didn't look at labels, but I just cared about flavour, so this has been a learning experience for me. I have also noticed that I am eating a bit more junk now. Lays original chips are vegan, just potatoes, vegetable oil and salt. But that isn't the point of this experiment either, so I am really focusing on going junk free for this last week. 

I can't really say that my energy level has changed a lot, but in my mind we eat very well normally so I wasn't expecting any huge change. I am now of the belief that Vegan is simply an ethical choice as opposed to a health one. That is my opinion, and one that is not based in science at all. I'm not a dietitian and do not profess any great knowledge about nutrition beyond "vegetable good, chips bad". It's just my opinion. I think if one were a simple vegetarian, then life becomes much easier in terms of nutrition and convenience. From my point of view, in order to keep this up, it is a constant struggle to be creative for meals.

I don't want to seem too negative - there have been highlights. For one, our dining experience at the Coup here in Calgary. Janine wrote about it in a previous post. From my point of view (a meat-eaters point of view), it was DELICIOUS!! It was the "El Taco" Veganized. Our waitress was awesome and nice - one of the better dining experiences I have had in a very long time. I was full and satisfied and felt great. At home, I have enjoyed every meal we have had. The flavor and heartiness of the meals were excellent, and Janine can be a wizard in this regard. I'm pretty lucky!

My last day is April 30th, just under a week from now. I do not see any problems with making it another week, but I am looking forward to going back to a more normal diet. It's less expensive and simply more convenient!

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Friday Wrap Up: Mercury in sushi, sustainable pet food, and superfoods!

As you may have noticed, I got adventurous and gave the blog a makeover this week. I like it, but still have some kinks to work out. What do you think??

My favourite items from around the web this week:

Surgery-free gastric banding? Can hypnosis make you believe you had the procedure and help you lose weight? (Calorie Lab)

Mercury content in sushi tuna is much higher than other types (Calorie Lab).

The dirty little secret of processed soy products - they're not good for you! Really, are we seeing a pattern yet? Highly processed foods = bad, people. Pretty simple. (Cornucopia)

Can omega-3's reduce the risk of endometriosis? (Dr. Weil)

You don't have to drink out of plastic bottles to do damage. Dr. Weil explains how the massive amounts of plastic in our environment may be affecting our health.

So you're watching where your seafood comes from, but what's in your cat food? Some cat food makers are now sourcing sustainable fish sources. (Ecosalon)

Nutrition Unplugged saves you money by debunking the illusion of "superfoods".

More and more evidence says that sugar, more so than fat, increases your risk for heart disease; but does it matter what kind of sugar? (NYTimes)

Weighty Matters calls out Coke for their shady marketing and KFC for their ironic cancer crusade.

Finally, my video pick of the week is an oldie but goodie TED talk from Mark Bittman.

Don't forget, if you haven't already, you can join me on Facebook or Follow Me on Twitter!

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Stevia: A "natural" sweetener?

Every time I turn around there seems to be a new "natural" sweetener popping up on store shelves, recently discovered from some far off land, and which holds the key to a future of sweet foods without any cost to our health.

What is Stevia?

Stevia, also known as sweet leaf or sugar leaf, is a group of plants and herbs that is native to subtropical and tropical areas in North America and South America. Stevia is said to be about 300 times sweetener than sugar, which makes it a low-Calorie, low-carbohydrate choice to be harvested into a sweetener, or sugar substitute.

In some countries, such as Japan, Stevia has been used as a sweetener for decades. Countries such as Canada and the U.S., however, were much more hesitant to approve the sweetener, forcing manufacturers to label and sell it as a dietary supplement instead. In 2008, the FDA did approve the sweetener to be used as a food additive, which means you may be seeing it in diet sodas across the U.S. Big players like Coke and Pepsi have been dying to market and sell the stuff, and some suggest the changes in regulations have been more to do with industry pressure than a legitimate concern for safety.

What the science says:

The science for stevia gets a bit confusing because there are so many forms and types of extracts of the stevia leaf. Some extracts have been found to be harmful, others have not. Some studies have shown that Stevia may have positive effects on obesity, high blood pressure and blood glucose control; others have not.

