Nutrition & Healthy Lifestyles

The goal of the Nutrition and Healthy lifestyles program is to improve overall health, prevent disease and complications among Aboriginal & Metis people living in Southwest Ontario by providing culturally appropriate nutrition education and promoting active living for all ages.
Nutrition services are provided by Lin Yuan, a Registered Dietitian.
Registered Dietitians take action to improve the quality of people's lives through healthy food choices and preparation. We work with individuals and communities to improve nutritional well-being and enhance personal control of health.

Services Offered

Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative

Aaniin, my name is Melanie Knott; my program is the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative here at SOAHAC. This program focuses on diabetes prevention by providing many fun filled and informative activities. Many include healthy eating workshops, physical activities for all ages and levels and Traditional healing to encourage a balance healthy lifestyle. In recent programming we had the following:

Medicine walks and workshops!
Annual Harvest Festival
Family Fun Camp Day (Summer 2013)
Traditional dance workshops
Kickboxing & boxing
Traditional teachings and diabetes prevention
Yoga
Healthy eating workshops

Please stay tuned for upcoming events and programs!

What is diabetes anyways??

Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the body can no longer make enough or cannot use the insulin it makes properly. Your pancreas releases insulin to help use the sugar your body ingests however if not enough insulin is absorbed the body can’t use the sugar/glucose you take in. When this happens the sugar floats around in your blood giving you high blood sugar.

Basically insulin is your body’s helper in being able to use and absorb sugar, however if insulin isn’t there to help your cells won’t be able to use the sugar properly

Nutrition Corner:
Beef & Mushroom Skewers
Makes: 4 servings
Cook: 20 mins
Broil: 10 mins

What you’ll need:

1 pound small red-skinned potatoes, about 1 inch in diameter
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
2 teaspoons Steak Seasoning
1 package of mushrooms, such as button, shiitake and cremini
1 steak, 8 to 10 ounces, cut into cubes

1. Place potatoes in a medium size saucepan and cover with lightly salted water. Bring to a boil; simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until fork-tender. Drain and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, oregano, thyme and 1 teaspoon of steak seasoning. Set aside.
3. Heat broiler. Spray a large broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray.
4. Thread potatoes, mushrooms and beef on 8 metal skewers. Place on prepared broiler pan and brush with the oil and vinegar mixture. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of steak seasoning. Broil on middle rack for 5 minutes; turn, brush with remaining vinegar and oil mixture and season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon steak seasoning. Broil for additional 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Nutrition facts

Calories 350
Protein 15 g
Carbohydrate 38 g
Fat 15 g
Cholesterol 31 mg
Saturated fat 4 g
Dietary Fiber 5 g
Sodium 385 mg

Lin offers confidential one on one nutrition counseling sessions at both the London and Chippewa sites. She can help you achieve and maintain your personal health goals and together you will develop a plan that best suits your needs and enables you to make healthy lifestyle changes!
SOAHAC also offers group classes on nutrition such as:
- Grocery Store Tours and Budgeting Tips
- Cholesterol and Heart Health
- Weight Management
- General healthy eating for all ages!
- Diabetes management and prevention
- Portion sizes and Label reading
- Cooking Classes
- Tips for eating out or eating on the run!

Classes are offered in various locations
Look for our calendar of programs offered at SOAHAC or call Lin for more information!

Upcoming Workshops

Holistic teachings with Liz

Teaching sessions on holistic approaches to life - September 5, October 24, November 7. Download the flyer for more details.

Top 10 Reasons to come in for a Nutrition Consultation

1. To learn what foods to eat to lower your risk of certain diseases

2. Get tips for eating on the run

3. Learn the best way to achieve & maintain a healthy weight

4. To help you manage your cholesterol, diabetes and blood pressure.

5. Learn how to feed picky eaters

6. Find out how to read nutrition labels

7. Determine whether or not you’re getting enough of the nutrients you need

8. Learn new recipes and healthier cooking methods

9. Discover what to believe in the media or on the Internet

10. Learn what to eat when you are pregnant

Losing Weight without Going on a Diet

The truth is we live in an obesogenic culture. This means that our lifestyle and environment promote weight gain. There is constant pressure to eat too much, and to eat too much of the wrong foods. To achieve real weight loss we need long-term healthy eating patterns that we enjoy and that satisfy our hunger. And to maintain weight loss, we need to lose weight slowly – about one to two pounds a week. No more diets!
Use the following checklist as your daily guide to help you achieve your weight goals:

✓ Eat Less. It’s no secret that if you eat more calories than you burn you will gain weight. We eat 30% more if the plate is bigger. Get in the habit of ordering the small size, sharing your appetizers and desserts, and bringing half your restaurant serving home for another meal.

