If you choose to drink, drink responsibly.

Eating and drinking has a very social element to it and sometimes this may include alcohol. It is important that if you are going to drink alcohol that you do so responsibly. You often hear alcohol in moderation may have heart health benefits, but it is important to also know alcohol in excess is linked to many health problems including alcohol related injuries, liver disease and various types of cancer. Nutritionally speaking, alcohol is not a nutrient and consumption in excess can lead to vitamin deficiencies including folate, thiamin and vitamin D deficiency. Excess alcohol consumption can also damage the liver, limiting and eventually preventing the liver from performing many of its functions.

If you do choose to drink alcohol, aim to minimize the risk. The low risk drinking guidelines by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health suggest that “no more than two standard drinks on any one day.” Furthermore it is recommended that women limit their weekly consumption to 9 standard drinks and men to 12 standard drinks. Of course the size of the drink matters. A standard drink is 5 oz of wine, 12 oz of beer or 1.5 oz of 40% spirits. These low risk guidelines have been endorsed by many organizations including the Ontario Public Health Association and the Ontario Society of Nutrition Professionals in Public Health.

If you are in a social situation where alcohol is served, here are some tips to help control your consumption.

• Try non-alcoholic substitutes like non-alcoholic beer or virgin drinks.
• Be sure to have a non-alcoholic drink between alcoholic ones.
• Mix weak drinks rather than strong ones.
• Participate in activities like dancing, darts or foosball rather than sitting and drinking
• Allow at least an hour between alcoholic beverages
• Be sure to arrange safe transportation to get home

Remember to have fun and drink responsibly.

The low-risk drinking guidelines can be found at the following link http://www.camh.net/About_Addiction_Mental_Health/Drug_and_Addiction_Information/low_risk_drinking_guidelines.html

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Update

Sorry for the delay between postings. I completed a video post last week but due to some minor technical challenges, I am not yet able to post it. I will keep working on it but for now I will get back to the written word. Thanks for waiting. Jeffrey

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Remembering Balance!

It is hard to believe that summer break is officially over and the school year has started again.  For many, this means no more healthy meals cooked by Mom and Dad and it is now time to fend for yourself.  The many hours of classes and studying can often make it tempting to skip meals or make poor choices with convenience foods.  Don’t let yourself fall into this trap.  Even with a busy schedule it is important that you still make the best nutrition choices you can.  A healthy diet helps to keep your body healthy thereby allowing you to be at your best both at work and in your studies.

One of the easiest ways to help ensure your meals are healthy is to have the right balance of foods on your plate.  A simple trick can easily be applied to your lunches and suppers whether you pack your meals to go, eat them at home or eat at the dinning hall.  The first step to a balanced meal is to fill half of your plate with vegetables. By putting vegetables on your plate first, you can help ensure you meet the recommended daily number of servings of vegetables and fruit according to Canada’s Food Guide.  Filling half your plate with vegetables also helps you to control the portion of meat and starches on your plate.  Next, keep starchy foods to about one quarter of your plate, choosing whole grains frequently.  Lastly, complete your plate with a protein rich food on the remaining quarter.  When selecting your proteins, remember to choose legumes and fish often.  If you are choosing meats or poultry, be sure the cuts are lean and trim off visible fat.  By dividing your plate up this way, you can be sure your meals are balanced.   Even with a balanced meal however, do not forget about variety.  There are a wide array of vegetables, whole grains and protein sources available to us, so be sure to mix it up as often as you can.  To complete your meal have a glass of milk or soy milk, and a piece of fruit for dessert.

If you are having trouble picturing the plate described above, imagine asparagus and carrots covering half a plate, with a piece of salmon on one quarter and wild rice on the remaining quarter.   Try a grilled chicken breast or pork chop with a small baked potato and half a plate of steamed cauliflower and broccoli.   For a simple meal, have tuna salad or chicken on a whole grain pita with half a plate of cut up celery, carrots and cherry tomatoes.  If you are looking for a vegetarian option, a kidney bean dish, paired with quinoa and a spinach and beet salad would be great.   As you can see, the possible food combinations on the plate are endless but the proportions on the plate stay the same.  Be creative!

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Ask Jeffrey Fall Launch

Welcome back.   I hope everyone had a great summer filled with wonderful healthy food! My name is Jeffrey and I am a Registered Dietitian.  This blog was launched last winter as a way to help provide some general practical nutrition information to the Queen’s Community and to help clarify some of the common nutrition questions people have. We are now re-launching this blog for the fall and I will be posting on a new topic weekly.  I am excited to hear any ideas you may have regarding future topics.  Please remember this blog will provide general information and should not replace specific advice given to you by a health professional.  So eat well, be adventurous and most importantly enjoy what you eat!  Jeffrey Lalonde RD

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