In 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) performed a thorough evaluation of recent experimental studies of stevioside and steviols available at the time and concluded that "stevioside and rebaudioside A are not genotoxic in vitro or in vivo and that the genotoxicity of steviol and some of its oxidative derivatives in vitro is not expressed in vivo." The report also found no evidence of carcinogenic activity and that "stevioside has shown some evidence of pharmacological effects in patients with hypertension or with type-2 diabetes" but concluded that further study was required to determine if these affects could be seen at a safe dosage. "The Committee therefore decided to allocate a temporary acceptable daily intake (ADI), pending submission of further data on the pharmacological effects of steviol glycosides in humans, of 0–2 milligrams per kg of bodyweight.

My opinion?

I say this time and time again - just because something is "natural" or comes from a leaf does not make it safe. Many powerful herbs and drugs come from plants, and anytime we're putting anything new into our bodies, caution is warranted. Secondly, maybe it has been used for centuries in the bushes of South America, but that's different than going out and buying it in a bottle like we would today. When you purchase stevia from a store, it has been chemically processed to produce one singular extract from the leaf, and what you are getting resembles more of an artificial sweetener than a "natural" leaf. Companies also have to alter the product to try and rid it of a naturally occurring bitterness. Anytime processing is involved, you alter the naturally integrity of the plant, which may or may not affect its properties.

At the end of the day, no sweetener is good for you in large amounts, no matter how natural. The best thing to do is limit your intake of sweetened foods and beverages altogether. Period. For me, if I need a little sweetness, I'm still reaching for the real thing.

Sources: WHO Report, Center for Science in the Public Interest

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Week one of the vegan experiment: complete.

Week one of this vegan experiment has come and gone. So far, it really hasn't been bad. I'm doing fine without meat (we don't eat that much to begin with) but I did have one craving for a beef burger the other day. Luckily, it passed.

On Saturday B and I went to The Coup, a great little vegetarian restaurant here in Calgary. Most of their menu is vegetarian or vegan to begin with, but what's not vegan can easily be made to be, and the staff is very friendly and accommodating. We shared the el taco (sorry, no pics) which is a delicious medley of naturally sweetened beans, avocado, shredded veggies, quinoa and salsa, served in a grilled sprouted tortilla, and served with soygurt. Both B and I were blown away with how delicious and filling it was. The Coup rivals The Naam in Vancouver, only falling short in terms of the size of the menu. I highly recommend The Coup to vegetarians and carnivores alike.

As I anticipated, a lot of time is spent looking up ingredients to see if they're from animal origin. I've been using this website, which has been sometimes helpful, sometimes not. Items are either listed as vegan (green), non-vegan (red) or maybe vegan (purple). A lot of items are purple, which means they may be derived from animal or plants, and there's really no way to know. When faced with a purple ingredient, we usually just eat the food because this is just an experiment, not a lifestyle choice we're doing for ethical reasons.

For interest's sake, these are some of the ingredients I've come across time and time again:

Calcium Phosphate: (Monobasic, Dibasic and Tribasic) a mineral salt found in rocks and bones. Used as an anti-caking agent in cosmetics and food, mineral supplement, abrasive in toothpaste and jelling agent. Also known as calcium rock.

Guar Gum: Gum made from ground guar seeds.

Lecithin: fatty substance found in nerve tissues, egg yolk, blood and other tissues. Mainly obtained commercially from soya bean, peanut and corn

Mono-Diglycerides: Emulsifying agents in puddings, ice cream, peanut butter, bread etc. Can be derived from plants (oils from corn, peanuts or soybeans) or animals (cows and hogs)

Phosphoric Acid: an inorganic acid produced by reacting ground phosphate rock with sulfuric acid.

Potassium Chloride: occurs naturally as the mineral sylvite and is found combined in many minerals and in brines and ocean water.

Xanthan gum (corn sugar gum): gum produced by the fermentation of corn sugar with a microbe called Xanthomonas campestris

Some things that surprised me this first week: I don't feel deprived at all. We are eating great meals. Of course, I am spending a lot of time in the kitchen. I didn't want to rely on highly-processed soy or vegan foods for this experiment, so that requires a lot of planning and making things from scratch.