✓ Listen to your hunger. Stop eating when you’re full... you can always have more tomorrow, because you’re not on a diet!

✓ Eat healthy, nourishing foods. Minimize processed and junk foods, and choose foods in season when you can.

✓ Load up on fruits and vegetables. Start your meal with a salad, load up your main course with veggies, and finish your meal with a little fruit.

How many diets have you been on?
According to Statistics Canada two-thirds of Canadians are overweight. And the never-ending supply of new diet books and programs is proof that we are on a quest to find the perfect diet that will help us melt away those extra pounds.

Diets only offer temporary solutions:

• They don’t change our long-term eating patterns, so when we stop dieting, we usually gain all the weight back, and sometimes more.

• Diets promote rapid weight loss, but when we lose weight too quickly we lose muscle as well as fat, which is counterproductive since muscle burns more calories than fat.

• When we severely restrict calories we put our bodies into “survival mode” and burn less calories doing the same activities. When we try to return to normal eating patterns, we gain weight because of our reduced metabolism.

• Diets create an unhealthy relationship with food, which can lead to deprivation, binge eating, and ultimately weight gain.

✓Choose whole grain carbohydrate foods. Whole grain breads, barley, brown rice, oatmeal, and high fibre cereals are delicious and offer substantial health benefits.

✓ Choose lower fat. Fat has twice as many calories as protein or carbohydrate, so it makes sense to keep your fat intake moderate if you’re trying to lose weight. Choose lower fat dairy products, leaner cuts of meat and poultry, and use a light hand when adding salad dressings or cooking oils.

✓ Structure your days. Eat about every 4 hours. This will keep your metabolism up, support stable blood sugar levels and keep you from being hungry and overeating at the next meal.

✓ Eat some protein at each meal to control your hunger and optimize your weight loss. Protein foods include animal sources like meat, fish, poultry and dairy products, and vegetarian sources like nuts and seeds, peanut butter, legumes, tofu and soy beverage.

✓ Love everything you eat. You don’t have to eat foods you don’t like to lose weight. It’s your day-to- day patterns that will determine your weight, not small indulgences.

A word about physical activity

Eating well is the cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle. But being active is another important part of the equation. You don’t need structured time at the gym if that doesn’t suit you. You can walk, run, roller-blade, dance, swim, play tennis, walk the stairs, take a yoga or pilates class… just get moving and burn some calories. You’ll feel great!

What is your healthy weight?

With the help of your doctor or dietitian, you can calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) and your waist circumference. These measures should indicate whether your weight is putting your health at risk. To use a quick and easy on-line BMI calculator visit Eatracker (www.eatracker.ca). This interactive tool not only calculates your BMI, it also helps you track your daily food and activity choices and gives you personalized feedback.

Weight Wisdom

• Weight loss doesn’t happen in a straight line. Some days or weeks will be better than others. Keep your eye on your long-term goals.

• The scale can deceive you. Time of day, salt intake, even time of the month for women all affect the number on the scale. Don’t weigh yourself more than once a week.

• Plateaus. They do happen. If your weight loss stalls try upping your exercise, and be patient. You’ll pass through it.

• Friendly sabotaging. Sometimes friends and family can be less than supportive. Stay focused on your own goals, and remember that we all have our own issues around food.

• Emotional eating. We sometimes use food to fill the gap when we’re bored, lonely, or depressed. Try to recognize when you’re eating emotionally, and work on finding substitutes, like going for a walk or visiting a friend.

• Socializing. Try to follow healthy eating patterns when you’re a dinner guest, at a party or wedding, or on vacation. These are on-going events in our lives and we need to enjoy them to the fullest while staying focused on our weight goals.

Dietitians bring you food and nutrition information you can trust. Find a dietitian in your area at www.dietitians.ca/find or call 1-888-901-7776
©2008 Dietitians of Canada. All rights reserved

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