Breastfeeding Clinic

The next Breastfeeding Clinic will be held at North Hastings Children's Services, 20 Hastings Heritage Way in Bancroft, (the daycare center) in the Resource Room. Wed Mar 28/12 from6- 7:30. All mom's and babies, and pregnant women are invited to attend. Topics will include starting solid foods, when, why and how.
Call Meryl if you have any questions 613 332 6783 EX 232

An aspirin a day - maybe not a good idea

If you are taking an aspirin today because it seems like a good idea, it might not be. A recent study suggests that unless you have had a stroke or a heart attack in the past, you should not be taking aspirin. It won't do you any good and it may cause problems. Of course every individual is different but it is a good discussion to have with your doctor or nurse practitioner.

If you want to read the latest study:

Reference
Berger JS, Lala A, Krantz MJ, Baker GS, Hiatt WR. Aspirin for the prevention of cardiovascular events in patients without clinical cardiovascular disease: A meta-analysis of randomized trials. Am Heart J 2011;162(1):115-124.e2.

Steve Griffin

Reducing salt by 20%, from the 2010 to the 2012 targets would remove 500 tonnes of salt from the diet per year – the equivalent of over 90 elephants!

 

World salt awareness week is March 26^th- April 1^st

During this week, we encourage everyone to take a moment to reflect on how they can reduce the amount of sodium they eat.

On average, Canadians eat more than double our recommended daily intake for sodium (Canadian adults are recommended to eat 1500mg of sodium per day, or 1 teaspoon). A diet high in sodium puts us at greater risk for many diseases including heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.

For this reason it is important that we eat a healthy diet low in sodium. By eating the right quantities of the right types of foods, we will reduce our sodium intake.   Some simple changes you can make to reduce your sodium intake include:

-          Eat a healthy diet following Canada’s Food Guide

-          Read the food labels

-          Prepare food with little or no added salt

-          Eat more fresh foods prepared at home

-          Eat fewer processed foods and pre-packaged foods prepared outside the home

Drop by Bancroft Foodland between 1-4pm on Thursday, March 29^th and join a dietitian and registered nurse to get your blood pressure checked and to learn tips on lowering your sodium intake.  

March is Nutrition Month

Have you every wondered if eating late at night will cause weight gain? Or if organic foods are the healthiest for you? Every year Dietitians across Canada work together to help promote nutrition and healthy lifestyles. This year Dietitians of Canada have decided to bust some common myths about nutrition:

Myth # 1 : You will gain weight if you follow Canada’s Food Guide, it recommends too much food.

The Truth: The recommended number of servings in Canada’s Food Guide is an average amount of food that most people should try to eat every day. You might need to choose more or less food depending on your individual needs such as your physical activity level. The type of food you choose is just as important as how much you eat. The Food Guide recommends that you have a variety of foods and limit foods and beverages high in calories, fat, sugar and salt. Enjoy healthy choices from each food group in the amount that is right for you.

Myth # 2: Everyone should follow a gluten free diet.

The Truth: A gluten-free diet is the only healthy way of eating for people with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, but it’s not necessary for everyone else. Gluten is a type of protein found in grains like wheat, barley and rye, and any foods made with these grains. Unless you have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, or you are allergic to one of these grains, you don’t need to avoid them.

Myth # 3: Multi-grain is the same as whole grain.

The Truth: Multi-grain isn’t always whole grain. Multi-grain products include different grains, but they may not be whole. You’ll get the greatest health benefits from eating whole grains. To make sure a food is made with whole grains, look on the food label’s ingredient list for the words “whole grain” in front of each grain name. If whole grains are the main ingredients in a food, they should appear first in the ingredient list. Make at least half of your grain products whole grain each day.

Myth # 4: Honey, brown sugar, and agave syrup are better for you than white sugar.

The Truth: Nutritionally speaking, they are all pretty much the same. While some people consider brown sugar, honey or agave syrup to be more natural, they are still sugars. All are concentrated sources of calories with very few other nutrients. Your body can’t tell the difference between them and white sugar. In fact, your body handles naturally occurring sugar in food or processed sugars and syrups in the same way. Excess sugar in any form gives you extra calories. Whether you choose to use honey, brown sugar, agave syrup or white sugar, use small amounts.

If you have a common myth or nutrition question you were wondering about contact one of our Dietitians by email at msmith@bancroftfht.com or jzupan@bancroftfht.com