I was also surprised by how easy it is to be unhealthy on a vegan diet. Sugar, soy milk, soy ice cream and vegan desserts are all vegan, and like a regular diet, can all get in the way of healthy eating if you let them. Vegan does not automatically = healthy, low Calorie, or low sugar. It's just as much effort to make healthy choices on a vegan diet as any other.

Tofutti Better Than sour cream is good! And plain soy yogurt isn't bad either. They have a different flavour altogether than the dairy versions of these products, and are delicious in their own right.

Finally, I miss dairy! I knew I'd miss cheese, but I also miss grabbing a glass of skim milk for a snack. The pseudo-dairy soy versions just don't cut it.

So, on to week two. This week: nutritional analysis. I'll be looking to see how our vegan experiment stacks up in terms of nutrients like iron, vitamin B12 and calcium. Stay tuned...

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Recipe: Simple Vegan Tzatziki

This recipe, from Vegweb.com, is just as good (if not better!) than any non-vegan tzatziki I've tried. We used the Tofutti Better Than vegan sour cream.

Ingredients: 12 oz. vegan sour cream (I use 1 tub Tofutti Better Than..)

1 good size cucumber

3-4 cloves garlic, minced (I use 1 tablespoon minced)

1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped (use more to taste)

salt and pepper to taste (I use about 1/8-1/4 teaspoon each)

Directions: Peel and deseed and shred cucumber; drain. Put the sour cream into a bowl. Add shredded cucumber and rest of ingredients to sour cream and stir well. Let sit in the fridge for at least an hour to let the flavors mingle.

We ate it with red pepper hummus, bruschetta and whole wheat pita, but you could serve it with falafel, or anything else you desire!

Enjoy!

Preparation time: 10 minutes

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Fitness Tip: Tennis Elbow

Tennis season is here! Here's another fitness tip for tennis elbow sufferers from Kalev: Personal Trainer Eric Walker:

Tennis Elbow (officially known as lateral epicondylitis) is simply an inflamation of the lower outer edge of the humorus (lateral epicondyle) that results in discomfort. Tennis elbow is a repetitive strain injury which means that overuse over the course of months, or even years, can lead to tiny tears in the tendon and eventually injury. Any repetitive impact while gripping can cause this disorder. Squash, tennis, badminton and occasionally weightlifting are the most common causes of this injury, however, it can result from something as simple as using a computer mouse all day long for years on end.

Most common treatments for tennis elbow include taking anti-inflamatory drugs (asprin, ibuprofen, etc.), rest, cooling after use, heating to relax muscle and compression bands to relieve tensions on the tendons. Rehab for tennis elbow involves stretching, strengthening the affected tendons, and massaging the injured tissue.

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Recipes: Lentil-barley burgers and Mango salsa

B has been worried that this our 3 weeks of vegan eating would leave him feeling hungry and unsatisfied. He's a big guy - he needs hearty meals. I assured him hearty meals were easy. Being the weekend, and the time where he'd be most likely to grab a burger and beer, I didn't want him to feel deprived, so we made these lentil-barley burgers with mango salsa, roast potatoes, salad. B commented that he felt full, but not heavy. Success!! And they were delicious!!

I had to leave out the eggs, but those of you not going vegan can use them. The patties stayed together OK without them, but they would've made things easier.

I got this recipe from EatingRD.com but it originally came from myrecipes.com. I did double the salsa recipe though, and I would definitely recommend doing that.

Ingredients

SALSA:

1/4 cup finely chopped pineapple

1/4 cup finely chopped mango

1/4 cup finely chopped tomatillo

1/4 cup halved grape tomatoes

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 serrano chile, minced

BURGERS:

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup dried lentils

Cooking spray

1 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup grated carrot

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

3/4 cup cooked pearl barley

1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) - I left these out and it worked fine

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

2 large egg whites

1 large egg

3 tablespoons canola oil, divided

Preparation

1. To prepare salsa, combine first 6 ingredients; cover and refrigerate.

2. To prepare burgers, combine 1 1/2 cups water and lentils in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until lentils are tender. (Boil barley at this time as well, until cooked). Drain. Place half of lentils in a large bowl. Place remaining lentils in a food processor; process until smooth. Add processed lentils to whole lentils in bowl.

3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and carrot; sauté 6 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add tomato paste, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add onion mixture to lentils. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, barley, and next 5 ingredients (through egg); stir well. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

4. Divide mixture into 8 portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and 4 patties. Serve with salsa.

Nutritional Information (from website)

Calories: 315

Fat: 12.8g (sat 1.2g,mono 6.8g,poly 3.5g)

Protein: 12.8g

Carbohydrate: 39.2g

Fiber: 9.5g

Cholesterol: 53mg

Iron: 3.9mg

Sodium: 539mg

Calcium: 60mg

The finished product! Enjoy!!

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Friday Wrap up... eat healthy cheap, how to workout and a standing cat.

The New York Times article that explains how more weight and less reps are better. Period.

Summer Tomato had some great posts this week, including 10 Tips for healthy eating on a budget.

Nutrition Data explains why not all farmed fish is bad - Farmed tilapia and catfish may be better for the earth but nutritionally lacking.

Weighty Matters explains the pitfalls of sleep deprivation and how it leads to weight gain.

Vegan topics of the week: 5 ways to get calcium without dairy, from Dr. Weil.

Marion Nestle updates us on the Genetically Modified food issue.

Is agave worse than high fructose corn syrup? This physician says "yes".

Another interesting film in the works... check out the trailer:

Finally - the standing cat video that has gone viral is always good for laugh:

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Guest post: From carnivore to vegan - from his point of view.

I thought it would be interesting to give you a different perspective on our "vegan experiment" from someone who is a little less passionate about food and health than myself. Since he's doing it with me, I've asked B to write a few posts along the way about his take on it, and his experiences. Hope you enjoy...

I would first like to preface this by saying that this vegan experiment is not about losing weight or getting more healthy for me, and it is not about any kind of moral stance against animal cruelty. I am simply engaged to a woman who is a dietitian and interested in trying this and I thought it might be interesting to explore as well. I'm going to try my best not to quit and, hopefully, give you an idea of what it's like going from carnivore to vegan.

To give you an idea of who I am, I'm they guy who ate a box of spaghetti with a jar of sauce and pound of beef in one sitting. I used to order 40 wings when I went out for beer with my friends, and still battle the urge to go to fast food joints when I have a perfectly good salad for lunch. I love a good steak, sloppy ribs and roasted chicken. Over a year ago I made a commitment to myself to be more healthy though, to start eating human again and look after myself.

Then I met Janine who has had no small impact on my knowledge and has made a true difference in my mind set and health. I would credit her with actually putting at least a few years back onto my life.

Simply stated, to go vegan a year ago would have been laughable to me, but I stand here now ready and willing to try it, and try hard at it to boot.

I get asked what it's like living with a dietitian. I think people have an idea that it's some kind of food misery where the lifeline of everything tasty gets cut off. Like I'm on a cabbage soup diet until my BMI is on par, and if I'm good I get ice cubes for desert. First off I don't live with a dietitian, I live with a wonderful woman, and the fact she knows more about food just means that the incredible meals we make together (well, I try to watch at least) are actually really delicious AND healthy.

So far this week we have eased into this vegan thing like getting into a hot bath - first just a toe, and then slowly submerging until you can just relax with it. I finished using any dairy yesterday and that means I'm in with both feet now.

So Far today I have eaten a bowl of cereal (all vegan-approved of course) with some vanilla soy milk which was delicious to be honest. I used the same vanilla soy to cream my coffee and it was just like using a vanilla creamer -really tasty actually! I have a garden salad for lunch with beets, tomatoes, carrots, as well as the left over Channa Masala (chick pea curry, made with coconut milk - really hardy!) from last night and an orange. I also packed a snack of strawberries for later, so I'm set. To be honest, I would pack this lunch on any given day anyway so I'm not really feeling hard done by at all! It feels like this vegan thing is just more annoying to watch to make sure everything is animal-product-free as opposed to the perception that it's just eating lettuce.

The weekend is approaching though and these are the days I would traditionally be "bad" and have some pizza or something similar, so it might be more trying, I know Janine has some great ideas for meals and I think get my first real taste of tofu tonight! Wish me luck carnivores!

B

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It's Grow Time! (Almost)

If you're a gardener or want to try your hand at gardening for the first time, GrowVeg.com may be your new best friend. When you sign up (and it's free for 30 days), you input your location and size of the garden you're planting. From there it will tell you your frost dates, and you can start planning.

You are given a selection of items to plant. Each item is surrounded by what can only be described as a "glow" that shows you how much room that item needs in the garden. Click on the "i" on each item for information about growing conditions, when to harvest and sow, sunlight, etc. Once you're finished, print your plan and take it to the garden store and outside when you're ready to plant. The site will even send you email reminders when to do your planting.

The rest of the site features helpful sections like Plant Grow Guides, Crop Rotation, Natural Pest Control, a Grow Blog and How to Start a New Plot.

Unfortunately, it's not great for a small or window garden - the minimum size the software will let you input is 3'4" - 5'0 ft. But for those with a little more space, I recommend you check it out. I know I will be referring to it often.

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Child and Family Nutrition

For those who don't know, I also write articles for a new site: My Family Nutrition. If you're interested in nutrition topics geared more towards children and families, check out some of my recent posts over there:

How to get your kids to eat more vegetables

Is juice OK for kids?

The "short-order-cook" parent

Five important things to teach your kids about food

Switching your baby to solids

Cooking with your kids

Being a role model for healthy eating habits

Healthy snack ideas for nut-free schools

Is picky eating normal?

Are television ads making your child overweight?

Building a healthy feeding relationship with your child

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It begins! Veganism 101

And we're off! We were planning to start the vegan days yesterday, but still had some milk and yogurt to burn through, and I don't believe in wasting if you can avoid it. So today's the day!

In my search for great vegan recipes, I've been extremely impressed with what I've found so far. What the hell does a vegan eat anyway? has some of the most delicious looking recipes (vegan or not) that I have ever seen. But do they taste as good as they look? I intend to find out. Fat free vegan and Vegan Yum Yum also have great (looking) recipes.

The gadgets I've found to make being a vegan easier are astounding. Need help deciphering labels? Not sure what's vegan? You guessed it - "there's an app for that". Tech-savvy vegans and vegetarians alike can download the "Vegetarian Scanner". Unfortunately, the App requires a camera which leaves us iTouch users behind, but Apps like "Is your beer vegan?" and "Is your wine vegan" will work on the iTouch. Whole Foods Market has a free App which allows you to search for vegan recipes, as does Epicurious.

Sunday was our first shop to get ready for the start our our vegan experiment. Our grocery list looked like this:

Soy milk

Dried fruit

Oatmeal

Pancake mix

Veggies - broccoli, peppers, onion, carrots, beets, tomatoes, etc.

Fruit - apples, oranges, grapes, strawberries, etc.

Beans, mixed

Chickpeas

Brown rice

Tofu

Rye crackers

Tonight I attempt my first vegan dinner. Wish me luck!

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Food Revolution update

Almost 250, 000 people in the U.S. have signed Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution petition to send a message to government and the food industry that we need to change the way we eat. Now, people outside the U.S. are now able to sign Jamie's global petition. Click here to sign. Check out Jamie's food philosophy and be sure to catch the Food Revolution on Friday nights.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

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Friday wrap up: omega-3's in beef, Ronald's retirement, and Starbucks fails recycling 101.

Some of my favourite items of the week:

Something called a treadmill bike has been floating around the web this week. A cool invention or another useless gadget?

Marion Nestle discusses a new campaign that is pushing for Ronald McDonald's retirement. He's certainly got enough cash!

Dietitian, Monica Reinagel, explains how grass-fed beef leads to higher omega-3 content of beef, and whether or not it really makes a difference.

Although 3 billion of their paper cups end up in landfills each year, Starbucks' stakeholders rejected a recycling initiative. Read the Treehugger article here.

Yoni Freedhoof rips apart the "double down" burger from KFC and the 10:35 burger/breakfast sandwich from McDonald's. Both will (or should) make your stomach turn just looking at them. Also check out his list for the Top 10 things to look for in a weight loss program.

Finally, an interesting discussion on micronutrient deficiency after bariatric surgery.

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A Vegan Experiment

A while ago I had the genius (or slightly crazy, depending on how you look at it) idea to try a vegan diet for a while. For those who don’t know, a vegan diet is one that eliminates all foods which are or contain products of animal origin. (First, let me explain by “diet” I’m simply referring to what I eat, not “going on a diet”. Although, many vegans are quite thin due to having a primarily plant-based diet.) Those who embrace the entire vegan lifestyle (often for ethical reasons) take this one step further by avoiding anything of animal origin, including clothing, shoes, and food. I’ll be sticking to just the diet. Along the way I’ll be posting the trials and tribulations, and recipes, of course.

Why would I do this?

Curiosity mainly. But there are a few things I wanted to know: How difficult is it to follow a vegan way of eating? Will my energy levels increase or decrease? As a dietitian I want to know what the nutritional concerns I will face, and how difficult is will be to get adequate nutrients and Calories. Although I eat healthy now, will it force me to eat even healthier?

I expect a few positives to come from this. First, forced creativity. I think I will be forced to find new recipes, and find new ways of using foods. Secondly, living a vegan lifestyle really forces you to take a close look at where your food comes from and what’s in it. I expect I will increase my knowledge of food additives even further. I’ve always been a label-reader, but I don’t always know every single ingredient I come across. Veganism will force me to research those unknowns.

In some ways I think it will be easy as I don’t eat a lot of meat to begin with. On the other hand, I love my cheese, salmon and, yes, even the occasional steak. Next week I say good-bye to all of it for 3 weeks. Luckily, I have a supportive partner who’s volunteered to do this with me which will make grocery shopping a lot easier. Stay tuned for updates.

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What's in a label? Making sense of non-sense.

Reader’s question: “I love bread, but I know that I should really keep my intake to a minimum. I switched to Silverhills bread a long time ago. They say “Bread Made Without Flour” and made with "sprouted organic grain" instead. Am I any better off eating this? Is it healthier, can I eat more of it?”

Ingredients: Organic whole sprouted wheat*, water, organic evaporated cane juice*, vital wheat gluten, organic oat flake topping*, organic flax seeds*, yeast, sea salt, organic sunflower seeds*, organic millet*, organic whole sprouted triticale*, organic whole sprouted rye*, organic whole sprouted barley*, organic buckwheat*, organic whole corn*, citric acid, organic whole brown rice*, organic whole sprouted spelt*, organic whole sprouted kamut® khorasan wheat*, organic sesame seeds*, organic whole amaranth*, organic whole quinoa*.

*Certified Organic

May contain tree nuts and soy.

Great question! Here’s your long-winded answer...

What’s so bad about flour, especially if it’s whole grain?

Whole grains are healthy - they are loaded with nutrients like vitamins, minerals, protein, and fibre. Whole grains are also, of course, high in carbohydrates but also low on the glycemic index, which means they affect blood sugar levels mildly. This is good because research has shown that eating a diet high in low glycemic foods may help prevent insulin resistance and the risk for chronic disease, such as type 2 diabetes.

However, when grains are processed into flour they become easier for the body to process and therefore, they have a higher glycemic index (GI) and have a greater impact on blood sugars. Some “whole wheat” breads made with very fine flours, although they are more nutritious, can have the same GI as white bread. Whole wheat bread and products labeled "whole grain" are usually made with flour.

As for your flour-free bread - it’s made with the grain intact, so that’s a good thing. Also, this bread has a lot of different grains in it which means variety. Dietitians like variety because it means a wider array of nutrients. Also, I don't see a lot of additives in there - bonus. Finally, it’s organic which means little to nothing in terms of nutritional value alone, but is good for the earth.

If there are any downsides to this bread it would be this: Often these breads are more dense than regular loaves. Flour puffs up nicely and holds air. Flour-less breads do not. It is also loaded with (although nutritious) high Calorie nuts and seeds. Lastly, even "organic evaporated cane juice" is just a fancy term for sugar, and it appears third on the ingredient list which means it's the third most abundant ingredient. Could be worse, could be better.

My verdict: Overall this bread a very healthy choice, but due to the Calories, you may want to watch your portions.

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Question: Dried fruit

Here's a question I received from a reader:

"I'm hooked on dehydrated\dried mangoes (not the ones with sugar coated on them) So good!! What nutritional value is in these things. I'm worried that I might be eating too many? Good \ Bad??"

Answer: Dried fruits have all the nutritional value of the whole fruit (fibre, vitamins, minerals, etc.). However, they don't have the water content (obviously) which helps fill you up. That's why it's so easy to eat so much. Going for the natural, no-sugar-added is a good step, but because they have been dehydrated, dried fruits are still a concentrated source of sugar. A piece of fruit has about 50-100 Calories, and we generally only eat 1 or 2 pieces of fruit at a time. With dried fruit it's quite easy to eat the equivalent of 3-4 (or more) pieces of fruit in one sitting!

Dried fruits can be a good snack and give you extra energy for activities or when you're on the go. One serving of dried fruit is 1/4 cup. Try to limit it to that.

Send me Facebook message with your nutrition questions or post them on the Facebook page.

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Just launched: Facebook

I am becoming more and more tech-savvy by the day. I have just added a Facebook page for Nutrition: Facts or Fiction blog. You will find Nutrition & Foodie news, Questions & Answers, Local events, the latest blog posts and more. Join the Facebook page here!

You can also follow me on twitter.

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Recipes: Homemade Guacamole & Salsa

We had delicious and healthy fajitas (healthy ≠ low Cal). It was my first go round at salsa and it was fabulous! All that's missing is the sunshine and a Corona.

Salsa Recipe:

2 red plum tomatoes

1 fresh jalapeño chile (I left this out, I only had one and used it in the guac)

1/4 medium onion (preferably white)

2-3 tbsp cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 clove minced garlic

1 fresh lime, juiced

Salt, to taste.

Preparation:

Dice tomatoes and onion and transfer to a bowl. Wearing rubber gloves, seed and finely chop chiles. Add all ingredients together and mix. Enjoy!

Guacamole:

Guacamole Recipe:

2 large ripe avocado (12 to 13 ounces), peeled, pitted, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 chopped jalapeno chiles

1 lime, juiced

Coarse kosher salt, to taste

Preparation:

Combine avocado, cilantro, onion, and chiles to processor. Puree until desired texture. Add lime juice and process to blend. (I didn't have a processor so I used a blender which works fine but makes for a very smooth texture). Season with salt to taste.

The goods:

Finished product:

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CLUCK: Canadian Liberated Urban Chicken Klub

Since I first posted about Outlaw Chickens I have been following the story of Paul Hughes, an outspoken advocate of C.L.U.C.K. (Canadian Liberated Urban Chicken Klub) who also happens to be the Chair of the Calgary Food Policy Council (CFPC), and a mayoral candidate for the City of Calgary. This past week I had the pleasure of sitting down to chat with Paul.

A little bit of background: C.L.U.C.K. and the CFPC are advocate organizations for food security in Calgary and Canada. Paul argues that Article 25 of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights is being violated by illegal bylaws which prevent citizens from raising their own hens in order to have safe and reliable access to a food staple (eggs). Paul has 6 chickens of his own in his urban Calgary backyard and was recently presented with a charge from the city for illegally keeping chickens. Paul was ready to go to court to fight this charge, however, after massive media attention, the city dropped the charges and the city is now working with Paul on a pilot project for urban chickens.

Back to C.L.U.C.K., the group that started in Calgary is now hoping to spread its wings across the country in an attempt to increase awareness and positively impact household food security across the country. I recently received a Facebook email from the leaders of the Calgary chapter of C.L.U.C.K. that says:

"It is free, independent, autonomous, transparent, ethical, inclusive, ad hoc and we fundamentally believe in Article 25 of the UNHRD Right to Food. We communicate respectfully with our neighbours and local officials, and we believe we have a fundamental right to raise hens for eggs.

If required, we will assert Article 25 in defense of our right to ethically raise chickens for food to feed our families. We believe in Freedom of Food. We support others in their pursuit of household food security.

We are each and everyone of us unique and independent. Our common bond is a belief in our authority over what we and our families consume. Our position and actions reflect a deep understanding of the connection we have to household food security and our local food system."

Their motto: "Get a hen in 2010".

If you are interested in joining the movement and/or starting a group in your area, join the Facebook group.

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